The Scorchers host the red-hot Strikers in the sudden-death Knockout for a chance to progress in the KFC BBL|13 finals
All you need to know: Perth Scorchers v Adelaide Strikers
Match facts
Who: Perth Scorchers v Adelaide Strikers
What: The Knockout, BBL|13
Where: Optus Stadium, Perth
When: Saturday, January 20. Bat flip at 3.55pm local (6.55pm AEDT), first ball at 4.40pm local (7.40pm AEDT)
How to watch: Channel Seven, 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: Gerard Abood (field), Shawn Craig (field), Ben Treloar (third), Nathan Johnstone (fourth), Bob Parry (match referee)
Match squads
Scorchers: Aaron Hardie (c), Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Cooper Connolly, Stephen Eskinazi (England), Sam Fanning, Cameron Gannon, Marcus Harris, Liam Haskett, Nick Hobson, Josh Inglis (vc), Matt Kelly, Hamish McKenzie, Lance Morris, Andrew Tye, Sam Whiteman
Strikers: Matthew Short (c), Wes Agar, James Bazley, Cameron Boyce, Brendan Doggett, Henry Hunt, Josh Kann, Thomas Kelly, Ben Manenti, Harry Nielsen (wk), David Payne (England), Lloyd Pope, D'Arcy Short, Henry Thornton, Jake Weatherald
Form guide
Scorchers: LWLWL (most recent first)
It was an up and down finish for the Scorchers to conclude the home-and-away season and they surrendered the double chance with a final-ball loss to the Sixers, ending a nine-game unbeaten run at the Furnace.
After losing captain Ashton Turner and speedster Jhye Richardson to injury during the season, they've also lost Englishmen Laurie Evans to the UAE T20 league and Zak Crawley to national duties, and a decision on English opener Stephen Eskinazi's fitness will be made on game day after he copped a blow to his right hand against the Sixers last Tuesday. It means their local depth will once again be tested in the BBL|13 finals, but as we've seen countless times before, the Scorchers know how to win titles, especially when their backs are against the wall.
Strikers: WWWWL
The Strikers haven't won at Optus Stadium in four years, but with four wins on the bounce to storm from the bottom of the table into the top four, now is as good a chance as any to break that streak. They've been comprehensive wins too, beating the Scorchers by nine wickets in their last meeting, the Hurricanes by five and eight wickets respectively, and the Thunder by nine wickets to lock in fourth spot. The toss appears huge in this do-or-die clash with those four wins all coming batting second, and Optus Stadium is historically a good chasing venue.
They lose Chris Lynn and English stars Jamie Overton and Adam Hose to the UAE T20 league for the rest of the season, but Jake Weatherald's stunning resurgence since coming back into the side two games ago will give them hope they can keep the momentum going deep into the knockout phase. The Strikers have added allrounder Josh Kann and batter Henry Hunt to their squad to cover the trio's absence.
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
After a dominant return to Australia's T20 side last year followed by another outstanding Big Bash campaign, Jason Behrendorff will certainly be in the picture when George Bailey and his panel sit down to select the World Cup squad in a few months' time. Comes into the finals on the back of a third three-plus wicket haul for the season (3-35 off four against the Sixers) and sits third in the BBL|13 wickets tally with 15 at an exceptional economy rate of 7.82.
Last season's BBL Final hero Cooper Connolly is hitting his straps at the right time in his preferred position down the order, with knocks of 35 off 25 and 37no off 18 to close out the regular season. With the departure of Laurie Evans, the Scorchers will need an explosive replacement at the death, and Connolly fits the bill perfectly having risen to the occasion in big moments before.
A third straight Big Bash season of 450-plus runs, Strikers captain Matt Short could be the wicket that decides who progresses in BBL|13; get him cheaply and the Scorchers are well on their way, but they'll also know he'll take some stopping if he gets going. Short has scored four half-centuries in his past six knocks, including 74 off 44 balls on his last visit to Perth, which he backed up with an unbeaten 76no off 51 two days later to lead his Strikers to victory over the Scorchers when the two sides last met. Higher honours await the destructive right-hander after the Big Bash in the ODI series against the West Indies, but first he'll be eyeing off extending Adelaide's unbeaten streak from four to seven to take out the BBL|13 title.
Jake Weatherald's BBL career appeared at a crossroads when he started BBL|13 with scores of 5, 6 and 0 after compiling just 18 runs in four hits last season. But an injury to Chris Lynn opened the door for another opportunity, and he's grabbed it with both hands with unbeaten knocks of 80 and 47 striking at an incredible 201 runs per 100 balls to help the Strikers clinch a finals berth. "He's been awesome coming in the last couple of games, probably won us a couple of games there as well (and) after a sluggish last couple of years to be honest, he's slotted in really nicely and helped us get to where we are now," Short said of Weatherald. "His last couple of games have been pretty brutal, batting at the other end to him last game was unbelievable to watch."
The slowest bowler in BBL|13 has been one of the most effective with Cameron Boyce's ability not to be hit for boundaries a major factor in the Strikers' run to the finals, with five wickets at an incredible economy rate of just 4.17 in their last three games. Delivering in the absence of Rashid Khan, Boyce has taken the equal second most wickets for the Strikers this season and is their most economical bowler (6.37). But will he be as effective at the pace paradise that is Perth? The Scorchers have been the only team to blunt his impact of late, keeping the Strikers' leg-spinner to 0-28 on his last visit to Optus Stadium before taking him for 1-36 two days later in Adelaide.
Head-to-head
Overall: Scorchers (13 wins), Strikers (11 wins)
At Optus Stadium: Scorchers (3 wins), Strikers (1 win)
Most runs: Matthew Short (320), Josh Inglis (298), Alex Carey (285), Jake Weatherald (274), Michael Klinger (266)
Most wickets: Andrew Tye (18), Jhye Richardson (17), Jason Behrendorff (15), Rashid Khan (14), Nathan Coulter-Nile (12)
The venue
Rapid stats
- Adelaide Strikers will be aiming for back-to-back wins against the Perth Scorchers in the BBL for the first time since December 2020, following their nine-wicket victory when they last met at Adelaide Oval earlier this season (January 5, 2024).
- Perth Scorchers will be looking to avoid back-to-back defeats in the BBL for the first time since January 2021, following their final-ball, three-wicket loss to the Sydney Sixers last Tuesday.
- Perth Scorchers have scored 45-plus runs during the death overs (17th-20th) in each of their last two BBL innings; they had done so only twice across their eight innings in the competition prior to that span.
- Matt Short (13) is one away from surpassing Alex Carey (13) for the outright second most scores of 50-plus for the Adelaide Strikers in BBL history. Short has scored a half-century in four of his last six innings in the competition, including two 70-plus scores against the Perth Scorchers in that period (74 and 76no).
- Josh Inglis (14) is one away from surpassing Shaun Marsh (14) for the outright most scores of 50-plus for the Perth Scorchers in BBL history – however, he has scored one half-century in his nine innings in BBL|13.
What's on the line?
A spot in the Challenger final against either the Heat or Sixers, where they'll be one step closer to contesting for this season's ultimate prize. Meanwhile, it's season over for the loser and they'll be left to rue what could have been in BBL|13.
KFC BBL|13 Finals Schedule
The Qualifier: Sydney Sixers beat Brisbane Heat by 39 runs
The Knockout: Perth Scorchers v Adelaide Strikers, January 20, 7.40pm AEDT, Optus Stadium
The Challenger: Brisbane Heat v winner of the Knockout, January 22, 7.40pm AEDT, Carrara Stadium, Gold Coast
The Final: Sydney Sixers v winner of the Challenger. January 24, 7.15pm AEDT, SCG