BBL7 - Heat v Renegades Preview (Plus The Lurker's Pick and Bank)

Brisbane Heat (4-5) v Melbourne Renegades (5-4)  @ The Gabba
 
Head to Head History - Melbourne Renegades 6, Brisbane Heat 2  
 
Last 5 - Melbourne Renegades 5, Brisbane Heat 0
 
Brisbane Heat 13-Man Squad -  Brendon McCullum (c), Ben Cutting, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Gannon, Sam Heazlett, Matt Renshaw, Yasir Shah, Josh Lalor, Chris Lynn, Jimmy Peirson, Alex Ross, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson
 
Melbourne Renegades 13-Man Squad   - Dwayne Bravo (WI), Tom Cooper, Marcus Harris, Brad Hogg, Jon Holland, Tim Ludeman+, Keiron Pollard,  Kane Richardson, Matthew Short, Jack Wildermuth, Mckenzie Harvey,  Chris Tremain, Beau Webster, 
 
Preview - Both the Renegades and Heat will be looking to secure the final position in the finals when they lock horn at The Gabba in the regular season finale tonight.  The Renegades sit a game ahead of the Heat at 5-4 after a tense victory over the Thunder in Canberra on Tuesday night. The Heat have had nine days to stew on their pathetic performance against the Sydney Sixers, where they imploded to be all out for 74. They need a huge victory here over the Renegades to elevate them on net run rate. 
 
Big Batting Battle - Chris Lynn v Marcus Harris - Chris Lynn is back for the Heat and he needs a huge score here in quick time to try and rescue his team’s finals’ chances. Lynn has managed just four games this season for the Heat, with injuries frustrating his attempts to gather momentum after being the BBL player of the season in the previous two years. Marcus Harris will be the key man for the Renegades at the top of the order, in the absence of Aaron Finch and Cameron White. Harris responded well against the Thunder, top scoring with 64, to help set up a crucial win for his side. 
 
Big Bowling Battle - Mitchell Swepson v Dwayne Bravo - Mitchell Swepson will be looking for some wickets in potentially his final BBL game of the season, after only picking up four this season. Swepson has not bowled badly, going for just 7.16 runs per over, but has just four wickets at an average over 54, as teams have nullified his threat. Bravo has been outstanding for the Renegades this season, being their leading wicket taker and the 5th leading wicket taker in the competition, with 14 scalps at an average of 20, and going for 8.31 runs per over. 
 
Ground Dynamic - The Gabba - The Gabba remains, for mine, the best place to bat in the competition. The Heat have scored over 180 in two games here, and it’s clear McCullum lets his side go hard throughout, unlike some teams that like to build an innings. The spinners will need to bowl flatter, and a touch shorter here, to avoid being driven down the ground towards the short straight boundaries. 
 
THE LURKER'S PICK (21-17) - Brisbane Heat  "The Heat have been typically hot and cold, but I expect them to go out with a bang."
 
The LURKER'S 10-UNIT BANK (Running Tally = -48 Units) 
 
(Tab odds)
 
5 Units on the Heat to win by 21-40 runs or 5-7 wickets @ $4.25
 
2.5 Units Heat high bat/bowler double to be McCullum/Steketee  @ $18
 
2.5 Units Renegades high/bat bowler double to be Harris/Bravo @ $14