Adelaide Strikers vs Brisbane Heat Prediction & Match Preview – BBL 2025-26
Match summary
Adelaide Strikers won by 7 wickets: Adelaide Strikers 125/3 (14.1 ov), Brisbane Heat 121 (19.4 ov). Player of the match: Liam Scott.
Our preview of Adelaide Strikers vs Brisbane Heat in BBL 2025-26 at Adelaide Oval: form, key players, pitch, weather and likely scores.
Match details
| Match | Adelaide Strikers vs Brisbane Heat, 17th Match |
|---|---|
| Series | Big Bash League 2025-26 |
| Date | 31 Dec 2025 |
| Venue | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide |
| Status | Result |
| Result | Adelaide Strikers won by 7 wickets |
| Player of the match | Liam Scott |
| Our pick | Brisbane Heat ✗ |
| Toss pick | Adelaide Strikers |
Matches in this series
Match preview
Adelaide Strikers and Brisbane Heat meet at Adelaide Oval in the 17th match of Big Bash League 2025-26. The hosts have made an uneven start, collecting one win from three games and sitting sixth, so they need points quickly to avoid slipping further behind.
Captain Matthew Short has carried the Strikers’ batting with 134 runs in three innings at a strike rate of 134. Liam Scott has added 82 runs at a strike rate of 142 and Jamie Overton 52 at 135. With the ball, Lloyd Pope and Hasan Ali have taken nine wickets between them, Pope claiming four at an economy of 7.18.
Brisbane Heat have won two and lost two, which puts them third, and the win over Adelaide in their last meeting has lifted confidence. Matt Renshaw has been the standout with 196 runs in four matches at an average of 49 and a strike rate of 175. Max Bryant has scored 130 at a strike rate of 158 and Hugh Weibgen 78 at 137.
Jack Wildermuth leads the Heat attack with eight wickets, though he has been expensive at an economy of 10.31. Xavier Bartlett and Matthew Kuhnemann have 11 between them, but the rest of the bowling has lacked consistency. In our view that gives Brisbane the slight edge on current form.
Adelaide Oval is a batter-friendly ground with consistent bounce and pace, so stroke-makers can play through the line. The new ball may nip around a little early on, but that help fades quickly. A fast outfield and short square boundaries reward clean hitting, while spinners who vary pace and flight can still make a difference in the middle overs. Totals above 170 are usually seen as competitive here.
The forecast for the evening start is pleasant, with temperatures around 20–22 °C, mostly clear to partly cloudy skies and very little chance of rain. Winds should be light to moderate and are not expected to affect play.
Expected scores
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 165–180 | 125/3 (14.1 ov) |
| Second innings | 155–175 | 121 (19.4 ov) |
Brisbane Heat
Brisbane Heat sit higher on the table and beat Adelaide in their last meeting, while Adelaide have won only one of three games.
Toss pick: Adelaide Strikers
FAQ
Who is expected to win Adelaide Strikers vs Brisbane Heat?
Our preview leans towards Brisbane Heat, who are placed third with two wins from four and beat Adelaide in their most recent meeting.
What score is likely at Adelaide Oval in this game?
We expect the side batting first to land between 165 and 180, with the chasing team finishing around 155 to 175.
Which players have been in form for the two teams?
Matthew Short and Lloyd Pope have led Adelaide, while Matt Renshaw has been Brisbane’s most productive batter and Jack Wildermuth their leading wicket-taker.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
Adelaide Strikers
- Matthew Shortc
- Chris Lynn
- Mackenzie Harvey
- Liam Scott
- Jamie Overton
- Harry Manenti
- Harry Nielsenwk
- Jerrssis Wadia
- Luke Wood
- Hasan Ali
- Lloyd Pope
Brisbane Heat
- Colin Munro
- Jack Wildermuth
- Matt Renshaw
- Hugh Weibgen
- Tom Alsop
- Max Bryant
- Jimmy Peirsonwk
- Xavier Bartlettc
- Shaheen Afridi
- Matthew Kuhnemann
- Thomas Balkin
Head-to-head
Earlier meetings of Adelaide Strikers and Brisbane Heat that we covered.