Brisbane Heat vs. Adelaide Strikers – Big Bash League, January 29, 2021

The Heat and the Strikers kick off the BBL 10 playoffs on Friday, January 29, as they go head-to-head in the Eliminator at the Gabba.

The Queenslanders have the home-field advantage, but let’s not forget that Adelaide has already beaten Brisbane twice this season.

After assessing the bookies’ odds, I will share my Brisbane Heat vs. Adelaide Strikers prediction and betting pick.

As you can see, the top online betting sites believe there is very little between these two sides. After all, just one point separated the teams in the final standings.

With the home advantage, the Heat (1.76) head into the Eliminator as the marginal favorites, but the Strikers (1.95) will be confident of upsetting the odds.

Following a poor run of three defeats in four games, it looked as though the Heat would miss out on the playoffs altogether this season. But after winning their last two matches, Darren Lehmann’s side ended up finishing fourth – one point ahead of sixth-place Hobart.

Granted, the Queenslanders were expected to beat the Renegades. But a six-run victory over the high-flying Scorchers last time out wasn’t exactly anticipated.

Chris Lynn – the all-time leading BBL run-scorer – smashed his fifth half-century of the tournament, while Marnus Labuschagne chipped in with a useful 46. The returning Labuschagne has also picked up some important wickets since leaving the Australia Test bubble, adding a different dimension to the Heat’s lineup.

Better still, the Heat possess the second-highest wicket-taker in the competition. Mark Steketee has claimed 22 scalps already this season, making him one of the most dangerous bowlers heading into the playoffs.

If Lehmann’s men can piece all of their qualities together on Friday, the Strikers will find it difficult to stop them.

Franky with an ABSOLUTE ? first ball. INSANELY good ? #BlueEnergy #BBL10 pic.twitter.com/HOvWdtJ8Kt

— Adelaide Strikers (@StrikersBBL) January 25, 2021

Despite suffering a defeat in their previous outing, the Strikers managed to sneak into the playoffs by the barest of margins. Back-to-back wins over the Heat, and the Thunder put Jason Gillespie’s men in a strong position, meaning they could afford to lose their last game.

Of course, the South Australians would have wanted to come into the playoffs carrying some momentum. But they will ultimately be pleased to still be in the tournament.

Like Brisbane, Adelaide also boasts a couple of genuine match winners. Just three players have scored more runs than Alex Carey this season, while he is one of only two players to have notched up a century.

With the ball, rising star Wes Agar sits joint-third in the wicket-taking charts, with veteran Peter Siddle also among the leading bowlers.

The Strikers can take confidence from the fact that they have also done the double over the Heat this season. However, winning three games in a row against a team of the Heat’s quality won’t be easy.

Having followed BBL 10 closely, I’m confident that the Strikers will beat the Heat on Friday. In my eyes, Adelaide feels like more of a complete team, while Brisbane has struggled to pull together at times this season.

Yes, the Queenslanders have the home-field advantage. But the Strikers have already proved that they can beat the best teams in the competition, irrespective of the conditions.