Tough weekend in WBBL07

 Who would be foolish enough to try and predict all eight results in the WBBL this weekend?

......here goes......

Renegades v Sixers
Well this is where it could all go wrong before it has even started!
All-star Sixers were just about everyone's tournament favourites before this all started, but they have not looked like potential champions in their four games so far. They were unconvincing in their first two games, but managed to get 4 points on the board, but then they batted poorly against both Stars and Renegades and were soundly beaten. By contrast Renegades have won their last two fixtures against Thunder and Sixers themselves, basing their bowling around their spinners (with leggie Hayward stepping in for the injured Wareham), and the dibbly dobbly seam of Leeson and Webb. Surely Sixers will have figured out a way of dealing with Pace-Off Gades?
Winners - Sixers

Thunder v Stars
It has been a tough start for last year's winners Sydney Thunder, and it is difficult to see it getting much better. On the plus side Smriti Mandhana has now got a score under her belt and you can expect more, but she has precious little support. Stars missed a golden opportunity to pick up another win when they allowed Mignon du Preez to lead Hurricanes to a win in mid-week, but Meg Lanning is due a big score.
Winners - Stars

Scorchers v Strikers 
This could be a cracker. Neither team played in mid-week. Scorchers have the most-feared opening partnership in the WBBL in Sophie Devine and Beth Mooney, but, IF you can get them early (big "if" I know), the batting looks thin behind them. Strikers will be buoyed by the return of Megan Schutt to their ranks, although she will be short on cricket. The only game Strikers have lost was an 11 over shoot out with the hard-hitting Heat. Tough to call, but overall strength suggests
Winners - Strikers

Heat v Hurricanes
Hurricanes are coming off a good win against Stars, but I think they will find the high-flying Heat too strong again, as they did on Tuesday. Heat's triumvirate of spinners - Jonassen, Yadav and Harris are tough to see beyond and their batting is sound.
Winners - Heat

Thunder v Hurricanes
Canes will be right back in action first thing on Sunday morning. Will Rachel Priest be fit enough to open the batting and keep both days? It will be tough with her finger injury. This game could be a real scrap, but I'm going to suggest that Thunder might just get over the line.....somehow.
Winners - Thunder

Strikers v Renegades
On paper Strikers look far too strong for Renegades, both with bat and ball. This is a game that they really should win at a canter, but Gades have a lot of self-belief at the moment. Their result from the previous day could be a decisive factor.
Winners - Strikers

Heat v Stars
This is another good match-up of a game. Heat's batting looks to be in good order at the moment and if they can come to the party again then Stars are going to find it difficult to keep them in check. Therefore
Winners - Heat

Scorchers v Sixers
Sixers have looked out-of-sorts with both the bat and the ball, and no-one is more likely to punish an out-of-sorts bowling attack than Devine and Mooney. If Sixers can keep Kapp at bay they will also back themselves to score big. This could be a high-scoring shoot out. The side that bats first will probably win. I'm going to plump for 
Winners - Scorchers

So there you have it, eight predictions. Six out of eight would be a reasonable return, particularly given the topsy-turvy nature of WBBL07 so far. Can the Sydneysiders come to the party this weekend? Or will the Melburnians in red keep their run going? 

Any team that can pick up two wins this weekend will feel they are on the right track; two losses and there will be a lot of ground to make up, as the competition reaches it's halfway stage on Sunday night. 

Martin Davies
28/X/21