MLR vs HBH Match Preview
There’s no doubt that losing Maddinson for the season is a major blow for the Renegades, but there’s still plenty of batting talent available for the Melbourne squad. Finch has been batting incredibly well for Melbourne by scoring 237 runs this season (fourth-best in the BBL), with two notable performances of 70* and 65. Where Finch will get help remains the biggest question, but it’s likely to be from top-order batter, Shaun Marsh, who has been contributing well lately with 95 across three innings.
There’s a lot to be excited about with regard to the Renegades’ bowling attack, as both Tom Rogers (15 wickets) and Akeal Hosein (12 wickets) are among the top eight bowlers in the entire league. Hosein, especially, has been excellent with a 6.26 ER.
There is still a lot of great batting to be found on the Hurricanes’ roster and the team is the favorite over the Renegades for this reason. Tim David, Caleb Jewell, and Ben McDermott have all been batting consistently well in their last three matches, but watch out for Zak Crawley as well, as the English batsman has joined Hobart and already scored 54 runs.
Bowling could be where the Hurricanes fall flat, as they can give up a lot of runs. Riley Meredith shifts in and out of form, but Patrick Dooley has gone 3/50 in his last two games, so he’s certainly the X-Factor here.
Weather Report
No rain has been forecast in Melbourne on match day. We should not have any interruptions.
Pitch Report
The Docklands pitch tends to favor batters, as it has a fast outfield and even bounce. Most T20 games reach scores of around 180 and most teams will win after batting first.
Notable stats
The Explosive Batting Lineup of the Hurricanes
All four of the regular batters for the Hurricanes have a strike rate of over 140 this season. In fact, Matthew Wade at 141.98 can be considered slow in comparison to Tim David (155.35),Ben McDermott (163.63), and Caleb Jewell (167.90).
Team News
No major injury concerns for either team ahead of the contest.
MLR vs HBH Probable 11
MLR Playing 11
- Martin Guptill
- Sam Harper (Wk)
- Shaun Marsh
- Aaron Finch (C)
- Jonathan Wells
- Mackenzie Harvey
- Will Sutherland
- Akeal Hosein
- Tom Rogers
- Kane Richardson
- Mujeeb ur Rahman
HBH Playing 11
- Ben McDermott
- Caleb Jewell
- Matthew Wade (C)
- Zak Crawley
- Mitchell Owen
- Tim David
- Asif Ali
- Faheem Ashraf
- Nathan Ellis
- Patrick Dooley
- Riley Meredith
Dream11 Prediction
Hobart has won the last three matchups against the Renegades and is 9-7 overall, but even if they are the favourite to win, there’s a lot to like about Melbourne. Finch is never to be doubted with the bat, and solid bowling from the likes of Hosein and Rogers can help the Renegades get the victory.
Top Picks
Ben McDermott - Back in form, McDermott is one of the most dangerous players in the history of the BBL. You can never count out a belligerent match-winning inning from him.
Aaron Finch - In excellent form, Finch has been consistent as during the peak of his career. We suggest riding the form for as long as possible.
Zak Crawley - It was great to see Crawley just turn up and start bossing the bowlers around. He is another player that could end up making a big impact in this match.
MLR vs HBH Dream11 Team 1
Keeper: M Wade
Batters: S Marsh, A Finch (C), B McDermott, Z Crawley, C Jewell
All-rounders: A Hosein (VC), W Sutherland
Bowlers: K Richardson, T Stewart Rodgers, P Dooley
