The Thunder and the Renegades have each started strongly in BBL14 with two wins from their opening three games, and they face off in a massive clash at Engie Stadium. Which side will entrench themselves inside the top four? Check out Jack Tobin’s preview and best bets for the match below!
BBL14 Thunder vs Renegades Betting Tips
Engie Stadium, Monday 30th December, 7:15pm AEDT
Sydney Thunder
Predicted XI: David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Jason Sangha, Oliver Davies, Sam Billings, Sherfane Rutherford, Chris Green, Daniel Sams, Tom Andrews, Lockie Ferguson, Wes Agar
The Thunder got back on the winners list with a gritty win over the Stars in Canberra on Saturday. The Stars were 3/96 after 10 overs in pursuit of 183, but the Thunder’s bowlers tightened the screws restricting the Stars to just 68 runs off the final 10 overs to run out comfortable winners.
Sam Billings made the Stars pay after a botched run out appeal, smashing 72 off 39 deliveries to get his side to a winning total. Jason Sangha (33), Cameron Bancroft (21) and David Warner (19) all got starts but could go on with it, which has been a concerning trend for the Thunder.
Off season acquisition Wes Agar made a big impact in his Thunder debut, taking 3/25 to halt the Stars in the back end of the innings. Lockie Ferguson had another good spell taking 1/27 from his four overs, however the form of Chris Green has become an issue. Green has been smashed in his last two games with figures of 1/41 and 0/46, they need a massive lift from him on Monday night.
Melbourne Renegades
Predicted XI: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Josh Brown, Tim Seifert, Jacob Bethell, Laurie Evans, Mackenzie Harvey, Will Sutherland, Fergus O'Neill, Tom Rogers, Adam Zampa, Kane Richardson
Two wins on the bounce has the Renegades in a nice position nearing the halfway mark of the season. The Renegades scrapped over the line in their last game a week ago, defeating the Perth Scorchers by two wickets in a low scoring affair. The win was set up by an excellent bowling performance with Tom Rogers (3/22), Fergus O’Neill (1/18) and Will Sutherland (1/27) restricting the Scorchers to 8/143.
Although they made hard work of the chase late, Jacob Bethell (30 off 22) and Laurie Evans (24 off 18) showed glimpses of what they can bring to the table. While Tim Seifert had another hot start scoring 28 off 14. Seifert has scored 120 runs at an average of 60, with a strike rate of 160, in what has been a magnificent signing for the Renegades.
After consecutive games at GMHBA and Marvel Stadium, the Renegades will be looking forward to playing on a surface that should provide easier batting conditions. The Sydney Smash played at Engie Stadium on 21st of December, saw easy conditions to score in the powerplay, which will suit the Renegades.
Match Prediction
Sydney Thunder have an excellent record against the Renegades of late, winning six of the last eight games between the two sides. They haven’t been at their absolute best to start the tournament, but to be 2-1 after three games is a pretty good result, with plenty of upside for the men in green.
The Renegades are yet to have produced a huge score with the bat, which makes for some question marks around their side. They have had collapses in the middle order in two of their three games this season, which makes them vulnerable against a quality batting unit. David Warner is due for a big game as well, which is a scary prospect for Melbourne. The Thunder will continue their strong record against the Renegades, and move to 3-1.
Sydney Thunder to Win
$1.90 (1 Unit)
Prop Bet
It’s been a brilliant start to his time in the Big Bash for Kiwi Tim Seifert, with the keeper-batsman sitting as the sixth highest run scorer at the time of writing. Knocks of 55, 37* and 28 have given the Renegades a huge boost at the number three spot, a position they have struggled in for years. Seifert has had strike rates of 130, 194 and 200, and will be a handful for the Thunder’s bowling attack.
Tim Seifert: Top Renegades Run Scorer
$4.40
