Overview

The second game of Round 8 sees two teams in a very similar situation: the Hobart Hurricanes hosting the Brisbane Heat, with the winner to likely take fourth place on the KFC T20 Big Bash League table. Both Hobart and Brisbane enjoy considerable run rate advantages over the Adelaide Strikers, but a big win over the Renegades on Wednesday and slim Hurricanes victory could see Adelaide leapfrog both clubs.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because it’s precisely the same equation that played out in the final round of BBL|02; same scenario, same teams, same ground, even the same semi-final destination for the winner (albeit a different ground in Melbourne).

Last year, it was the Brisbane Heat who triumphed in the final round, and they rode that momentum all the way through their semi-final in Melbourne before lifting the illuminated Big Bash League trophy in Perth. It’s quite remarkable that the Heat find themselves in the same situation as last summer, but by the same token, their experience in this scenario shouldn’t be underestimated.

For Hobart, this then becomes a chance at redemption. The loss to Brisbane last year will be fresh in their minds now that the scenario is the same, but they’ll still be smarting from their disappointing innings batting first against the Stars on Tuesday night. If they want that redemption, the equation is simple: win.

Key Battle: Daniel Vettori v Shoaib Malik
On the biggest occasions, you want your marquee players delivering, and in Vettori and Shoaib, each side has one of the better spin bowlers in this shortest form of the game. Both sides use their marquee tweaker similarly, too; toward the end of, or immediately after the batting powerplay heading into the meat of the innings. With the field more spread, the left-arm orthodox spin of Vettori, and the right-arm offbreaks of Shoaib takes the pace right out of the game, forcing the batsmen to try and make the pace themselves. Whichever spinner does this job the best, their team goes a long way toward winning.

Dark Horse: Travis Birt
The last time I named Birt as my dark horse, he made a 19-ball 22 against the Sydney Thunder that has been pretty much his standard knock this season. True story – in his six innings to date, Birt has managed 27, 21, 22, 22, 33, and 31 v the Stars on Tuesday night.

Nevertheless, he remains a key wicket, because everyone knows what he’s capable of once he gets away. So far, he’s been contained in BBL|03, but he showed glimpses of what he can do against the Stars. And while that convinces me he’s due to explode, if I’m honest, I also feel like he owes me. Dark horse.

Last Time
December 28, 2013 at the Gabba: Ex-Test seamer Ben Hilfenhaus emerged as the unlikely batting hero as the Hobart Hurricanes reeled in a record run chase to seal a three wicket win over Brisbane Heat at the Gabba.

Hobart silenced the 20,457-strong crowd when they eclipsed Brisbane’s BBL record target of 3-209 with four balls to spare after Hilfenhaus (10 not out) got the last laugh with the bat.

Squads
Hurricanes: Tim Paine (c), Travis Birt, Aiden Blizzard, Doug Bollinger, Cameron Boyce, Ben Dunk, Evan Gulbis, Ben Hilfenhaus, Ben Laughlin, Shoaib Malik, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Joe Mennie, Jon Wells.

Heat: James Hopes (c), Joe Burns, Ben Cutting, Peter Forrest, Cameron Gannon, Ryan Harris, Craig Keiswetter, Chris Lynn, Ben McDermott, Luke Pomersbach, Chris Sabburg, Mark Steketee, Daniel Vettori.

Facts and Figures
Both teams have a positive Net Run Rate from their seven games played so far, but only just. Hobart has amassed 938 runs while conceding 932. Brisbane fares slightly better, making 1088 themselves while conceding 1074.

Pushing these out to per-innings averages, the Hurricanes end up on top by virtue of having one less innings than everyone else, via their the Round 1 washout. The Hurricanes average 156.3 runs per innings, while the Heat average 155.4.

Though Brisbane have found the boundary more in BBL|03 (109 times, from 48 sixes and 61 fours) than Hobart (102, 25 sixes, 77 fours), the Hurricanes have the slightly better ‘boundaries per ball faced’ figure, again because of the one innings less. Hobart finds the boundary every 7.02 balls, while Brisbane finds it every 7.69 balls.

Ben Cutting, recalled to the Australian T20 side to play England, clearly prefers clearing the rope to merely reaching it: he’s hit 10 sixes in BBL|03, but only one four.

One concern for the home team might be that they’ve only once managed to bowl a team out once for the tournament, while the Heat have done it twice. Hobart has taken 40 wickets in seven bowling innings, while Brisbane has taken 52. By comparison, the undefeated Melbourne Stars have taken 55 wickets, while interestingly, have also only managed to bowl a team out once.

Broadcast: from 7:30pm AEDT on Channel Ten, and on Fairfax Radio Network.

Source: www.bigbash.com.au