Sydney Thunder vs. Adelaide Strikers – Big Bash League Knockout, Sunday, January 23, 2022

Can anyone stop the Adelaide Strikers right now?

The South Australians punched their ticket to the Knockout with a 22-run victory over Hobart on Friday. Not only have they won six of their last seven matches, but they have also won each of their previous five.

However, the Sydney Thunder stand between the Strikers and a place in the Challenger. Trevor Bayliss’ boys finished third on the ladder – seven points clear of fourth-place Adelaide – after winning seven of their final nine regular-season matches.

Sunday’s Knockout is destined to be a thriller. If you want to make it even more exciting, check out my Sydney Thunder vs. Adelaide Strikers betting preview and try your luck at picking the winner.

Although Adelaide heads into the Knockout on the back of five straight victories, the best cricket betting sites view the Sydneysiders as favorites to triumph on Sunday.

In all honesty, the clash could go either way. Both teams are in excellent form at the moment, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they produce a close-fought battle at the MCG.

The Thunder and Adelaide met twice in the space of three days around the turn of the year. Let’s not forget that Bayliss’ side secured back-to-back victories over the Strikers.

On New Year’s Eve, Jason Sangha (91*) fired the Thunder to 3-187. Despite the best efforts of Jonathan Wells (46), the Strikers ended up falling 22 runs short of their target. Daniel Sams (4-33) was the standout performer with the ball.

Matthew Gilkes (93) did the bulk of the damage a few days later. The Thunder reached 7-172 before dismissing Adelaide for 144 runs, with Muhammad Hasnain (3-20) claiming a hat-trick in his debut BBL over.

Nonetheless, it is important to remember that a lot has changed over the past few weeks. The Strikers have won six of their seven matches since losing to the Thunder.

A six-match winning streak between late December and early January saw the Thunder cement their status as one of the hottest teams in this year’s competition.

Although the Sydneysiders lost two of their final three regular-season outings, they finished with an eye-catching record of nine wins and five losses. Only first-place Perth picked up more victories during the regular season.

Fresh from smashing back-to-back Ashes 100s, Khawaja slotted straight back into the Thunder’s batting line-up on Wednesday – scoring 77 runs in the win over the Melbourne Renegades.

It is also worth noting that Daniel Sams (19), Gurinder Sandhu (16), Tanveer Sangha (14), Saqib Mahmood (13), and Nathan McAndrew (12) all have 12+ wickets to their name this season. The Thunder are extremely strong with both bat and ball.

The in-form Strikers made light work of the Hurricanes in Friday’s Eliminator. The opening duo of Matt Short (89) and Alex Carey (67) got them off to a flying start, with the first wicket falling in the fourteenth over.

Once again, Peter Siddle (4-32) stole the show with the ball. The veteran paceman added another four wickets to his tally, meaning he now sits four clear of the Sixers’ Hayden Kerr in the Golden Arm standings.

Short’s 89 saw him move up to third on the Golden Bat leaderboard on Friday. Elsewhere, Jonathan Wells finds himself sixth in the run-scoring charts after hitting 12* last time out.

Having lost seven of their opening eight matches, Jason Gillespie’s men have done remarkably well to reach the Knockout. But can they maintain their momentum and continue their bid for a second BBL title?

I backed the Strikers to beat Hobart on Friday – and they didn’t let me down. But all good things must come to an end, right?

Don’t get me wrong, Sunday’s clash will likely go down to the wire. However, I’m confident that the Thunder will come out on top in the end. Not only have Bayliss’ boys won seven of their last nine matches, but they have also remained consistent throughout the campaign.

Yes, the Strikers head into the Knockout on a five-match winning run. But I expect their hot streak to come to end when the Thunder flex their muscles on Sunday.

I wouldn’t blame anyone for backing the Strikers to win this one. I mean, they are the comp’s in-form team right now – having lost just one of their previous seven clashes.

That said, I think the Thunder will be too strong for Adelaide. With multiple match-winners littered throughout their squad, the Sydneysiders should qualify for the Challenger.

We have the small matter of the Qualifier to enjoy before Sunday’s Knockout. Be sure to check out my prediction and pick for Perth Scorchers vs. Sydney Sixers if you’re planning to wager on that clash.