3 minute read
Our cricket expert John M provides his full in-depth preview, analysis and expert Big Bash tips across each and every match of the 2024/25 BBL 14 T20 Cricket series, right here on the Betfair Hub!
Adelaide Strikers v Sydney Sixers
If the resurgent Adelaide Strikers are any chance of sneaking into the top-four then they simply must get the better of the high-flying Sydney Sixers at the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday night. Two wins in their last three encounters has given the Strikers some hope of featuring in the post-season and on Saturday night they showed what they were truly capable of, pulverising 5/251 against the Brisbane Heat with captain Matthew Short walloping 109 off 54 balls upon return from a toe injury to set up an ultimately comfortable 56-run victory. Earlier that day the Sixers also showed what they could produce at the crease, belting 3/220 against the Perth Scorchers with the indomitable Steve Smith imperious in his 121 not out off 64 balls, matching Short's 10 fours and seven sixes, as they ran out winners by 14 runs.
Betting Strategy
Back: Sydney Sixers at $1.80+ for 3 units
With both teams running hot, the prices are pretty evenly matched with a slight early lean towards the Sixers. After their batting performance on Saturday night, it's hard to work out how Adelaide have only won three games this season, although there was a clue when their bowling attack leaked 145 off the first 13 overs of the Heat's chase and although the Sydney bowlers were similarly generous in their match, there's no doubting that the are significantly more reliable in the field and as a result I'm taking a big swing at the visitors.
TOURNAMENT OVERVIEW
The twelfth edition of the BBL promises to be one of the most keenly-contested yet with a couple of key changes set to increase the standard of cricket on what we have seen in recent seasons'. Firstly Covid protocols seem unlikely to strip teams bare of a number of players as we saw in BBL11, but most significantly Australian representatives will be able to compete in a high proportion of matches with no international limited overs matches scheduled during the tournament. That may be slightly offset by a number of imports leaving the competition early to compete in rival leagues, but domestic players still hold the key with the Perth Scorchers looking to go back-to-back for the second time in their history, while at the other end of the spectrum the Melbourne Renegades will be desperate to avoid a fourth consecutive wooden spoon.
Big Bash League (BBL) Tips | 2024/25 Season
The Big Bash League (BBL) is an exciting and colourful men's cricket competition played annually during the Australian summer. The teams-based competition uses the T20 format, with each team batting for 20 overs. The short-form games, which are completed in around three hours, are known for their heavy hitting and outlandish shot-making. Betfair is the only betting agency to follow for the best and most accurate information and data, including Big Bash tips, on the BBL competition. As Australia's largest betting exchange, Betfair is the leader when it comes to offering punters statistical analysis and observations that can help identify value-for-money considerations, including BBL tips and the best back and lay bets for various categories in each game.
The first edition of the BBL competition, which is run by Cricket Australia, was played in the 2005-06 summer. The six original participants were based on the traditional Australian state representative teams: Victorian Bushrangers, New South Wales Blues, Southern Redbacks, Tasmanian Tigers, Western Warriors, and Queensland Bulls. The competition underwent significant change after the 2010-11 season, with the state-based teams replaced by eight 'franchises' representing Australian cities: Adelaide Strikers, Brisbane Heat, Hobart Hurricanes, Melbourne Renegades, Melbourne Stars, Perth Scorchers, Sydney Sixers, and Sydney Thunder. Teams can sign players from around the country as well as limited number of international players. They play each other twice in the group stage of the competition (56 games) before a five-game finals series is held to determine the champions.
Betfair's BBL offerings are extensive and include BBL tips for every game. Our data experts, who study the T20 format of the game and specialist T20 players all year round, provide a comprehensive season guide, which is complemented by detailed previews of each contest, including how pitch and weather conditions may impact play, form lines, how previous meetings between teams may factor into outcomes, 'spotlight' players to consider wagering on, and key betting strategies. The specialist data, including free BBL betting tips, is aimed at helping punters make the correct choices to extract maximum value from their BBL wagering.
On top of the Big Bash tips it offers, Betfair provides punters with an extensive range of betting categories for each BBL game. Bettors can use Big Bash betting tips to consider something as straightforward as the outright winner of a game or they may want to lay a team in a specific match-up. They can choose the normally attractive odds on whether a game will end in a tie. They also can focus on individual players and wager on which will finish the game with the most runs. And they can also dabble in the various 'over' categories, wagering on how many runs will be scored in a particular over or a sector of overs in a 20-over inning.
T20 cricket attracts specialist players including the likes of Melbourne Stars captain Glenn Maxwell, who during the 2021/22 season smashed an incredible 154 runs not out from just 64 balls against the Hobart Hurricanes. Maxwell's knock, the highest individual score in BBL history, helped the Stars post a total of 273, also a BBL record. The Stars' total included 29 four and 10 sixes. Punters who enjoy the unpredictable nature of live sport can follow Betfair's in-play betting options, which provide enticing value for dynamic and unpredictable sports such as BBL cricket.
Critically, punters using Betfair – Australia's largest betting exchange – can set their own odds for racing and sporting events including BBL games. Make sure to stay informed about the BBL and its teams and players from a betting perspective by following Betfair's BBL betting tips and full range of betting-related insights and data.
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