BBL The Decider Tips and Previews, 4 February
After 60 matches and countless twists and turns, the BBL 12 Decider is upon us.
The Perth Scorchers will be vying for title #5 when they clash with the Brisbane Heat at Optus Stadium on Saturday night.
It is the minor premiers against the red-hot surprise packet and promises to be a blockbuster.
Bet Nation has looked at both sides in-depth in their search for champion status.
Perth Scorchers vs. Brisbane Heat
February 4th
A Michael Neser masterclass sent the Brisbane Heat into The Decider after guiding his side to a thrilling four-wicket win over the Sydney Sixers at the SCG.
While we’ve become accustomed to his genius with the ball, it was, in fact, Neser’s heroics with the bat and four consecutive boundaries in the 16th over that proved the difference as the Heat recovered from 6/86 on the back of Neser’s 48* (32).
Despite losing Australian trio Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Matthew Renshaw to the tour of India earlier in the week, the Heat showed another level of maturity at crucial stages. Matthew Kuhnemann (3/17) and Spencer Johnson (3/28) joined Neser as Heat players who stepped up when the pressure was applied.
The Heat are riding a colossal wave of momentum into the final after winning seven of their past eight matches.
However, it will be another story in The Decider, with the Perth Scorchers searching for their fifth BBL title since 2011/12 and their second in a row. The men from the west are the undisputed kings of the Australian T20 competition and continued to reign supreme this year with an 11-3 record throughout the regular season.
The Scorchers were typically unfazed by the Sydney Sixers’ incredible run of form heading into finals and ran out 7-wicket winners in The Qualifier. Ashton Turner produced his finest performance of the year with a match-winning 84* (47). The Scorchers’ skipper found the boundary 10 times – nine fours and a six – and put on a 132-run partnership with Cameron Bancroft, 53 (45). David Payne finished with 3/33 (4), while Jason Behrendorff rattled the Sixers’ top order as he picked up Josh Philippe and Kurtis Patterson in the first three overs of the day.
Jye Richardson has already been ruled out from returning for the final. Still, it is unlikely to cause too much concern with a bowling attack consisting of Payne, Behrendorff, Andrew Tye and Lance Morris.
The Scorchers have in-form stars at both ends of their line-up, and while the Heat will ride a serious wave of momentum into the match, expect the men from the west to take home title #5.
