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Two teams who started off the tournament on a poor note and didn't get a win in their first three matches each, now are placed 4th and 5th on the points table and would take on each other in this battle out here at the MCG to get a higher lead than the other on the points table.
Ever since the inclusion of Roy and Livingstone in the team, the Scorchers have just lost one game, irrespective of however they've performed in the games. Colin Munro has scored 3 consecutive 50s and three other scores above 25 in the 9 games that he has played this season. The loss of Mitchell Marsh surely has impacted their batting and bowling orders and strategies and that was indicative in the previous game which they lost after 5 consecutive wins. Jhye Richardson has been the pick of the bowlers and has been in sublime form having taken atleast 2 wickets on 5 of the 9 occasions, and been wicketless just once. Jason Behrendorff and Fawad Ahmed somehow atleast get one wicket to their name and have gotten that in almost every game.
For the Heat however, the batting unit has been heavily reliant on Chris Lynn's opening knock and any one other batsman who can get going. At times, it's been Bryant who's given some good knocks in 20s and 30s. At times it's been Lewis Gregory who has finished off games with some quickfire cameos. And in the last 4 games specifically, twice it's been Joe Denly and twice it's been Joe Burns who have played their part. Mujeeb's absence has surely impacted their spin department which made them give the ball to Denly in the previous game and also stick with Kuhnemann and sub out Bartlett for Morkel. Steketee has been the pick of the bowlers from this side and has been supported well by Wildermuth. Either one of Bazley or Gregory also contribute in terms of the wickets and with the inclusion of Morkel in the side, their already powered pace department has been fired up even more.
*Probable XIs*
Brisbane Heat - Chris Lynn(C), Max Bryant, Joe Denly, Joe Burns, Lewis Gregory, Jimmy Peirson(Wk), Jack Wildermuth, James Bazley, Mark Steketee, Xavier Bartlett, Matthew Kuhnemann
X Factor players - Morne Morkel, Ben Laughlin
Perth Scorchers - Jason Roy, Liam Livingstone, Colin Munro, Ashton Turner, Josh Inglis(Wk), Cameron Bancroft, Aaron Hardie, Andrew Tye, Jhye Richardson, Fawad Ahmed, Jason Behrendorff
X Factor players - Joel Paris, Kurtis Patterson
*My Fantasy Team*
(9 members)
Wk - Inglis
Bat - Lynn, Munro, Roy, Bryant
AR - Livingstone, Wildermuth
Bowl - Steketee, Richardson
Options - Denly/Gregory/Burns, Behrendorff/Fawad/Morkel
GL picks - Peirson, Bazley, Tye, Kuhnemann, Turner, Hardie
Safe C/VC choices - Lynn, Munro, Roy
GL C/VC choices - Wildermuth, Livingstone, Denly, Richardson, Steketee