Another blockbuster KFC BBL|13 top of the clash as the Scorchers host the undefeated Heat at Optus Stadium
All you need to know: Perth Scorchers v Brisbane Heat
Match facts
Who: Perth Scorchers v Brisbane Heat
What: Match 35, BBL|13
Where: Optus Stadium, Perth
When: Saturday, January 13. Bat flip at 12.30pm local (3.30pm AEDT), first ball at 1.15pm local (4.15pm AEDT)
How to watch: Fox Cricket, Kayo Sports
Buy tickets: Tickets are on sale here
Live scores: Match Centre
Highlights, news and reactions after the match: cricket.com.au, the CA Live and Big Bash apps
Officials: Nathan Johnstone (field), Bruce Oxenford (field), Troy Penman (third), Jamie Thomas (fourth), Bob Stratford (match referee)
Match squads
Scorchers: Aaron Hardie (c), Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Cooper Connolly, Stephen Eskinazi (England), Laurie Evans (England), Sam Fanning, Cameron Gannon, Nick Hobson, Josh Inglis (vc), Matt Kelly, Hamish McKenzie, Lance Morris, Andrew Tye, Sam Whiteman
Heat: Colin Munro (New Zealand) (c), Xavier Bartlett, Sam Billings (England), Josh Brown, Max Bryant, Jordan Buckingham, Spencer Johnson, Matthew Kuhnemann, Nathan McSweeney, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Mitch Swepson, Paul Walter (England)
Form guide
Scorchers: LWLWW (most recent first)
The Scorchers have been unbeatable at home this season – in fact they've won their past eight matches at Optus Stadium with their last defeat at the venue a four-wicket loss to the Thunder on January 4 last year. The Scorchers are scoring at 9.78 runs per over at Optus Stadium this season and have restricted their opponents to an average score of 163.
Heat: WWWDW
Undefeated this season and five points clear at the top of the standings, the Heat withstood their toughest test of the season so far with a 23-run win over the reigning champions at the Gabba on Wednesday, snapping a six-game losing streak against the Scorchers. Despite their unblemished record in BBL|13, it doesn't get any easier from here on with the hardest road trip in the competition to Perth followed by a Qualifier final possibly against the same opponents.
KFC BBL|13 standings
| Team | M | W | L | T | N/R | NRR | Ded. | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
HEA
|
10 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.972 | 0 | 16 |
|
2
SIX
|
10 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.339 | 0 | 14 |
|
3
SCO
|
10 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0.725 | 0 | 13 |
|
4
STR
|
10 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0.331 | 0 | 11 |
|
5
HUR
|
10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | -0.268 | 0 | 8 |
|
6
STA
|
10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | -1.051 | 0 | 8 |
|
7
REN
|
10 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | -0.288 | 0 | 6 |
|
8
THU
|
10 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 2 | -0.652 | 0 | 4 |
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points
Players to watch
Stand-in captain Aaron Hardie (287 runs) is enjoying another fine season with the bat after leading the competition run scoring in BBL|12. With knocks of 22 and 14 in his last two innings, the young allrounder will be determined to step up with an innings of substance to seal Perth a spot in this season's finals series.
Unfortunately, pace ace Jhye Richardson will miss the rest of BBL|13 after scans revealed a left side strain following the Scorchers' loss to Brisbane at the Gabba on Wednesday night. Zak Crawley has also finished his six-game BBL stint, departing for an England training camp in Dubai ahead of their five-Test series against India beginning later this month. Pace bowler Matt Kelly comes into the extended squad, as does local replacement players Sam Fanning and Cameron Gannon.
Departing international and stand-in Heat skipper Colin Munro is also his side's leading run-scorer this season with 224 and will be looking for another strong performance to finish his BBL|13 stint. Munro and England import Sam Billings will head from Perth to Abu Dhabi following the match for the ILT20 tournament where they are teammates at the Desert Vipers.
Test squad inclusion Matthew Renshaw will play in Perth before joining the Australian camp in Adelaide on Sunday to prepare for the first Test against the West Indies. Pace bowler Jordan Buckingham and opening batter Josh Brown return to the Heat squad with Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne departing for Test duties.
Head-to-head
Overall: Scorchers (14 wins), Heat (8 wins)
At Optus Stadium: Scorchers (4 wins), Heat (1 wins)
Most runs: Chris Lynn (618), Mitchell Marsh (467), Cameron Bancroft (342), Josh Inglis (248), Ashton Turner (248)
Most wickets: Jason Behrendorff (25), Andrew Tye (23), Matthew Kelly (14), Jhye Richardson (11), Mitch Swepson (10)
The venue
Rapid stats
- Brisbane Heat defeated the Perth Scorchers by 23 runs at the Gabba on Wednesday in their most recent meeting in the BBL, snapping a six-match losing run against them. The Heat will be aiming for back-to-back wins against the Scorchers for the first time since February 2019.
- Perth Scorchers have lost two of their last three BBL matches, as many as they lost across their 18 games in the competition prior to that span (won 16, lost 2). They will be looking to avoid back-to-back defeats in the competition for the first time since January 2021.
- Brisbane Heat have won their last seven BBL matches on the bounce – only the Perth Scorchers (nine wins from January 2023 to January 2024) and Melbourne Stars (eight wins from December 2013 to January 2014, and December 2019 to January 2020 have recorded longer winning runs in the history of the competition.
- Aaron Hardie (993) is seven away from becoming the seventh player to score 1000 runs for the Perth Scorchers in BBL history – he's scored 61 per cent of his 175 career runs against the Brisbane Heat from boundaries, his best rate against any team in his BBL career.
- Matt Renshaw (944) is 56 away from becoming the sixth player to score 1000 runs for the Brisbane Heat in BBL history – although his career batting average against the Perth Scorchers (12.8) is his lowest against any team in the competition.
What's on the line?
The Heat are locked into top spot and will host the Qualifier final on the Gold Coast on January 19 against either the Scorchers or Sixers. Undefeated in nine games this season with two washouts, Brisbane will be out to keep their BBL|13 record intact and snap a four-game losing streak at Optus Stadium.
Winning this match won't make much of a difference to the Scorchers' final ladder position in BBL|13 as they can no longer claim a third minor premiership in row following their 23-run defeat to the Heat on Wednesday. It's their next and final match of the regular season against the Sixers that will have the biggest impact – win that and they're guaranteed to finish second and earn a double chance, with hosting rights of either the Challenger or Final. While they're already 98 per cent assured of making the top four, a win over the Heat on Saturday would cement their place in the top four.
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