Tag: Hurricanes

Super Rugby Round 3 Preview

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It’s that time of the week again, Super Rugby Round 3 Preview with odds from Sportingbet Australia.

Highlanders v Reds

Highlanders – $1.35

Reds – $3.25

James O’Connor’s return from rehab Europe is the major feature of Round 3’s opener at Forsyth Barr.  The Reds are the underdogs for their trip to Dunedin despite their strong performance against the Force last week, and will look to the former Wallaby to provide the inspiration.  The Highlanders have gone for Marty Banks instead of Lima The Highlanders will be without Lima Sopoaga who hasn’t trained all week.  Just one spot separates the two teams on the Super Rugby ladder so it should be a close encounter.  In the end we’re tipping the Highlanders backline to be the difference in a 11 point win to the home side.

Force v Hurricanes

Force – $2.10

Hurricanes – $1.75

The Force have an appealing record against the Hurricanes having won just 1 match in the prior 8 encounters.  However, 2015’s matchup could be a different story with the Perth franchise showing some okay form in their win against defending champions, the Waratahs.  That was balanced out with a subdued loss against the Reds.  The Hurricanes, who enter as slight favourites, had an immeasurably good run in South Africa winning both their road matches.  They haven’t found an attacking spark yet but should still be too strong for the Force.  Therefore, we’re predicting 2015 is not the year the Force get another win against the Canes.  Canes by 13+.

Cheetahs v Blues

Cheetahs – $1.65

Blues – $2.26

The Blues will be filthy the Cricket World Cup is taking away their beloved Eden Park fortress, and while New Zealand and Australia destroy the turf with a drop in pitch, the Blues will travel to Bloemfontein to try and get their 2015 campaign up and running. 0 from 2 is a poor return for a side packed with All Blacks and led by the mercurial Jerome Kaino.  They’ve moved Charles Piutau to centre, while the well-rested Cheetahs welcome back Springbok wing Cornal Hendricks.  The Cheetahs have never won their first two games of a Super Rugby season, but if they were ever going to do it this is the year.  We’re picking them to be as impressive as they were in Round 1 with a 6 point win.

Chiefs v Crusaders

Chiefs – $1.60

Crusaders – $2.36

The perennial clash of the New Zealand conference titans is at its sumptuous best this year.  A powerful Chiefs backline vs a dogged Crusaders forward pack makes for a gripping contest of contrasting styles.  The Chiefs have SBW and the form winger in the competition in James Lowe, whereas the Crusaders will rely on Richie McCaw and the improving Scott Barrett.  Dan Carter’s injury is offset by Colin Slade’s impressive form so we find this incredibly difficult to pick.  At the flip of a coin, we’ll go with the Chiefs by 5.

Rebels v Brumbies

Rebels – $3.00

Brumbies – $1.40

We’ll say it now – the Brumbies will win the comp this year.  Stephen Larkham will celebrate his elevation to the National coaching set-up with another backroom scripted win.  To do so, they’ll need to overturn a horrible run of just one win from their last four matches against the Rebels, and hope the Rebels can’t rediscover their Crusaders beating form.  Stephen Moore returns to captain the Brumbies, and Nic Stirzaker is coming back from suspension, in the two major additions to each side.  Brumbies to win by 8.

Bulls v Sharks

Bulls – $1.83

Sharks – $2.00

The bookmakers have predictably called this one to be especially close.  The traditionally strong Bulls up against the always there or there about Sharks, should in most years be the match that settles the South African conference.  But this year is different.  The Sharks have won one, the Bulls none, in surprising early season form.  The Bulls in particular have uncharacteristically dropped games at home, but get the chance to atone in Super Rugby Round 3.  The most exciting inclusion this week, is Ryan Kankowski the man mountain, who reruns from a Japanese rugby stint for the Sharks.  In a tricky decision, we will tip the Sharks by 6.

Lions v Stormers

Lions – $2.50

Stormers – $1.54

Another Super Rugby Round 3 all South African affair sees the unbeaten and table topping Stormers face off against the Lions in Johannesburg.  The Stormers have gone with a similar side to last week and are hoping to continue their unbeaten run, which has been matched by only the Chiefs and Hurricanes.  The Lions are yet to going this year, they have the worst record in the competition.  Accordingly, they’ve sprung a major surprise and dropped Marnitz Boshoff and given a start to Elton Jantjies.  We don’t think the tactical move will help them get up against the Stormers, we’ll back them by 10.

This Week’s Multi

A head to head multi on our picks pays $25.32

A margin multi pays $1597.84

Super Rugby: Round 2 Review

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Round 2 of Super Rugby carried on the theme of unpredictable results from Round 1.  While we’re getting a little closer to being able to predict who the major players in this season’s comp will be, there’s still a few exceptions (the Hurricanes for one) causing a bit of confusion and trouble at the bookmakers.

Here’s the wrap up of all the Super Rugby Round 2 action:

Chiefs (19) v Brumbies (17)

This match between the Chiefs and the Brumbies was always to be a close one.  On this evidence, it could be that these two will end up competing for the Super Rugby title in July.  They look two of the more accomplished sides in 2015, and neither gave an inch in this brutal New Plymouth encounter.  The boot’s of Cruden and Lealiifano were the major contributors to the action and the scoreboard, as both sides traded penalties to see-saw the scoreboard.  With their noses in front through much of it, the Brumbies committed a final play indiscretion to hand Cruden an opportunity to kick for the win which he duly grabbed.

Chiefs: Tries – C. Ngatai, Pen – Aaron Cruden (4), Con – Aaron Cruden

Brumbies: Tries – I. Vaea, Pen – C. Lealiifano (3), N White

Rebels (28) v Waratahs (38)

The Waratahs were very disappointed with their effort in Round 1, so it was no surprise they bounced back with a victory against the Rebels.  With a point to prove, the Waratahs, led by a brilliant Kurtley Beale performance, ran in four tries to secure a bonus point win and help the memories from week one disappear. Beale scored one try and set up another fro Stephen Holies in a performance that finally got him some publicity for the right reasons – not the sexist text incidents he’s been more famous for recently.

The Rebels showed enough to be dangerous for the rest of the tournament.  They backed up their win against the Crusaders with one bonus point after just missing the losing bonus point due to a late penalty.

Rebels: Tries – S.Higginbotham, L.Timani, L.Burgess, S.Naivalu, Con – M.Harris (4)

Waratahs: Tries – S.Hoiles, Ta. Naiyaravoro, K.Beale, Pen – B.Foley, K.Beale (3), Con – B.Foley (3)

Bulls (13) v Hurricanes (17)

The Hurricanes South African leg clean sweep (their first since 2006) was about as expected as an Afghanistan win in the Cricket World Cup.  Nevertheless, it was achieved with a gritty defensive display at the imperiously difficult Johannesburg home ground of the Bulls.

The Bulls again struggled to convert pressure into points, and for the second match in a row were left to rue general indiscipline, and inaccuracy on attack.  With the exception of wonderkid Handre Pollard, the Bulls look susceptible this year, and are one of only four teams yet to record a win.

The Hurricanes may be this years unexpected package.  In truth they needed a late Savea try and the boot of Beuden Barrett to get them home here, but the talented backline will only get better in weeks to come with more rugby under the belt.

Bulls: Tries- H. Pollard, Pen- H. Pollard, Con- H. Pollard

Hurricanes: Tries- J Savea, Pen- B. Barrett (4)

Highlanders (20) v Crusaders (26)

The Highlanders and the Crusaders never combine for dull encounters.  This was no exception.  The Crusaders, dominant for most of the match, had to withstand a late Highlanders fightback to take their first points of the 2015 Super Rugby season.  Colin Slade grabbed his opportunity to steer the side without Dan Carter with aplomb.  He was excellent in general play and with the boot, and will force Todd Blackadder into a tough decision when Carter’s fit.

The Highlanders were brave in the second half after trailing by 20-7 at the break.  All Blacks Aaron Smith and Malakai Fekitoa scored tries to close the gap, but it was only enough for one bonus point as the Crusaders did what they couldn’t do the week before.

Crusaders on the board, the Highlanders with some work to do.

Highlanders: Tries – A. Smith, M. Fekitoa, Pen – L. Sopoaga (2), Con – L. Sopoaga (2)

Crusaders: Tries – S. Barrett, J. McNicholl, Pen – C. Slade (4), Con – C. Slade (2)

Reds (18) v Force (6)

Cyclone Marcia meant that many of us were unsure whether this match was going to happen or not. The game did go ahead, and despite the other type of snow (read cocaine) also bearing on the match, the Reds snuck a win against a pretty weak Force side.  The game plan from the Reds was simple; boring, but it proved to be too effective for the more fancied Force.  Territorial kicking and tackling your heart out is a commendable strategy for a team under such enormous off-field pressure, and its testament to the character of the players that they pulled it off.

The Force managed just two first half penalties to the boot off Sias Ebersohn, and couldn’t penetrate the energetic defence of the Queensland side.

Reds: Tries – L.Turner, Penalty Try, Pen – L.Turner (2) , Con – L.Turner

Force: Pen – S.Ebersohn (2)

Stormers (27) v Blues (16)

The Stormers went to the top of the Super Rugby ladder with their second win of the year.  This one was pretty much over in the 24th minute when the Blues were reduced to 14 players as Hayden Triggs was red carded for an idiotic punch.  Granted the recipient was the annoying Duane Vermeulen, but the act itself was thuggish and he deserved to go.  With just 14 men the Blues couldn’t compete, and the Stormers ran out winners by 27 points to 16.

Ihaia West was one of the few bright sparks for the Blues.  We were critical of him last week, but on this matches’ evidence he is the right man to guide the Blues this season.  The Blues just need to discover a way to win away from Eden Park, something we’re not sure they can do.

The Stormers may not have enough to their game to stay at the top of the table all season.  They managed only two tries despite playing the bulk of the match with a one man advantage, and didn’t do enough to suggest they’ll be able to beat team when they travel to Australasia.

Stromers: Tries – N.Groom, D.Leyds, Pen – D. Catrakilis (4), K.Coleman, Con – D. Catrakilis

Blues: Tries – J.Cowan, Pen – I.West (3), Con – I.West

Sharks (29) v Lions (12)

The Sharks bounced back from a horror opening round loss to record a bonus point win at home to the travelling Lions. The match, played in driving rain, saw the Lions dominate the early possession but fail to turn any of it into meaningful points.  That proved to be crucial, as the Sharks eventually overturned the wave of possession and score four tries to none to get their campaign back on track. Patrick Lambie was the star of the show for the Sharks, kicking for 14 points and guiding his team around nicely in the difficult conditions.  The Sharks go to 5th on the Super Rugby standings while the Lions are firmly rooted to the bottom.

Sharks: Tries – A.Ndungane, C. Reinach, M.Coetzee, Pen – P.Lambie (4) , Con – P.Lambie

Lions: Pen – M.Boshoff

 

Super Rugby Round 1 Review

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Who would have thought the bookies could have got it so wrong?  Who could have imagined the home sides struggling so much in the opening round?

No one really.  Hence round 1 of Super Rugby surprised many with a number of interesting results.  Check out the review of each game below:

Crusaders v Rebels

The Crusaders continued their sloppy starts in Super Rugby to fall to the Rebels at home in a dull game littered with errors and disciplinary indiscretions.  When the number of yellow cards is the same as the number of tries you know you’re in for difficult viewing and that’s exactly what Friday nights opener was.  Especially for Crusaders fans who were left frustrated by a disjointed effort and another injury to the Daniel Carter.

The Rebels already look a better team this year.  Some strong off season recruitment and an unbeaten pre-season has instilled a belief that could see the Rebels win more overseas games in 2015.

Brumbies v Reds

If the Crusaders were bad, then the Reds were abysmal.  Taking nothing away from the dominant Brumbies outfit who were clinical in all facets, it has to be said that the Reds were the most disappointing of all sides on show this week.  They can’t possibly make the Top 6 on this evidence.  Karmichael Hunt was outdone by Matt Toomua, and David Pocock, Scott Sio and Robbie Coleman were immense in the massacre.

Stephen Larkham’s men are incredibly well coached.  Their set piece was incredibly organised, and their backline penetrative in a strong indication they’ll go a long way this year.

Lions v Hurricanes

Chris Boyd got his coaching tenure underway by overseeing a Hurricanes victory over the Lions at the daunting Ellis Park (Johannesburg).  This was another in the “not overly entertaining” category as the Lions failed to turn big possession into points and were eventually outdone by tries to TJ Perenara and Matt Proctor.

One of the finds of the competition last year, Marnitz Boshoff, was uncharacteristically wayward with the boot, which impacted his side’s ability to win the territory battle.  For the Hurricanes their back row took the pundits over the much fancied backline.

Blues v Chiefs 

In one of only a few matches we correctly predicted the Chiefs got by the Blues at Eden Park by 23-18.  Sonny Bill Williams picked up Rugby where he left off two seasons ago and had a hand in both of the Chiefs’  tries.  Debutant Damien MacKenzie got the better of Ihaia West in the battle of the young number 10’s, and James Lowe was terrific on the wing for the men from Hamilton.  West’s boot was the only source of points for the Blues, who in truth didn’t have that many opportunities in attack and when they did West kicked it away.  The Blues face an interesting next week on whether to go with West again or whether to entrust the retuning Dan Bowden to provide the spark at first five-eighth.

Sharks v Cheetahs

This was by far and away the best game of the round.  Both teams played with energy and enterprise and only a Marcell Coetzee error settled the match in the Cheetahs favour.  The Cheetahs bonus point win on the road is a major coup for the prior year also-rans.  This should have been a difficult game for the Cheetahs away from home, but they remained undaunted by the heavily fancied Sharks and produced an upset that highlights their credentials for the season ahead.

Bulls v Stormers

We actually thought both these teams might do alright this Super Rugby season and if Saturday’s opener is anything to go by they are both right on track.  Beating the Bulls in Pretoria is no mean feat, so fair play to the Stormers who got by relatively comfortably in the end, winning 29-17.  The Bulls were unbeaten at home last year, and will need to get back on track quickly if they are to feature in the qualifying rounds of the tournament.  Handre Pollard will ensure that though, now that he doesn’t have to face Duane Vermeulen again for a bit.

Waratahs v Force

In what was probably the single biggest shock of the round, the defending champion NSW side lost at home to the Western Force.  In a performance that mirrored the Crusaders limp effort, the Waratahs never got going and failed to shake off the early season rust in any aspect of their play.  It’s certainly no cause for panic, as early season woes have been seen across the board in round 1, but the lack of enthusiasm on display from some of the top teams is an unusual trend.  Here’s hoping the Tahs can shake of the early season woes, and the Force can continue their hard tackling and committed efforts throughout the season.

Super Rugby Round 1 Preview

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Super Rugby returns this weekend with most of the teams in action.  Check out preview of all the matches below, with odds from Tom Waterhouse.

Crusaders v Rebels, Christchurch, Friday 5.35pm

Crusaders – $1.15

Rebels – $5.75

This is a tough one to predict first up.  The Rebels have never won outside of Australia, but they do have a relatively strong record against the Crusaders, who for all of their success in Super Rugby competitions are slow starters.  Nonetheless, we’re going with a Crusaders win here, mainly because of the excitement in Christchurch at the moment with the opening of the Cricket World Cup bringing loads of positivity and a big crowd.

Brumbies v Reds, Canberra, Friday 7.40pm

Brumbies – $1.33

Reds – $3.40

None of the opposition teams in Week 1 are favourites with the bookmakers.  This is no exception.  The Reds are without Quade Cooper, James O’Connor and former All Black Adam Thomson, and instead will rely on Karmichael Hunt to guide them around the paddock.  That’s probably too much to ask in your first rugby game of any significance.  Therefore, we’re going with the Brumbies by a narrow margin.  Keep an eye out for David Pocock who makes a return after a long injury lay off.

Lions v Hurricanes, Johhanesburg, Saturday 4.10am

Lions – $2.10

Hurricanes – $1.75

The Hurricanes leak more points than the District 5 did before Charlie Conway joined.  Expect no different when they take on the Lions in Johannesburg early Saturday morning.  But that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll lose.  If the star-studded backbone can make up for the weak forward pack the amount of points they concede might not matter.  In TJ Perenara, Beauden Barrett and Cory Jane the Hurricanes have enough class to get home in this one.

Blues v Chiefs, Auckland, Saturday 5.35pm

Blues – $2.00

Chiefs – $1.80

Surprisingly, the Blues only lost one home game last year, to the Chiefs mind you, however, that was with a full complement of All Black stars who are sitting this one out.  The Blues are less affected by dubious rest policy, but we’re still thinking the Chiefs might get up and take this match out.  They have belief, they have the titles under their belt, and they have Sonny Bill Williams.

Sharks v Cheetahs, Durban, Sunday 2.10am

Sharks – $1.20

Cheetahs – $4.50

The Sharks will win easily.  They are comfortably the frontrunners of the South African Conference, and even early season rust won’t stop them from overrunning the notoriously weak Bloemfontein outfit. Unfortunately, we wouldn’t recommend considering the Cheetahs on too many occasions this year in your weekly tips or office sweepstake.

Bulls v Stormers, Pretoria, Sunday 4.10am

Bulls – $1.35

Stormers – $3.25

This might just be the closest of the opening round games.  The Bulls boast seven Springboks in their forward pack and the IRB Junior Player of the year in Handre Pollard so it’s a brave man who bets against them at Loftus.  We’ll back the Bulls by 7, only to be consistent with our majority home team picks.

Waratahs v Force, Sydney, Sunday 4.05pm

Waratahs – $1.16

Force – $5.35

The Super Rugby defending champions are heavily backed favourites for week 1.  The Force look weak on paper this year, and although we back them to win some games in Perth, the Tahs will be too comfortable at home.  Expect Izzy Folau to carve up the dry afternoon turf and set the early pace for try-scorers too.

Cricket: Big Bash League Preview

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The fourth stanza of the Big Bash League gets underway tonight.  We review all the teams; their best players; and their chances of winning the T20 showpiece, with odds from Bet365.

Adelaide Strikers

The squad: Johan Botha, Jonathon Dean, Travis Head, Brad Hodge, Jon Holland, Michael Neser, Craig Simmons, Ben Laughlin, Trent Lawford, Tim Ludeman, Kieron Pollard, Gary Putland, Kane Richardson, Alex Ross, Chadd Sayers, Shaun Tait, Adam Zampa.

The player to watch: Kieron Pollard is easily the most destructive batsman in the Strikers squad if not the entire tournament.  He’s warmed up nicely by smashing six 6’s in a recent warm up game and is set to torment opposing bowlers in the coming weeks.  The hugely experienced T20 traveller is also a handy medium paced bowler as well as possessing bucket like catching mitts.

The odds: $8.00

The history: sixth, fifth, seventh

The 2014 chances: The Strikers don’t have the best record in the Big Bash League, but they may surprise if Pollard, Hodge and Simmons can come off. regularly.  In Laughlin and Richardson they have two high quality T20 bowlers but we can’t see them making it into the finals this year.

Brisbane Heat

The squad: Joe Burns, Daniel Christian, Ben Cutting, Ryan Duffield, Jason Floros, Peter Forrest, Cameron Gannon, James Hopes, Mitchell Johnson, Chris Lynn, Alister McDermott, Simon Milenko, James Peirson, Nathan Reardon, Mark Steketee, Dan Vettori, Shane Watson, Andrew Flintoff.

The player to watch: Andrew Flintoff. The Heat’s recruitment policy is clearly to opt for older overseas players.  The ageing Daniel Vettori has been joined by English import Andrew Flintoff for the 2014 edition of the BBL.  Once a fearsome fast bowler also capable of giving it a decent whack, Flintoff is now 37 and played just three of Lancashire’s T20 matches last season back home. Flintoff is expected to have a heavy workload especially after Samuel Badree’s recent injury – that makes him our player to watch.

The odds: $7.00

The history: fifth, fourth (winners), fifth

The 2014 chances: Much like the other sides in the competition the test for the Heat will be whether their fringe players and domestic warriors can cover the loss of Watson and Johnson on Australia duty.  Cutting, Lynn and Christian are now vastly experienced players at this level and will need to perform exceedingly well to match their efforts in 2012/13.

Hobart Hurricanes

The squad: George Bailey, Travis Birt, Tim Bresnan, Cameron Boyce, Xavier Doherty, Ben Dunk, Evan Gulbis, Alex Hales, Ben Hilfenhaus, Joe Mennie, Dominic Michael, Tim Paine, Sam Rainbird, Jake Reed, Darren Sammy, Timm van der Gugten, Jonathan Wells, Beau Webster, Michael Hill.

The player to watch: Alex Hales. The Englishmen is no stranger to the attention of the Big Bash League.  He marked his arrival to the competition by smashing 89 in BBL2 and has since gone on to become the third ranked T20 batsman in the World.  He’s nit in the best form but this format suits him to a tee as he showed during the World T20 earlier in the year, becoming the first Englishman to score a century in the format.

The odds: $6.00

The history: second, sixth, fourth

The 2014 chances: The Hurricanes have recruited four overseas players to fill the gaps in their squad but we are of the view that none of them are of the quality needed to win the competition.  They still have power don’t get us wrong, Dunk, Bailey and Birt are all proven at this level, but we can’t see them being a factor at the end of the tournament.

Melbourne Renegades

The squad: Fawad Ahmed, Thomas Beaton, Dwayne Bravo, Tom Cooper, Alex Doolan, Callum Ferguson, Aaron Finch, Jayde Herrick, Peter Nevill, Aaron O’Brien, James Pattinson, Nathan Rimmington, Ben Rohrer, Andre Russell, Matthew Short, Peter Siddle, Matthew Wade, Nicholas Winter. Overseas replacement player: Jesse Ryder

The player to watch: Aaron Finch is one of Australia’s most important limited overs players. He captains the T20 side and is also a mainstay of the ODI team.  His excellent performances against South Africa in the recent series outlined his importance to the Renegades.  Expect big things from Finch.

The odds: $7.50

The history: seventh, first, sixth

The 2014 chances: Pretty good.  Perhaps a little light in bowling which may come back to haunt them throughout the Big Bash League.  However, they have recruited well, all of their overseas players are capable of match winning innings.  Worth a punt to take it out.

Melbourne Stars

The squad: Michael Beer, Jackson Bird, Scott Boland, James Faulkner, Luke Feldman, Peter Handscomb, John Hastings, David Hussey, Alexander Keath, Glenn Maxwell, Clint McKay, Kevin Pietersen, Rob Quiney, Clive Rose, Marcus Stoinis, Cameron White, Daniel Worrall, Luke Wright

The player to watch: Glenn Maxwell. Anyone in the side really but we’ve earmarked Glenn Maxwell for greatness this time around. The “Big Show” is an innovative strokemaker with an impressive strike rate wherever he bats.  Even his off spin has the x-factor required to win games so he is quite obviously the player to watch.

The odds: $4.33

The history: fourth, third, first

The 2014 chances: If their fellow city goers the Renegades are a pretty good chance, then the Stars are an excellent chance.  They have a formidable line-up and have performed well in all previous BBL’s.  Wright and Pietersen should be available for much of the tournament to help deliver the much needed trophy for the glamour franchise.

Perth Scorchers

The squad: Ashton Agar, Yasir Arafat, Jason Behrendorff, Michael Carberry, Hilton Cartwright, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Brad Hogg, Michael Klinger, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, James Muirhead, Joel Paris, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, Adam Voges, Sam Whiteman.

The player to watch: If injuries and Australia commitments don’t prevent Marsh form turning out for the Scorchers then expect him to clear the boundary on more occasions than anyone else in the competition.  Marsh is one of the biggest hitters of a cricket ball in the country and has also been one of the main reasons for their success in the Big Bash League thus far.

The odds: $6.50

The history: first, third, third (winners)

The 2014 chances: It would be stupid to write off a side that has hosted each of the three Big Bash League finals.  The Scorchers get tremendous support at the WACA and will again go close this year.  One thing they have always done well is their slow bowling, and this year should be no different with Agar and Hogg supporting the death bowling nous of Yasir Arafat.

Sydney Sixers

The squad: Sean Abbott, Doug Bollinger, Ryan Carters, Trent Copeland, Ed Cowan, Benjamin Dwarshuis, Brad Haddin, Josh Hazelwood, Moises Henriques, Brett Lee, Michael Lumb, Nathan Lyon, Nic Maddinson, Stephen O’Keefe, Jordan Silk, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc.

The player to watch: Jordan Silk is no that well known in Australia cricket but he should be.  In fact he’s probably best known for his catching and fielding more than his batting.  But on his day he is a talented player and an exciting prospect for the future.  Could the BBL4 be the time for Silk to shine.

The odds: $8.00

The history: third (winners), seventh, second

The 2014 chances: If you won the toss and had Abbot, Bollinger, Copeland, Halewood, Henriques, Lee and Starc in your team what would you do?  Exactly, bowling is the strength of the Sixers and they’ll need to knock over teams cheaply to get anywhere near qualification for the Champions League T20.

Sydney Thunder

The squad: Ahillen Beadle, Aiden Blizzard, Patrick Cummins, Jake Doran, Christopher Green, Chris Hartley, Nathan Hauritz, Daniel Hughes, Michael Hussey, Jacques Kallis, Usman Khawaja, Josh Lalor, Andrew McDonald, Eoin Morgan, Dirk Nannes, Kurtis Patterson, Gurinder Sandhu, Christopher Tremain.

The player to watch: Jacques Kallis never actually had the best T20 career for South Africa or for Kolkata in the IPL.  Nevertheless, the soon to be 40-year old still brings an element of quality that the Thunder have always been lacking.  News yesterday is that Khawaja is out for nine months increasing the pressure on Kallis to perform.

The odds: $13.00

The history: eighth, eighth, eighth

The 2014 chances: Excellent chance….of registering a fourth consecutive eighth placed finish.  Not enough quality; too much pressure on Hussey, Kallis, Morgan and Cummins; and a lack of confidence in the Big Bash League.