BBL 14: Perth Scorchers v Melbourne Stars Cricket Betting Tips & Betting Offers
Brisbane Heat aim to go back-to-back in the Big Bash League
Will Jackson
The opening game of the Big Bash sees tournament favourites Perth Scorchers take on Melbourne Stars, and Graham Hardcastle has had a look at some cricket betting tips ahead of the tournament.
There is plenty of English interest in this one, with five current or former England players/coaches involved, and you can follow our latest cricket betting tips plus the top cricket betting offers from the best betting sites.
- Perth Scorchers v Melbourne Stars
- Sunday 15 December
- Optus Stadium, Perth
Perth Scorchers v Melbourne Stars Cricket Betting Tips
Perth Scorchers v Melbourne Stars Preview
Joe Clarke, Tom Curran, Matty Hurst, Keaton Jennings and, as coach of the Melbourne Stars, Peter Moores. You could even be forgiven for thinking this is a Blast match abroad!
This opener sees some key names missing from both sides. All-rounder Aaron Hardie misses out for Perth with a quad issue, for example, while Glenn Maxwell has a hamstring problem and misses this opener.
Also, Ben Duckett isn’t due to link up with Melbourne until after England’s Test series in New Zealand. That is why his Nottinghamshire team-mate Clarke will feature in this clash as an overseas replacement.
This is a clash between five-time champions Perth and a Stars side who should have done better given the players they have had down the years; Maxwell, Warne, Malinga and Hodge just to name a few.
Maxwell has been replaced by fellow all-rounder Marcus Stoinis as captain, but it’s the former’s absence which has me concerned about their prospects for this opener. He’s one of the star attractions in world cricket, after all, and someone who can win a game on his own.
With that in mind, and given Perth are very strong at home, I can’t see past the Scorchers. Not that I would be taking them at 17/25, though.
Instead, I’ve combined a couple of selections to make a 17/10 bet builder with bet365. That’s for Perth to win and for any of their batters to top 53.5 as an individual score.
At a similar price, 9/5 with betway - via their Pre-Built bets section - I like Perth to win and there to be over 0.5 run outs in the match.
Milne can sparkle for the Stars
New Zealand fast bowler Adam Milne is one of those players who I would seriously consider if I was picking a fantasy T20 team. He’s so good at either end of the innings.
Milne has signed on with the Stars for the opening three matches as cover for Pakistan spinner Usama Mir.
He has just played in the Abu Dhabi T10 League, where he claimed two wickets in two of his last three matches, only bowling two overs. I like him at 7/4 with bet365 to take two or more wickets in this fixture.
Another express speedster who I can see having a good night is Perth’s Lance Morris, who has returned a steady flow of wickets for Western Australia and Australia during the early stages of the Aussie summer. He has taken 11 in six matches, including two in an ODI against Pakistan, and I’d be keen to side with him at 4/1 to be Perth’s top bowler in this fixture. That’s available with betfair.
Perth’s new Lancastrian signing Matty Hurst is going to be a star in my view. The young wicketkeeper-batter is very much out of the Jos Buttler and Phil Salt mould. He loves to take the game on with the bat.
He opened the batting with Salt in the Hundred for the Manchester Originals, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he was in the top three or four for the Scorchers. At 11/2 with PaddyPower for him to be their top batter in this match, I think that’s a price worth taking for small stakes. If he does find a place in the Perth top order, that price won’t be available for very long.
Big Bash Betting Offers
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