It’s a cricket fest on Boxing Day, with the Sydney Smash kicking off an evening BBL double header! Both sides are in the top five and this clash looms to be a beauty. As always, we’ve got you covered with our tips!
BBL11 Thunder vs Sixers Betting Tips
Sydney Showground Stadium, Sunday December 26th, 6.05pm (AEDT)
Sydney Thunder
Likely XI: Alex Hales, Matthew Gilkes, Jason Sangha, Sam Billings, Alex Ross, Daniel Sams, Ben Cutting, Nathan McAndrew, Chris Green, Saqib Mahmood, Tanveer Sangha
The Thunder announced the signing of Pakistani paceman Muhammad Hasnain during the week, however it’s difficult to see the Thunder bringing him into the side given the strong performances of their three international players.
The Thunder got back on the winners list with a 56 run victory against the Heat last week in a comprehensive performance with both bat and ball. The Thunder amassed 7/196 on the back of Sam Billings’ 64 from just 24 deliveries, and had the Heat reeling at 5/15 thanks to Saqib Mahmood’s 4/22.
Mahmood’s arrival comes at a perfect time, boosting the Thunder’s bowling stocks with genuine pace that they have lacked in previous seasons. The Thunder’s batting has been excellent as expected, with Sam Billings (160 runs, 5th) and Alex Ross (159 runs, 6th) both in the top ten run scorers in BBL11
Sydney Sixers
Likely XI: Josh Philippe, James Vince, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Jordan Silk, Dan Christian, Sean Abbott, Hayden Kerr, Ben Dwarshuis, Lloyd Pope, Jackson Bird
The Sixers will be forced into at least one change now that Chris Jordan’s five game contract has ended, with Jackson Bird and Nick Winter the front runners to take his spot, Bird’s experience will likely see him get the nod. With Tom Curran out for the rest of the tournament, the Sixers jumped to sign Pakistani Shadab Khan, who will likely be unavaible for the Sydney Smash due to Covid protocols, but will be availble for the Sixers next match.
The Sixers are coming off a resilient four wicket win over the Strikers, with Sean Abbott’s 3/24 and 19* off 10 the difference in the match. The Sixers depth has been tested by injury, but with the likes of Bird, Winter and young spinner Todd Murphy waiting in the wings, the Sixers can cover better than most sides.
With Josh Philippe (282 runs at an average of 70) and Moises Henriques (232 at 77) the top two run scorers in BBL11, the Sixers still have the star power to win games despite their injury woes.
Match Prediction
This is set to be one of the most even Sydney Smash’s ever, with the rise of the Thunder and the Sixers missing some key bowlers. Although the Sixers lead the head to head battle with their crosstown rivals 12-7, the Thunder have won two of the last three games between the sides. The Sydney Showground Stadium hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the Sixers, who have lost their last three games against the Thunder at the venue.
The Sixers just scraped over the line against the Strikers on Tuesday, and the Thunder’s powerful batting line-up could get a hold of a Sixers bowling attack that is missing some of its most important pieces. They start out as the outsiders, but with the Sixers still trying to figure out their balance with the ball, this game looms as a massive opportunity for the Thunder.
Same Game Multi
Plenty of batting power in this clash, and that’s where we are looking for our same game multi! Alex Hales has loved playing against the Sixers in his time at the Thunder. Hales has scored 196 runs at an average of 49 against the Sixers in the Sydney Smash, including knocks of 110 and 54 in his last two innings against the Sixers. Hales has hit the 20+ run mark in 68% of his innings since BBL07, the best percentage of any Thunder player. Hales has also hit at least one six in 62% of his innings, and averages 1.6 per game.
To round out the multi, we are taking Moises Henriques to score 10+ runs. The Sixers captain has been in fine form this season, sitting as the second highest run scorer in the tournament with 232 runs at an average of 77. Henriques has scored 337 runs in games between the Sixers and Thunder, the third most of any player and has passed the ten run mark in 72% of his games since BBL07.
Hales 20+ Runs
Hales to hit a six
Henriques 10+ Runs
THU vs SIX Same Game Multi
$2.70
