Deadline: February 1, 2020 at 2:10 PM IST
Venue: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
Pitch report
The average first and second innings scores at the Adelaide Oval read 168 and 154 respectively this season. The team batting first has won 5 of 7 matches, mainly because the average fall of wickets scales up from 5.4 in the first innings to 7.1 in the second.
Rashid Khan’s 12 of 18 wickets have come at the venue, suggesting that the pitch has favoured the spinners.
Fantasy team
We have opted for a fantasy team on the basis of players’ impact, recent performances, and credit points.
You can also check players’ performances in the last 5 matches. Tap on the players’ images to get the data while making your fantasy team.
Wicketkeeper: Alex Carey
Batsmen: Alex Hales (c), Callum Ferguson, Philip Salt, Jake Weatherald, Usman Khawaja, Jonathan Wells
All-rounders: Daniel Sams, Travis Head, Chris Morris
Bowlers: Rashid Khan (vc)
NOTE: Pick your fantasy cricket team wisely.
Power players
Alex Hales has scored as many as 341 runs in his last 7 innings, including 4 half-centuries. The key to his success has been his stroke play: he does not take the aerial route like he once used to, making sure he plays to the merit of the ball. He anyway hits the ball with tremendous power. All he has to do is find gaps without taking any risk.
Daniel Sams has the most lethal weapon in his armoury: change in pace. More importantly, he knows when to use which delivery – something many bowlers fail to understand. No bowler had ever taken 25 wickets in a season. Sams meanwhile is likely to reach a tally of 30 scalps.
Highest run-scorers
Alex Hales: Runs 509 | SR 146 | 50×5
Jonathan Wells: Runs 444 | SR 136 | 50×4
Jake Weatherald: Runs 389 | SR 134 | 50×2
Callum Ferguson: Runs 368 | SR 129 | 50×3
Alex Carey: Runs 363 | Sr 130 | 50×1
Philip Salt: Runs 356 | SR 165 | 50×4
Usman Khawaja: Runs 350 | SR 123 | 50×3
Alex Ross: Runs 302 | SR 132 | 50×1
Travis Head: Runs 196 | SR 141 | 50×1
Highest wicket-takers
Daniel Sams: Wickets 27 | Economy 7.7
Rashid Khan: Wickets 18 | Economy 7.2
Chris Morris: Wickets 18 | Economy 8.2
Peter Siddle: Wickets 17 | Economy 7.3
Wes Agar: Wickets 11 | Economy 8.7
Value picks
Wes Agar has taken 11 wickets in his last 5 matches. He has both form and fortune on his side.
Jonathan Wells’ most runs have come at the venue. He may not be an explosive batsman, but he sure knows how to score runs consistently.
It is important that you pick death bowlers. We have already shed light on Sams. The other two you might consider adding in your team are Peter Siddle and Chris Morris. Both are among the top wicket-takers of the season.
There will be a fair amount of turn, and Travis Head won’t shy away from trying his off-spinners.
Match prediction
It’s a knockout, and anyone can succumb to pressure. That being said, the Strikers have the advantage of playing at home: they have won 4 of 7 matches at the Adelaide Oval this season.
Probable XIs
Strikers: Philip Salt, Jake Weatherald, Travis Head (c), Alex Carey (wk), Jonathan Wells, Rashid Khan, Matthew Short, Michael Neser, Peter Siddle, Wes Agar, Billy Stanlake
Thunder: Usman Khawaja, Alex Hales, Callum Ferguson (c), Alex Ross, Chris Morris, Daniel Sams, Arjun Nair, Jay Lenton (wk), Chris Tremain, Jonathan Coon, Brendar Doggett
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