Speaking of the BBL - A three way ladder, and a scally from sneezer town.
A Strikers win vaults them into an unlikely Finals spot
You can still split the BBL11 ladder into three. Certainties, wannabes, and the departed, deported!
Certainties to play finals remain; the Scorchers, Sixers, and Thunder.
The three-for-two wannabes league will see; the Hobart Hurricanes, Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Stars all dueling to make fourth and fifth spots on the overall ladder.
The departed, or deported; Brisbane Heat and Melbourne Renegades will each try to avoid the wooden spoon. This is harder to pick than the proverbial.
So, to the wannabes melting pot, with all three teams trying to exit and get to the nirvana of Finals action. Making for interesting viewing.
First attempt falls to the Adelaide Strikers. They come off a brace of impressive early morning wins on their home deck; can they back up with a win over the eerily dependable Sydney Strikers, again in Adelaide, this time at a more sociable hour. Coopers and cornflakes swapped for Coopers and Coopers!
Jono Wells and Matt Short will be looking to continue their good form with the bat. Also, I will be interested to see how Ian Cockbain plays tonight. Cockbain, the son of a former Lancashire team-mate, Ian Cockbain, yes, that is correct, hails from Liverpool, not the most fertile cricketing terrain in the county of Lancashire. Nonetheless, he has made an encouraging start.
Captain Siddle and Henry Thornton will be leaned on with the ball for the Strikers. Ohh Rashid, we miss you so …
On the other side of the fence, the Strikers are well covered in all areas.
Note: a return to batting form for Josh Philippe in their crushing derby win over the Sydney Thunder, this could spell danger. Sean Abbott and Moises Henriques will no doubt have their hands on the game at some stage also. Coach Greg Shipperd entrusts them both, with equal measure.
The rest of the wannabes; the Hobart Hurricanes and Melbourne Stars, will play out their own fate in the next couple of days. More on this tomorrow.
As for the departed, or deported - sadly, the Brisbane Heat and Melbourne Renegades will be in review and revise mode. For me - the Heat have disappointed more than the Renegades - it is splitting hairs though!
As the regular season winds down and the finals series is just around the corner, excitement is bound to build, and we should be in for three nights of mouth-watering BBL action.
As we speak; the Sixers have made solid progress, being 0/53 after six overs. Philippe set to launch on 22 from 18 balls. ‘NickViz’ has the Sixers at 65% win percentage - possibly ending the Strikers season.
Mr Cockbain, from Sneezer town, might have something to say later.
Thanks for reading, will see you on the morrow?
Nick