Cricket betting tips: Big Bash Hobart Hurricanes versus Melbourne Renegades preview and best bets

sportinglife.com

22 December 2023

Cricket betting tips: Big Bash Hobart Hurricanes versus Melbourne Renegades preview and best bets

Cricket betting tips: Hobart Hurricanes v Melbourne Renegades

3pts Melbourne Renegades to beat Hobart Hurricanes at 11/10 (General)

0.75pt Nikhil Chaudhary top Hobart Hurricanes batsman at 18/1 (Betfred)

0.75pt Chris Jordan top Hobart Hurricanes batsman at 40/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook)

It has been a disastrous start to the Big Bash season for Hobart Hurricanes who have lost both of their opening two matches, and MELBOURNE RENEGADES look a good bet at 11/10 to continue that trend when the two sides meet on Saturday morning, 8.30am UK time.

The Hurricanes were bundled cheaply by Sydney Sixers in their opening match, and it took a blistering counter-attack from Chris Jordan to haul them to respectability against Perth Scorchers earlier in the week, before they eventually lost by nine wickets.

The men in purple look woefully short of quality in the batting department, so much so that renowned finisher Tim David was forced to bat at number four in the powerplay in that last match, and an inexperienced middle order might have to shoulder plenty of responsibility again.

While his bowling has dropped off a little in recent years, CHRIS JORDAN’s batting has really improved, notably when making contributions in The Hundred last summer, and his 59 from only 20 balls came against a fine Scorchers pace attack on their home turf. With big boundaries square of the wicket in Perth, it was one of best innings seen in the Big Bash so far this season.

If the Hurricanes are smart, they’ll try to get Jordan up the order at some stage and, frankly, he has a better defensive game than David who looked close to a nosebleed batting at number four.

Even so, Jordan should still be in the game wherever he bats, and I didn’t expect 40/1 to be kicking around about him in the top Hurricanes batsman market. We might be a game too late, but there is enough quality in the Renegades bowling attack to suggest early wickets can fall again.

At the prices, I’m happy to have two stabs at this market, with NIKHIL CHAUDHARY taken to back up a promising Big Bash debut against the Scorchers, his 40 from 31 balls beginning the rebuild before Jordan provided those late fireworks.

Hurricanes have raised plenty of eyebrows with their recruitment this season – Corey Anderson’s return surely rivalling Dirty Den for shock comebacks – but Chaudhary looks a good pick-up judged by his impressive opening. The Punjab native now resides in Australia and appears well up to this level, showing plenty of bravery and no less skill to take on a high-class Scorchers attack in Perth.

It’s hard to think of a more difficult initiation for an inexperienced Indian batsman than Perth against that bowling line-up, but he showed himself very capable and there ought to be more to come. The rare occasions Chaudhary did get into trouble came when trying to hook the quicks on a typically fast Perth pitch, so coming back ‘home’ to Hobart should be in his favour.

His driving and use of the feet against pace and spin was very good, often using the crease to give himself room to carve the ball through the off-side. He certainly has plenty of options and just as is the case with Jordan, he could easily win this market if top-order wickets fall again.

The Hurricanes haven’t had things easy starting against two of competition’s best sides, but it’s their lack of organisation, smart thinking and overall quality that suggests they could be in for a tough season.

As for the Renegades, they have also lost two games already – as well as not completing against the Scorchers – but they pushed the Sixers close and have shown real promise with the bat, particularly Jake Fraser-McGurk and Will Sutherland. Just as he did last year, Aaron Finch ought to warm to the task before long, so too Quinton de Kock and Joe Clarke.

The Renegades don’t look far away for my money, with Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson leading a good bowling attack on paper, and I make them a bet here at 11/10.