Chris Jordan will miss the Sydney Sixers’ New Year’s Day game while Sean Abbott has been named in their squad, while the final games for Heat pair Colin Munro and Sam Billings have been revealed.
TEAM NEWS
The Melbourne Renegades added Sam Harper ($83k WKP/BAT) to their 15-man squad for their New Year’s Day clash with the Perth Scorchers. Harper could come into the side to replace fellow wicketkeeper Peter Handscomb ($56k BAT/WKP).
The Scorchers will be without Ashton Agar ($138k BAT/BWL) due to his Test call-up, opening up a spot in the XI.
Renegades: Maddinson (c), Finch, Guptill, Handscomb, Harper, Harvey, Hosein, Marsh, Moody, Richardson, Rocchiccioli, Rogers, Sutherland, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Wells
Scorchers: Turner (c), Bancroft, Behrendorff, Connolly, Eskinazi, du Plessis, Hardie, Hatzoglou, Hobson, Inglis, Kelly, Lyth, McKenzie, Richardson, Tye
The Brisbane Heat added Nathan McSweeney ($62k BAT/BWL) to their 14-man squad to fac the Sydney Sixers on New Year’s Day with Matt Renshaw ($81k BAT/BWL) out on Test duty.
Mitch Swepson ($59k BWL) has been named despite an ankle worry. The Heat said: “Swepson trained this afternoon with the Heat after sending a scare through the club at Metricon Stadium earlier this week when he rolled his ankle during warm-up prior to the Heat’s loss to the Sydney Thunder.”
Chris Jordan ($131k BWL) will miss the game with the Sixers managing him after his first game back from injury, with Naveen-ul-Haq ($99k BWL) into their 15-man squad.
Sean Abbott ($168k BWL) has been named in the squad having been managed with the Sixers “load sharing” amid a busy schedule.
Sixers coach Greg Shipperd said about Jordan: “With seven games in 14 days it’s prudent that the club manages it players. Returning from injury Chris played his first game particularly well and will be available for selection upon our return to North Sydney Oval on January 4.”
Heat: Peirson (c), Bartlett, Bazley, Billings, Brown, Bryant, Johnson, Kuhnemann, McSweeney, Munro, Neser, Steketee, Swepson, Whiteley
Sixers: Abbott, Bird, Christian, Dwarshuis, J.Edwards, Henriques, Hughes, Kerr, Murphy, Izharulhaq Naveed, Naveen-ul-Haq Patterson, Philippe, Silk, Vince
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The Heat confirmed to Honeyball that Colin Munro ($128k BAT) and Sam Billings’ ($143k WKP/BAT) last games before they head to the ILT20 will be on January 7 against the Scorchers which is Round 8.
Import Sam Hain ($105k BAT) is waiting in the wings and recently played for the Gold Coast Dolphins in Queensland Premier Cricket.
Gades captain Nic Maddinson praised Akeal Hosein ($204k BWL) for his BBL and talked up his prospects against Perth. He said: “He’s been outstanding and can bowl basically any over of the game, like Mujeeb. He makes my job easier… Against Perth we match up quite well with our two spinners.”
Will Sutherland ($89k BAT/BWL) was another who impressed last game, earning praise from Maddinson who said: “Will Sutherland has barely bowled this year especially in the power play, and to bowl 2 (overs) up front and end up going 1-8 off his three, I thought was an outstanding effort.”
