January 15, 2020 
07:10 
Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Renegades – Big Bash League Betting Tips, Latest Odds, Team News and Predictions – 15/1/2020
The Sydney Thunder are still in the running for the 2019-20 Big Bash League title, despite sitting in sixth position in the eight-team standings. The Melbourne Renegades stand a mere mathematical chance of making it to the next stage, as they’ve lost all nine of their matches this season. They will clash at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Wednesday.
Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Renegades – Match Preview
Where: Manuka Oval, Canberra
When: Wednesday, 15 January 2020
Start Time: 12:40 (IST), 7:10 (GMT)
Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Renegades – Latest Odds
Bet365 have the Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Renegades priced at 1.66 and 2.30, respectively, to win the match. In the tournament title outright odds, the Thunder are offered at 13.00.
They met earlier in the tournament, when the Thunder won by six wickets in Geelong. Sydney batsmen Usman Khawaja and Alex Hales dominated the performance with a half-century each.
Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Renegades – Team News
The Thunder’s bowling ranks have been limited by spinner Chris Green’s suspension. He was reported for a suspect bowling action – and won’t be allowed to bowl for the rest of the 2019-20 Big Bash League. Their strength is in their seam department, though. Daniel Sams and Chris Morris have shared 27 wickets, with the former taking 17 of those. Sam’s left-arm variation and control has been particularly effective against the right-handers. Morris is pushing for a berth in South Africa’s squad for the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year, so this experience will stand him in good stead.
Despite Hales and Khawaja’s heroics in against the Renegades earlier this season, they have not been the overall standouts. Alex Ross and Callum Ferguson have. They’re averaging over 40 each and have been consistent over a prolonged period for the Thunder. Ferguson’s form has tailed off a bit in recent matches, but Ross has kept going strong throughout.
The Renegades won the 2018-19 Big Bash League thanks largely to a star all-round showing from their bowlers, while their batsmen did enough to clinch the title. This year, on the other hand, they’ve got two batters – Beau Webster and Shaun Marsh – among the tournament’s top five run-scorers. This hasn’t counted for much, though, as nine losses in as many matches show. Webster, like Ross, has been consistent – and Marsh has effectively defied a format based on big-hitting to show there is still space for collecting rather than smashing an innings together.
As with Thunder’s bowlers, Melbourne have had one local seamer complementing another from abroad. Kane Richardson and Englishman Richard Gleeson have been good in combination. Richardson, though, won’t play this match. He’s with the Australian ODI squad in India. Gleeson hasn’t yet been capped at international level, but is certainly making a case for a spot in England‘s T20 World Cup squad.
Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Renegades – Betting Tips
Both sides will need to find the right balance between relying on individual stars and counting on the collective efforts of the entire XI in Brisbane.
Nair to step in for Green
Green’s exit for the rest of the tournament has put more pressure on the shoulders of fellow spinner Arjun Nair. His economy, while over eight, is among at the BBL so far, and he has snatched seven wickets along the way. Nair will face a big challenge against the hefty hitting of Tom Cooper, Dan Christian and others -and the nudging and nurdling of Marsh, but is an attractive long-odds pick at 41.00 to be the top bowler for the Thunder. He should be able to buy a few wickets when the slog is on, too.
Webster looking good for more
Webster has really come along nicely since joining the Renegades from the Hobart Hurricanes, holding his own among a squad of bigger names. He offers a bit with the ball as an occasional off-spinner as well, but it’s his ability with the willow that has him priced at 5.00 to be the best batsman for the Renegades. He is another that is not just about all-out attack, but compiling calculated hitting and timing the innings just right.
Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Renegades – Prediction
Teams that are not doing well in T20 tournaments have the propensity for spoiling things for those that are. To that end, the Renegades will probably grab a first win for the season over Thunder. Likely defeat will serve as a wake-up call for Sydney, who were right up there at the start of the 2019-20 BBL, but have let it slip a bit since.
Best Bet: Webster to be Melbourne Renegades Top Batsman with Bet365 at 5.00
