On Saturday, December 31, the Sydney Thunder and Hobart Hurricanes will face off in Match No. 22 of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2022-23. The game will be held at Albury’s Lavington Sports Oval. The Sydney Thunder, led by Chris Green, are slowly but gradually ascending the table after winning two straight games against the Brisbane Heat.
The Thunder defeated the Heat by 11 runs in their last game after Colin Munro stunned them with a 98-run knock off 53 balls. Daniel Sams was named Player of the Match after hitting 36 off 15 balls and taking two wickets.
Match Details
- Match: Sydney Thunder vs Hobart Hurricanes
- Date and Time: December 31, 2022, Saturday, 10:00 am IST
- Venue: Lavington Sports Oval, Albury.
Ground pitch report
Albury’s Lavington Sports Oval will host its first-ever BBL game, making it an extremely historic occasion for both the facility and the community. This ground has held an ODI game, although it was in 1992, therefore it is difficult to discuss the actual condition of the wicket.
However, a new pitch is expected at the location, and Australian pitches often have a significant amount of bounce that batters will like. The new Kookaburra ball may move a little in the early overs, which helps the pacers. Because it is a multi-specialty field, the square limits are slightly larger than the straighter ones.
On a new track, the best practise is to bowl first and assess the surface, and the same can be said for this match. On paper, both teams’ bowling appears to be fairly good.
The arena is slated to host its first match of the season, therefore nothing is known about it. After winning the toss, teams should choose to field first.
Probable XIs
Sydney Thunder
- Matthew Gilkes (wk)
- Alex Hales
- Rilee Rossouw
- Oliver Davies
- Daniel Sams
- Alex Ross
- Nathan McAndrew
- Chris Green (c)
- Gurinder Sandhu
- Brendan Doggett
- Usman Qadir.
Hobart Hurricanes
- D Arcy Short
- James Neesham
- Caleb Jewell
- Shadab Khan
- Tim David
- Asif Ali
- Tim Paine (wk)
- Joel Paris
- Nathan Ellis (c)
- Patrick Dooley
- Riley Meredith.
Weather Forecast
There is a 7% chance of rain, although it is doubtful that the skies will open up. Temperatures will hover around 28 degrees Celsius, with humidity in the high 40s.
How to watch
TV: Sony Sports Network and Live Streaming: Sony LIV App