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Perth Scorchers v Adelaide Strikers: Saturday Big Bash preview

The Perth Scorchers and the Adelaide Strikers each need to win their concluding Big Bash League clash at Optus Stadium on Saturday night to stand a chance of making the finals this season.

The Scorchers, five-time BBL champions, find themselves in an unfamiliar position as they fight to keep their slim finals hopes alive.

Ashton Turner’s men have lost four games in a row to slide down to seventh in the standings and would need other results to go their way to clinch a top-four finish.

Meanwhile, the Strikers are also on the outside looking in after missing a big opportunity to make their move against the Sydney Sixers on Wednesday.

But an incredible total of 251, which included a Matt Short century, against the Brisbane Heat last Saturday gave Adelaide’s net run-rate a huge boost.

And that is what will decide which team makes it to the finals if the Heat don’t beat the Melbourne Renegades in Saturday’s other game and the Hobart Hurricanes defeat the Melbourne Stars on Sunday.

The Scorchers have enjoyed the slight edge over Adelaide down the years, winning 14 of the 26 previous meetings.

Perth won by seven wickets when they met earlier this season at the Adelaide Oval, gaining some revenge for the Strikers’ 50-run victory at Optus Stadium in last season’s Knockout.

Perth Scorchers v Adelaide Strikers

Perth Scorchers v Adelaide Strikers betting preview

Scorchers sense an unexpected chance

Perth’s finals hopes appeared dead and buried when they suffered a fourth loss on the trot.

Monday’s disastrous 61-run defeat to the Sydney Thunder left the Scorchers needing a cricketing miracle to make the finals for a fifth consecutive year.

But with three other results falling their way in recent days, Perth still have a sniff of securing an improbable top-four berth.

All-rounder Mitch Marsh will again be rested, despite the Scorchers’ finals hopes being on the line.

Finn Allen and Sam Fanning will open the innings for Perth with rising star Cooper Connolly due to come in at four.

Connolly, who is 3.50 to be the Scorchers’ top batter, is the second-leading run-scorer in this year’s BBL with 312 runs.

He will be desperate to make up for a disappointing knock of seven against the Sydney Thunder.

Connolly has struck 15 sixes in this year’s competition and is available to back at 1.90 to smash two or more against the Strikers.

Aaron Hardie top scored with 22 in Perth’s paltry total of 97 against the Thunder and the all-rounder is 1.83 in the betting to hit 20+ runs again.

Strikers seek to sneak in again

Last year, the Strikers were the team to sneak into the top four as Short’s men got in with only five wins.

The Hurricanes’ victory over the Heat on Thursday boosted Adelaide’s hopes of doing the same again.

The Strikers have a strong batting line-up that has recorded two of the five highest team totals in this year’s BBL.

Short, who is 3.75 to be the Striker’s top batter, has scored 165 runs in his last three innings.

His captain’s knock of 109 saw Adelaide amass the second-highest total in BBL history against the Heat last weekend.

Ollie Pope top-scored with 57 in their last-ball defeat to the Sixers this week and the England Test vice-captain is 5.00 to get the most runs for his team again.

Read more cricket previews on site

Perth Scorchers v Adelaide Strikers odds

Perth Scorchers - 1.78
Adelaide Strikers -
2.05

View the full market and more odds for Perth Scorchers v Adelaide Strikers on site.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.

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