With three teams remaining and only two games left in BBL 12, the scene is set heading into the last week of the Aussie summer of cricket.
Perennial favourites and the dominant team of this season, Perth Scorchers, are sitting pretty at home in Perth.
Hosting a home grand final in WA – where they have won 12 of their past 13 BBL fixtures – and not having to travel at all compared to other two teams who have to travel from Sydney after Thursday’s game feels like a pretty handy advantage.
The Sydney Sixers and Brisbane Heat will do battle at the SCG in ‘The Challenger’, with the Sixers dominant favourites at $1.54 and the Heat at $2.50
BBL 12 WINNER ODDS
- Perth Scorchers: $1.62 (via Betr)
- Sydney Sixers: $3.80 (via bet365)
- Brisbane Heat: $6 (via Betr/TopSport/BlueBet)
- HEATING UP?
- The Brisbane Heat are the fairy-tale of the competition: after winning only three games in BBL 11, in BBL 12 they find themselves one game away from a Grand Final.
- One issue for the Heat is that since their last home game on January 22, they have played in Hobart, Sydney, Melbourne and now again Sydney within 11 days without much rest in-between.
- It will take a Herculean effort to make the final.
- That’s before we get to the Heat losing Usman Khawaja, Matt Renshaw and Marnus Labuschagne to the Australian national team’s tour of India: having your best batters depart is hardly ideal before a do-or-die match
- CAN SYDNEY GET UP WITHOUT STEVE SMITH?
- For the Sixers, the heavy reliance on Steve Smith came crashing down in Perth on Saturday night where they were belted by the Scorchers.
- The shining part was Sean Abbott’s bowling spell, which showed that he could tear apart any batting line up in the BBL.
- Smith heads off to India now and is the only loss from the Sixers starting XI on Saturday night, so their depth isn’t greatly affected other than losing the best batsman in the world.
- The Sixers should be too good at home and will then return to Perth on Saturday to take on the Scorchers.
- The Scorchers have half a hand on the BBL 12 trophy and do look good odds to win it, so it’s hard to pick against them.
- BBL 12 WINNER
- PERTH SCORCHERS $1.62 (via Betr)
