Boxing Day used to be a major event in the Australian cricketing calendar with the festive Test match at the MCG one of the events of the year. But this time it will face stiff competition.
Australia take on Pakistan at the ‘G while in Hobart the Hurricanes take on the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League. One is far more enticing than the other, and it’s not the international.
The Hurricanes versus the Stars is a classic punting opportunity that only Twenty20 can throw up. The home team look great value at 2.5 among Green Listed Bookmakers like Unibet, 32Red, 888Sport. Stars are awful at 1.57 with Bet365, Paddy Power, William Hill.
As usual, the odds are skewed wrongly in favour of the team who have the most household names. Stars boast Kevin Pietersen, Glenn Maxwell, David Hussey and James Faulkner. All fine limited-overs performers.
But Hussey aside, it is doubtful as to whether the other three are team players. They are individual talents capable of turning a game in a single over. They know it. The problem can be is that their team-mates know it, too, so they hang around waiting for the big players to act. And then it’s too late.
This could explain Stars’ poor record for the talent they possess. They have never won the title. Four times they have fallen at the semi stage and last year they were beaten in the final against the Sydney Thunder. So the ability to scrap and think on their feet when the pressure is really on could be lacking.
True, they may not feel much pressure in Hobart. But the prices are simply wrong. To go sub 1.6 in this format you have to be a darn fine team to warrant support. And Stars have never shown they are that team.
What is perverse about the odds is that Stars are so short because the layers reckon one of those big names will, just as we said, turn the game in a single over.
But the very nature of T20 – it’s a short game where anything can happen – means that the opposition don’t need to be packed with superstars. Again, they only need one or two to come off in that short spell to cause an upset.
Remember only two batsmen can be at the crease at one time. Or one bowler can be bowling.
And Hobart are well equipped. George Bailey is a terrific performer for Australia and as the chief Hurricanes hitter he will be expected to win them games. And if not Kumar Sangakkara will be asked to step up. It could be argued that’s the finest engine room in the tournament. Tim Paine and Dan Christian also have muscle with the bat.
But it’s what they could do with the ball which impresses us. Hobart must keep the Stars batting quiet and they have the players to do it. Shaun Tait is a master blaster in T20 and Stuart Broad is raring to go after England duty. Spinner Cameron Boyce is also solid.
We’ll take on Stars all tournament long at the odds. And we’re confident it will pay off.
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