Plenty of SuperCoaches have been planning in advance for Round 5 and it is here with the Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Renegades on doubles and the Adelaide Strikers and Hobart Hurricanes having byes.
Sydney Sixers v Melbourne Renegades
Wednesday 28 December 7:15pm AEDT, SCG
Sixers
It’s tough to pick the Sixers bowling lineup at the moment, with several decent bowlers missing out. Veteran spinner Steve O’Keefe will likely drop out having sustained a hamstring issue which means Todd Murphy should return at the SCG. Jackson Bird may be doing enough to keep Ben Dwarshuis and Naveen-ul-Haq out of the side. Izharulhaq Naveed wasn’t great on Boxing Day but playing at the SCG means they’ll likely want a second spinner. Chris Jordan is still not ready to play.
Ins: T.Murphy
Outs: S.O’Keefe
Unavailable: Nathan Lyon (Test duty), Chris Jordan (inj)
1 J.Philippe
2 J.Vince
3 K.Patterson
4 M.Henriques
5 J.Silk
6 H.Kerr
7 D.Christian
8 S.Abbott
9 J.Bird
10 T.Murphy
11 Izharulhaq Naveed
12th D.Hughes
Renegades
The Gades have swung four changes to their 14-man squad for this game, with Martin Guptill, Shaun Marsh, Kane Richardson and Peter Handscomb replacing Jake Fraser-McGurk, Andre Russell, Jake Prestwidge and Sam Harper.
As a result, expect Handscomb to come and take the gloves from Harper, while Guptill slots in as an opener taking Harper’s spot. Marsh, who has been out with a calf injury, takes Fraser-McGurk’s position at first drop.
Russell’s departure could mean David Moody may hold his spot as their fifth bowler, despite Kane Richardson’s return. But Will Sutherland’s late cameo with the bat last time out and the likely SCG conditions, where Nic Maddinson’s spin may be used, means Moody probably drops out.
Ins: Martin Guptill, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Kane Richardson
Outs: Sam Harper, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Andre Russell, David Moody
Unavailable: Marcus Harris (Test duty), Zac Evans (pectoral)
1 M.Guptill
2 N.Maddinson
3 S.Marsh
4 A.Finch
5 J.Wells
6 P.Handscomb
7 A.Hosein
8 W.Sutherland
9 T.Rogers
10 K.Richardson
11 Mujeeb Ur Rahman
12th M.Harvey
View Honeyball’s BBL Injury List
Brisbane Heat v Sydney Thunder
Thursday 29 December, 5:05pm AEST/6:05pm AEDT, Metricon Stadium
Heat
Something has to give at the Heat soon, with the side struggling, flogged by 10 wickets by this opponent on Tuesday. James Bazley may be available after missing that game with hamstring soreness, although this is only two days later, so don’t bank on it.
Max Bryant’s spot must be in jeopardy having failed in three of four knocks. Matt Renshaw and Ross Whiteley have disappointed and it may be time for a shake-up in the batting line-up, with fellow English import Sam Hain waiting in the wings. Spinner Mitch Swepson has underperformed all campaign, going wicketless in his past three games.
No changes
Unavailable: Marnus Labuschagne (Test duty), Usman Khawaja (Test duty)
1 M.Renshaw
2 C.Munro
3 S.Billings
4 M.Bryant
5 J.Peirson
6 R.Whiteley
7 X.Bartlett
8 M.Neser
9 M.Steketee
10 M.Kuhnemann
11 M.Swepson
12th J.Brown
Thunder
The Thunder will be thrilled to have ended their three-game losing run with victory over the Heat on Tuesday and are unlikely to need to make any changes, with under-fire Matthew Gilkes finding form and new spinner Usman Qadir impressing.
Unavailable: David Warner (Test duty), Tanveer Sangha (back), Jason Sangha (collarbone) Fazalhaq Farooqi (contract terminated)
1 A.Hales
2 M.Gilkes
3 R.Rossouw
4 O.Davies
5 A.Ross
6 D.Sams
7 N.McAndrew
8 C.Green
9 G.Sandhu
10 B.Doggett
11 U.Qadir
12th B.Cutting
Perth Scorchers v Melbourne Stars
Thursday 29 December, 6:15pm WST/9:15pm AEDT, Optus Stadium
Scorchers
Perth are ticking along nicely but their top order has been an issue and time may be up for left-hander Nick Hobson, with Cameron Bancroft unlucky to miss out to date.
Ins: Cameron Bancroft
Outs: Nick Hobson
Unavailable: Cameron Green (Test duty), Mitch Marsh (ankle), Phil Salt (shoulder), Tymal Mills (personal), Lance Morris (Test duty)
1 A.Lyth
2 F.du Plessis
3 C.Bancroft
4 J.Inglis
5 A.Turner
6 A.Hardie
7 A.Agar
8 J.Richardson
9 A.Tye
10 J.Behrendorff
11 P.Hatzoglou
12th N.Hobson
Stars
The Stars pushed the Sixers without two of their best players, so they’ll be hoping the return of WA duo Nathan Coulter-Nile and Marcus Stoinis in Perth can help them topple the Scorchers. Tom Rogers’ spot as opener is tenuous too, with 43 runs from four innings.
Ins: Nathan Coulter-Nile, Marcus Stoinis
Outs: Liam Hatcher, James Seymour
Unavailable: Glenn Maxwell (broken leg), Joe Burns (hamstring)
1 J.Clarke
2 T.Rogers
3 B.Webster
4 N.Larkin
5 M.Stoinis
6 H.Cartwright
7 C.Kellaway
8 L.Wood
9 N.Coulter-Nile
10 T.Boult
11 A.Zampa
12th C.Hinchliffe
View Honeyball’s BBL Injury List
Melbourne Renegades v Sydney Sixers
Friday 30 December 6:30pm AEDT, GMHBA Stadium
Both XIs dependent on first game performance
