Round 8 brings the only pure SuperCoach round of the BBL13 season with all eight clubs playing one single game each, meaning it’ll be down to picking your best side, rather than working doubles.
Hobart Hurricanes v Adelaide Strikers
Thursday 11 January, 7:15pm AEDT, Blundstone Arena
Hurricanes
Doubtful: Matthew Wade (back), Riley Meredith (side)
Unavailable: Nil
Predicted Changes
In: Billy Stanlake, Sam Heazlett, Matthew Wade
Out: Riley Meredith (inj), Mac Wright, Sam Hain
Hobart’s finals hopes are teetering and they may need to make changes to stay in the hunt. The fitness of Matthew Wade and Riley Meredith will be important, while imports Sam Hain and Corey Anderson have underwhelmed. Anderson may also face a BBL sanction after an outburst at an umpire in Tuesday’s loss.
The form of Caleb Jewell and Mac Wright has dropped off too, so Sam Heazlett must be a chance to play. McDermott’s form as opener and Wade’s likely return, means Jewell is expendable as opener. If Meredith isn’t fit, Billy Stanlake likely gets a game or left-arm quick Liam Guthrie.
1 C.Jewell
2 B.McDermott
3 M.Wade (wk)
4 S.Heazlett
5 C.Anderson
6 T.David
7 N.Chaudhary
8 C.Jordan
9 N.Ellis (c)
10 P.Dooley
11 B.Stanlake
Strikers
Doubtful: Alex Carey (CA restrictions)
Unavailable: Travis Head (not made available after Test duty)
Predicted Changes
In: Harry Nielsen
Out: Alex Carey
Adelaide have put together a few wins now to boost their finals hopes so changes will be minimal. Alex Carey isn’t available for this game so Harry Nielsen will return, meaning Jamie Overton and co shuffle up the order.
1 M.Short (c)
2 D.Short
3 C.Lynn
4 A.Hose
5 T.Kelly
6 J.Overton
7 H.Nielsen (wk)
8 H.Thornton
9 D.Payne
10 C.Boyce
11 L.Pope
Sydney Sixers v Sydney Thunder
Friday 12 January, 7:15pm AEDT, SCG
Thunder
Doubtful: Alex Hales (calf), David Warner (brother’s wedding)
Unavailable: Zaman Khan (Pakistan duty), Blake Nikitaras (knee)
Predicted Changes
In: David Warner
Out: Matthew Gilkes
Assuming his helicopter from his brother’s wedding on the Hunter Valley arrives in time in Sydney, David Warner should be available to play for the Thunder after retiring from Test cricket. Matthew Gilkes is the obvious one in the gun after poor form, with Cam Bancroft able to take the gloves.
English opener Alex Hales’ fitness is a major watch after a calf twinge on Monday against Perth. If he’s out, Jason Sangha could get a call-up or Gilkes may get a reprieve.
1 D.Warner
2 A.Hales
3 T.Kohler-Cadmore
4 C.Bancroft (wk)
5 O.Davies
6 A.Ross
7 D.Sams
8 N.McAndrew
9 C.Green (c)
10 G.Sandhu
11 T.Sangha
Sixers
Doubtful: Nil
Unavailable: Tom Curran (knee)
Predicted Changes
In: Steve Smith, Hayden Kerr
Out: Dan Hughes, Tom Curran (inj)
Steve Smith will come in for one game after Test duty, with Dan Hughes likely to drop out at his expense. The Sixers have a long break between games, so veteran Steve O’Keefe should hold his spot. Tom Curran’s season-ending knee injury opens the door to Hayden Kerr or Joel Davies to come into the side. Kerr is fully fit now after a side strain so should be in the mix.
1 J.Philippe (wk)
2 J.Vince
3 S.Smith
4 M.Henriques (c)
5 J.Silk
6 J.Edwards
7 H.Kerr
8 S.Abbott
9 B.Dwarshuis
10 J.Bird
11 S.O’Keefe
Perth Scorchers v Brisbane Heat
Saturday 13 January, 4:15pm AEDT/1:15pm local time, Optus Stadium
Scorchers
Doubtful: Nil
Unavailable: Mitch Marsh (Test duty), Ashton Turner (knee)
Predicted Changes
In: Steve Eskinazi, Andrew Tye, Matt Kelly
Out: Zak Crawley, Hamish McKenzie, Jhye Richardson
Zak Crawley’s BBL stint is over, having jetted out for England duty prior to their Test series in India, opening the door for Steve Eskinazi to open. Andrew Tye should return after missing Wednesday’s game in Brisbane, with spinner Hamish McKenzie likely to make way at the pace friendly Optus Stadium.
Jhye Richardson was ruled out with a side strain on Friday, with Matt Kelly looming as his likely replacement having played some local club cricket during Perth’s recent road trip to fasttrack his fitness.
1 S.Eskinazi
2 S.Whiteman
3 A.Hardie (c)
4 J.Inglis (wk)
5 L.Evans
6 C.Connolly
7 A.Agar
8 A.Tye
9 M.Kelly
10 L.Morris
11 J.Behrendorff
Heat
Doubtful: Colin Munro (hip)
Unavailable: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne (Test duty), Will Prestwidge (side)
Predicted Changes
In: Josh Brown, Nathan McSweeney, Jordan Buckingham
Out: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Swepson
The big one here is the risk of rests, with the Heat having locked in top spot. Jordan Buckingham will be waiting in the wings for a game and they may opt to not play a spinner on the Perth deck, meaning Mitch Swepson or Matt Kuhnemann may miss out for him.
Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne will both miss this game due to Test duty, but Matt Renshaw has been permitted to stick around despite his national call-up. With Brisbane having clinched top spot already, there is scope they may rest a player or two, namely their fast bowlers.
Colin Munro and Sam Billings will travel to Perth and then on to UAE from there for the ILT20. Munro is in some doubt after not fielding last game due to a minor injury.
1 C.Munro (c)
2 J.Brown
3 N.McSweeney
4 M.Renshaw
5 S.Billings (wk)
6 P.Walter
7 X.Bartlett
8 M.Neser
9 J.Buckingham
10 S.Johnson
11 M.Kuhnemann
Melbourne Renegades v Melbourne Stars
Saturday 13 January, 7:30pm AEDT, MCG
Renegades
Doubtful: Nil
Unavailable: Quinton de Kock (SA20), Joe Clarke (quad), Nathan Lyon (Test duty), Mujeeb Ur Rahman (ACB revoked NOC)
Predicted Changes
In: Aaron Finch, Kane Richardson, Akeal Hosein
Out: Quinton de Kock, Peter Siddle, Ruwantha Kellapotha
It’s easy to forget that the Gades exist, given their last game was January 4, they’re out of finals contention and they play last in Round 8. But they do and they’ve got an import gun arriving in Akeal Hosein who could be a POD play.
Quinton de Kock has exited for the SA-20, opening the door for a Nic Maddinson return or an Aaron Finch farewell game. Fergus O’Neill impressed on debut, so should hold his spot. Netherlands wicketkeeper-batsman Scott Edwards is an option to play too, but Jordan Cox could take the gloves.
1 J.Cox (wk)
2 S.Marsh
3 J.Fraser-McGurk
4 A.Finch
5 J.Wells
6 W.Sutherland (c)
7 A.Hosein
8 T.Rogers
9 F.O’Neill
10 K.Richardson
11 A.Zampa
Stars
Doubtful: Nathan Coulter-Nile (calf)
Unavailable: Usama Mir, Haris Rauf (Pakistan duty), Liam Dawson, Olly Stone (stints complete), Sam Harper (head knock)
Predicted Changes
In: Nathan Coulter-Nile
Out: Mark Steketee
If Nathan Coulter-Nile is fit after a long lay-off, he’ll return with Mark Steketee or Joel Paris to make way. Sam Harper seems unlikely to recover from his head knock despite eight days passing by the time this game comes around. Peter Handscomb’s availability isn’t clear, given he’s due to play for the CA XI from January 10-12 in Adelaide against the West Indies. Scott Boland has been permitted to stick around despite his national call-up.
1 T.Rogers
2 D.Lawrence
3 B.Webster
4 G.Maxwell (c)
5 M.Stoinis
6 H.Cartwright
7 P.Handscomb (wk)
8 Imad Wasim
9 N.Coulter-Nile
10 J.Paris
11 S.Boland
