After a competitive league stage over 56 matches in BBL 09, Hobart Hurricanes, Sydney Thunder, Melbourne Stars and Sydney Sixers are the final four teams to make it to the knockouts. The knockout fixtures also have been decided with Hobart Hurricanes and Sydney Thunder to face off on Thursday in the Eliminator and Melbourne Starts and Sydney Sixers playing out the Qualifier on Friday. Meanwhile, Adelaide Strikers are awaiting to play the winner of the Qualifier in the knockout game in Adelaide on Saturday. This game starts a series of BBL09 knockouts.
Hurricanes have won six matches in their road to the qualification for the BBL09 knockouts. Mathew Wade’s ton against Adelaide Strikers in their last game proved to be the difference between the two sides. Hurricanes posted 217 on the back of Wade’s 130 and then the bowlers defended the target to help their team win the match by 10 runs. The Strikers reached 207/8 in their quest of chasing down the total. On current form, Wade is again the key batsman for his team in the knockout game. The Hurricanes have replaced David Miller with Simon Milenko in their 13-man squad. Miller has returned to South Africa for national duties. Wade and Short will hold the key at the top of the order.
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James Faulkner and Qais Ahmed are the key bowlers for Hurricanes heading into this important match. Riley Meredith’s pace and Clive Rose with his all-round abilities form the other players who will roll their arm over in the match.
The Sydney Thunder on the other end, have Alex Hales at the top of the order, who has scored 449 runs in the tournament so far. Callum Ferguson and Usman Khawaja form a formidable trio with Hales at the top. Thunder is a team that depends heavily on their all-rounders. Chris Green, Daniel Sams and Chris Morris. Their ability to bowl crucial overs and tonk the ball keeps the Thunders ahead in the game than their opponents.Thunder too like the Hurricanes have won six matches on their way to the qualification for the BBL 09 knockouts.
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Squads:
Hobart Hurricanes
George Bailey, Matthew Wade (c), David Miller, James Faulkner, Scott Boland, Clive Rose, Jake Doran, Ben McDermott, Jake Reed, Simon Milenko, David Moody, D Arcy Short, Qais Ahmad, Caleb Jewell, Riley Meredith, Macalister Wright, Thomas Rogers, Jarrod Freeman, Aaron Summers, Nathan Ellis
Sydney Sixers
Callum Ferguson (c), Usman Khawaja, Alex Hales, Chris Morris, Gurinder Sandhu, Chris Tremain, Alex Ross, Jay Lenton, Chris Green, Liam Hatcher, Nathan McAndrew, Arjun Nair, Brendan Doggett, Jason Sangha, Liam Bowe, Daniel Sams, Jonathan Cook, Matthew Gilkes, Tanveer Sangha, Oliver Davies