Before going into the final week, Adelaide and Brisbane lock horns in the mid-table clash of the Australia T20 League 2020-21. Both sides are coming off a defeat in their respective previous game.
Match Timings: Jan 21, 1:45 PM IST
Team Preview
Australia T20 League is in its final stage, and the race for the playoff qualification is high. In the current scenario, only Melbourne-R are not in the qualification frame. Adelaide and Brisbane’s campaign has been a roller-coaster ride. The league stage is going to wrap up, but we would also see some international players back in the squad. Adelaide is back in action after a 5-days break, and they would eye a win here to boost the playoff chances. In the previous outing, they suffered a humiliating defeat of 111 runs against Melbourne-S. Chasing the target of 180 runs in MCG, Adelaide were bowled out on just 68. From 44/2, they slipped to 68 all out. Even with the bowl, they let down in death-overs and conceded easy boundaries to Fletcher.
Adelaide now have 20 points from 11 matches, and they have to play three matches in the next few days. They have gained five bash boost points, and the margin of few points will decide the playoffs. One victory can lift them up in the table. Skipper Carey is the only player in the top ten run-getters of this season. He has amassed 280 runs at an average of 31.11. The batting lineup hasn’t seen any improvement. If they win, they lose the next match; this is the story of Adelaide’s campaign. Weatherald has shown some good intent with scoring 254 runs this season. Carey would expect some fire from the middle-order. The bowling unit also has some flows after missing Rashid Khan. Wes Agar is the top-performer for them with the bowl, who scalped 17 wickets at an average of 19.59.
Meanwhile, Brisbane looked solid in the midway of the tournament with three straight wins, but they are repeating what they did in 2019-20. In the last three matches, they picked two defeats, and the points table is now haunting them. They are in a safe zone, but anything can happen if they slip at the end. In the last match against Perth, their batting unit failed to chase 175. The bowlers conceded easy runs in the last ten overs, but it wasn’t the main issue. One more time, middle-order was tasted after early wickets, and Brisbane bowled out on just 115. Brisbane relies more on its skipper, who is in fabulous form. Joe Denly and Joe Burns provided relief, but both had a decent season so far except for one or two good knocks.
Lynn has scored 300 runs in just 7 innings at an average of 42.86, but he is not seeing a similar impact from other batsmen. Steketee had a nice campaign with the bowl, picking 18 wickets at an average of 18.28. Morne Morkel is also back as a local player, but he needs time to find the rhythm, and Lynn would expect him to deliver experience ahead of the playoffs. Brisbane dramatically missed the playoffs last season, but now they have a clear picture. They have to win either at least two matches out of three or one win with three bash boost points. Lynn can change the game within few balls, and Brisbane’s success would depend on the skipper’s performance.
Pitch Report
Adelaide’s surface is good for batting, and the pacers have a slight advantage in the first half an hour. Spinners will also be crucial in middle-overs. Any score above 160 would be a tough total to chase.
Possible XI
Brisbane-H
Chris Lynn (c), Max Bryant, Joe Denly, Joe Burns, Jimmy Peirson (wk), Lewis Gregory, Jack Wildermuth, Mark Steketee, Morne Morkel, Matthew Kuhnemann, James Bazley
Adelaide-S
Philip Salt, Alex Carey (c & wk), Matt Renshaw, Jonathan Wells, Jake Weatherald, Ryan Gibson, Cameron Valente, Daniel Worrall, Danny Briggs, Wes Agar, Liam O Connor
Key Players
Brisbane-H
Chris Lynn
Season so far – M: 7, Runs: 300, Avg: 42.85
Mark Steketee
Season so far – M: 10, Wickets: 18, Avg: 18.27
Adelaide-S
Alex Carey
Season so far – M: 9, Runs: 280, Avg: 31.11
Wes Agar
Season so far – M: 11, Wickets: 17, Avg: 19.58
