The Thunder were down and out of the Bash after four consecutive losses in their first four games. You could get any price you liked on the outright. But after an extraordinary run, they are on the brink of the play-offs.
They have won three in a row and after thumping their cross-city rivals, the Sixers, last time out they have a vastly superior run rate, which could prove vital in the ladder shakedown.
And they could have hardly picked a better opponent for their final league match on Wednesday. The Strikers have been stinkers this term, failing to replace key men lost from last season when they topped the table.
Strikers were beaten by Melbourne Renegades in their last outing and they look destined to finish bottom of the pile. With confidence having evaporated and nothing riding on the clash for Strikers, it could be Thunder’s easiest game of the season.
So the 1.85 (88Sport) you can get about Thunder winning is pretty good. Strikers are 2.2 (Bet365). It is arguable that Thunder should be 1.7 here.
The Thunder seem to be running on an energy which other teams cannot match. And it all comes back to the last-ball six that Eoin Morgan struck to see them beat Melbourne Stars. That prevented a fifth-straight loss and they have not looked back.
“When you’re at a game like that and you have the win that we did that night is something that gets you right up,” says opening bat Kurtis Patterson. “It’s certainly turned our season for us and I think we have shown the kind of cricket that we can play in the two games after that.”
Could any Strikers player talk with such gusto? Do they have a moment which made them feel ‘right up’? Nope.
Amazingly, Thunder have been winning despite the adversity of losing Morgan immediately after that match. He has joined up with England. In his place has come James Vince who has hit 72 runs at a impressive strike rate of 156.
They then lost Andre Russell, one of the best all-rounders in T20. Ordinarily, it would be considered a huge blow. But Russell’s form was poor as he struggled with fitness and confidence issues.
Now Thunder at that point could have decided to save their cash for next year. Instead they went gung-ho and signed Carlos Brathwaite, hoping to take Russell’s crown, as a replacement. He has taken five wickets at just ten each with an economy rate of 7.4.
Strikers, meanwhile, are giving fringe players a try in an effort to find something extra. Pacer Wes Agar is going round the park while Mike Neser – without a century in pro cricket and only five 50s – is batting at No 5. That’s way too high.
With such a weak batting line-up, the few quality players they have will have little to beat to take top runscorer honours. And the bookies have made a rick by forgetting the talents of one such individual.
Tim Ludeman has been left out of the majority of games this term despite firing them to the heights last season. He’s back now, though, and in his favoured opening slot. He is no 5 chance and should be a point shorter. Make some of our green listed bookmakers pay.
Calculators
