January 23, 2020 
08:10 
Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Sixers – Big Bash League Betting Tips, Latest Odds, Team News and Predictions – 23/1/2020
The Brisbane Heat need all the points on offer if they are to earn an unlikely spot in the next stage of the 2019-20 Big Bash League. The Sydney Sixers are closing in on first position in the seven-team standings, especially after the log-leading Melbourne Stars lost to the Adelaide Strikers on Wednesday.
The teams met earlier in the tournament in Sydney, where the Heat got the better of the hosts on the back of a whirlwind 94 from Chris Lynn. He has since been joined in the XI by South African superstar AB de Villiers, lining this match up as a battle between the Heat’s batting heroics and the Sixers’ clever bowling.
Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Sixers – Match Preview
Where: The Gabba, Brisbane
When: Thursday, 23 January 2020
Start Time: 13:40 (IST), 8:10 (GMT)
Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Sixers – Latest Odds
Bet365 have the Heat and Sixers priced at 1.66 and 2.30, respectively, to win this match. Brisbane have won only four of their last five BBL fixtures against the Sydney franchise.
Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Sixers – Team News
Most, if not all, Big Bash teams have welcomed the return of their Australian ODI players after the recent tour of India.
For the Heat, they’ve got Marnus Labuschagne back in the squad. He showed in India that he isn’t to be pigeonholed as a Test cricketer – and his limited-overs prowess will be on show in Brisbane again. He has replaced Jack Prestwidge in the squad. This will be Labuschagne’s first appearance in this season’s BBL.
Sam Heazlett welcomed a successful return to the XI after a bout of illness recently. Heazlett and Labuschagne’s presence shows that the Heat batting order is not just about de Villiers and Lynn, but features other important facets as well.
Ben Laughlin will again be key to the Heat’s work with the ball. He’ still churning out a decent amount of consistency all these years later. Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman will be a good foil to the veteran seamer. Laughlin is the Heat’s leading wicket-taker this BBL season and has been well supported by left-armer Josh Lalor.
The Sixers have the talismanic Steven Smith back from India. He is a huge boost to an XI that has arguably been overreliant on runs from Josh Philippe, Moises Henriques and James Vince. The battle between Smith and Ur Rahman will be particularly intriguing. Smith is solid against seam and spin, but plenty of experience against the latter in India should serve him well here.
The Heat have also drafted Ben Manenti into the squad. He’ll come in handy with pace off the ball, especially when de Villiers, Lynn and others are expecting pace on it. They might even sneak Manenti through for an over or two during the powerplay.
Tom Curran has been excellent for the Sixers this season. The England fast bowler is their leading wicket-taker. His slower deliveries from the back of the hand have worked a charm. He will want a final fling in this match and perhaps others before heading to South Africa to be with the England ODI squad.
Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Sixers – Betting Tips
The Heat are hanging on in hope, while the Sixers are right up there in the running. This clash will likely be decided by Smith versus de Villiers, Lynn versus Nathan Lyon and other cracking head-to-heads.
Labuschagne to lay it on thick
Lynn and de Villiers are obviously the big names in this clash, but don’t look past Labuschagne. Bet365 have Labuschagne priced at an attractive 6.50 to be the top batsman for the Heat. If the other big-ticket players fail to get going, he might get a bit more time at the crease to showcase his T20 skills. He’s done very well in the Test XI and has now broken into the Australian ODI team. It’s only right that this superb progression continues with a fitting performance on 2019-20 BBL debut.
Manenti to make it work for the Sixers
Lyon is certainly the more experienced spinner in the Sixers squad. But Manenti has a role to play as well. He has been brought back into the squad and will likely feature in the XI too. He was averaging two wickets a match through the late 2019 leg of the BBL before dropping off in form early in the new year. He’ll need to be really good against the likes of Labuschagne and others. Manenti is a good pick at 5.00 with Bet365 to be the top bowler for the Sixers.
Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Sixers – Prediction
Home-ground advantage meets good current form, as one team toward the bottom of the table takes on another toward the top. This match should live up to it’s big billing, especially if Lynn, Smith and de Villiers really get going.
Best Bet: Labuschagne to be top bowler for Brisbane Heat at 6.50 with Bet365
