Hobart Hurricanes
Perth Scorchers
The Hobart Hurricanes will face the Perth Scorchers in Match 7 of BBL 2024 at the Bellerive Oval, Hobart. The Hurricanes will look to make a strong start at home under the leadership of Nathan Ellis.
This will be their first home match and they face a tough challenge against the defending champions, Perth Scorchers, who have already registered a commanding six-wicket victory over Melbourne Stars in the season opener.
Recent head-to-head records heavily favour the Scorchers. They have won 4 of the last 5 encounters against the Hurricanes, with 2 wins each while chasing and defending. The Hurricanes' only win in this span came in December 2022 while defending a target. Ashton Turner will continue to lead the Scorchers, aiming to build on their strong start.
The Perth Scorchers' bowlers have a superior recent record, with their core unit combining for 27 wickets in the last 5 matches against Hobart Hurricanes.
The betting tip is...
Top Bowler Team - Perth Scorchers
60 %
40 %
Hobart HurricanesPerth ScorchersHobart Hurricanes will rely on a mix of overseas and local players this season. Shai Hope from West Indies adds strength as a batter and keeper but will miss the early matches due to international duties.
England’s Chris Jordan brings experience as an allrounder. Rishad Hossain, Bangladesh’s top T20 wicket-taker last year, is ruled out, and Waqar Salamkheil from Afghanistan has been signed as his replacement.
Local players like Tim David, Matthew Wade, Riley Meredith, and Billy Stanlake will play key roles. Wade, who scored 82 off 50 in a match last season, can bat both at the top and in the middle order. Hobart Hurricanes' squad remains similar to last season.
David, Wade and Ellis are the key players in the team.
Predicted Lineup: Caleb Jewell, Ben McDermott (wk), Shai Hope, Macalister Wright, Matthew Wade, Tim David, Nikhil Chaudhary, Chris Jordan, Patrick Dooley/Billy Stanlake, Nathan Ellis (c), Riley Meredith
Cooper Connolly will aim to continue his form after scoring 64 off 51 in the first match, which was the highest score in the game and crucial in a successful chase. Ashton Turner and Nick Hobson will look to build on their solid unbeaten knocks of 37* off 27 and 27* off 14, respectively, which secured the win for Perth.
In bowling, Jhye Richardson will lead the attack after taking 3 wickets for just 19 runs in the first match. Lance Morris will look to add to his tally after picking up 2 wickets, while Jason Behrendorff, Ashton Agar, and Connolly will aim to contribute with one wicket each. Andrew Tye, despite going wicketless, brings vast experience to the lineup.
The bowling unit looks strong with Richardson, Behrendorff and Tye.
Predicted Lineup: Keaton Jennings, Finn Allen, Cooper Connolly, Matthew Hurst (wk), Ashton Turner (c), Nick Hobson, Ashton Agar, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye, Jason Behrendorff, Lance Morris
The Perth Scorchers' bowling attack looks stronger compared to the Hobart Hurricanes. In the last 5 head-to-head matches, Jason Behrendorff, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye, and Ashton Agar have taken 7, 3, 11, and 6 wickets, respectively. Their ability to strike regularly gives Perth an edge in this department.
For the Hurricanes, Nathan Ellis, Riley Meredith, and Paddy Dooley have each taken 5 wickets in these matches. While they bring balance to Hobart’s bowling, the depth in Perth’s attack is likely to make a bigger impact.
With experienced bowlers and proven records, Perth’s bowlers are expected to play a key role in this game, making it challenging for the Hurricanes’ batting lineup.
