ABOUT THE MATCH

In-form defending champions Brisbane Heat take on out-of-form Sydney Thunder in the Women’s Big Bash League. The match, at the Drummoyne Oval, takes place on November 16.

The Heat is bidding for a fourth consecutive win, which will lift them back to the top of the WBBL table. Beth Mooney’s superb batting form has seen them claim three dominant wins in their last three games to reignite their title defense.

Sydney Thunder has gone the opposite way, with their loss to Sydney Sixers last time out their third defeat in a row. Chasing 153 to win, they collapsed to 47/5 from 11.3 overs and eventually lost by 40 runs.

TOSS PREDICTION

.Sydney Thunder is due to lose a toss, having won the last four and elected to field first on every occasion. Brisbane Heat might want to bowl first this time out, given the conditions.

PITCH AND CONDITIONS

A cloudy Sydney evening, with temperatures in the high teens, will mark much cooler conditions than Friday’s match but with the chance of rain as low as nine percent, there should be no disruption. The overcast conditions could suit the pace bowlers.

The Drummoyne Oval wicket looked to favor the pace bowlers last time out, though a fast wicket also benefits the big hitters.

PROBABLE PLAYING XI OF Sydney Thunder Women

Rachael Haynes (c), Rachel Priest, Tahlia Wilson, Alex Blackwell, Phoebe Litchfield, Nida Dar, Hannah Darlington, Rene Farrell, Lisa Griffith, Shabnim Ismail, Samantha Bates

PROBABLE PLAYING XI OF Brisbane Heat Women

Beth Mooney (wk), Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Maddy Green, Laura Harris, Kirby Short (c), Mikayla Hinkley, Amelia Kerr, Delissa Kimmince, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Georgia Prestwidge

MATCH PREVIEW

SYDNEY THUNDER WOMEN

  • Rachael Haynes is back after a foot infection and teenager Phoebe Litchfield also returned after school exam commitments. Tahlia Wilson kept her place last time out, however, with Naomi Stalenberg making way instead.
  • Sydney Thunder has lost their last three matches in a row. They could only reach 144/6 in reply to 151/5 in their first game against Perth Scorchers and were then bowled out for 105 in a low-scoring second match, needing just 117 to win.
  • Last time out, at the Drummoyne Oval, they were set 153 to beat Sydney Sixers but collapsed to 47/5 from 11.3 overs. They eventually lost by 40 runs.

Brisbane Heat Women

  • Courtney Sippel came into the team last time out, with Georgia Prestwidge dropping out. Sippel bowled one over on her WBBL debut and Prestwidge could return this time out.
  • Brisbane Heat has otherwise been very consistent with their starting line-up.
  • Brisbane Heat now has three consecutive wins, with Beth Mooney’s form central to that.
  • She scored 77* from 51 balls in a nine-wicket win against Adelaide Strikers to start this winning run and added 70* in a nine-wicket defeat of Melbourne Stars last time out.
  • In between, Jess Jonassen took 2-20 and scored 33 in a seven-wicket win against Sydney Sixers.

PROBABLE WINNING TEAM:

Brisbane Heat is in resurgent form while Sydney Thunder’s results have gone the other way of late. The Heat can maintain their excellent form by winning this match.

Click here for Fantasy Picks.