Brisbane Heat vs Hobart Hurricanes, BBL 2020-21, Fantasy Pick, team predictions

Pro Tip: Brisbane Heat have not been consistent with the bat since BBL 09, and with Chris Lynn also out, expect the Hurricanes bowlers to be in the thick of things. We'd suggest a Hurricanes bowler as vice-captain.

Our XI: Jimmy Peirson, Tom Cooper, Jack Wildermuth, Xavier Bartlett, Mark Steketee, D'Arcy Short, Ben McDermott, Colin Ingram, Tim David, James Faulkner, Scott Boland

Substitutes: Daniel Lawrence, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Riley Meredith, Will Jacks

Player availability: Heat skipper Lynn had to miss the last game because of an injury and he might be out this game too. Their overseas allrounder Lewis Gregory might, however, be available after completing his quarantine. Dawid Malan and Sandeep Lamichhane were expected to be available for Hurricanes after Christmas. We might not always be able to tip you off about late injury (or other relevant) updates, so please finalise your team after the toss.

Captain: Ben McDermott
McDermott's scores this season so far are 46 (33 balls) and 89* (55). He has been in phenomenal hitting form recently, having topped the chart for Tasmania in the latest Sheffield Shield and then scoring a match-saving 107 not out against the Indians in a tour game.

Vice-captain: James Faulkner
The joint-leading wicket-taker in the tournament, Faulkner has taken eight wickets in four games so far at an economy of just 6.75. If he gets to bat, expect a cameo too. He had a good BBL last season too, with ten wickets in seven games, striking once every 12.6 balls.

Hot Picks
D'Arcy Short: Short has scored an unbelievable 359 runs in six games against the Heat at an average of 89.75 and a strike rate of 145.34, including his career best 122*(69).

Jack Wildermuth: One of the most improved players from last season, Wildermuth was devastating in his first game with both bat and ball. He scored a 11-ball 31 with four sixes and picked up three wickets. Before coming into BBL 10, he too scored a century and picked up four wickets in the three-day tour game against the Indians.

Jimmy Peirson: The stand-in skipper for the Heat almost won the previous game for his side with an unbeaten 36-ball 69. He is also the fifth-highest scorer at this venue with 457 runs in 25 innings at an average of 26.88.

Differential Picks
Tim David: The switch to the Hurricanes from the Perth Scorchers this season has worked wonders for David, as he has scored 124 runs in four games at a strike rate of 169.86.

Tom Cooper: A veteran of 79 BBL games, Cooper did not have a good BBL 09 but he looked in decent nick in the last game until an umpiring howler cut short his innings. With Lynn out, expect him to play a key role.

Alternate Scenarios

• If possible, bring in Sandeep Lamichhane or Riley Meredith for Mark Steketee.
• If Dawid Malan is available, replace Colin Ingram with him.