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Klinger to lead Scorchers in top of the table clash

4 January 2017

Michael Klinger will lead Perth Scorchers in Thursday's top of the table clash.

Top spot is up for grabs when the Perth Scorchers take on early season pace setters Brisbane Heat in front of a sell-out crowd at #TheFurnace on Thursday.

Brisbane’s dangerous duo of Chris Lynn and Brendon McCullum have taken BBL|06 by storm and loom as the key wickets for the Scorchers attack which has kept every opponent this season below 150.

Lynn is in some doubt with a shoulder problem while West Indian spinner Samuel Badree has already been ruled out with a hamstring injury.

David Willey plays his final game of BBL|06 as he heads off for England duty in India on Friday, while Ashton Agar returns after being released from the Test squad.

Michael Klinger will skipper the Scorchers in the absence of Adam Voges who aggravated a hamstring injury against the Sydney Thunder on New Year’s Day.

HEAD TO HEAD

The Scorchers hold a healthy 4-2 record over the Heat, but Brisbane did memorably defeat Perth back in the BBL|02 BIG Final at #TheFurnace. The Scorchers have won the past two encounters.

LAST TIME THEY MET

Perth crushed the Heat by nine wickets at #TheFurnace although Brisbane were struggling at 0-2 back then, which is very different to their current form. The Heat made 7-117 with Chris Lynn the lone hand with 75no, before the Scorchers coasted to victory in the 16^th over led by Michael Klinger (53no).

IN FORM

Andrew Tye has been excellent again in BBL|06, with five wickets in four games and one of the best economy rates going around at 5.56 despite always bowling the death overs. His 3-15 against the Sydney Sixers was in vain, but his 1-16 in the last start against the Thunder showed his ability to restrict.

You can’t go past Chris Lynn, who tops the BBL|06 scoring charts with 211 runs at 105.50, with two fifties. Among those runs is a league high 15 sixes, plus a strike rate of 168.80 showing his destructive style. The Sydney Sixers got him cheaply on Tuesday and ended up winning, so he’s a key wicket.

DANGER MAN

The departing Willey has been outstanding by swinging the ball during the power play in the absence of the injured Jason Behrendorff. Willey has taken six wickets in four games with a stunning average of 11 and economy rate of 5.07. If he can remove McCullum and Lynn early, it’ll go a long way to victory.

Ex-New Zealand skipper McCullum is seventh of the BBL|06 scoring charts with 148 runs but his strike rate of 182.71 is behind only Ben Dunk and Glenn Maxwell showing his threat. The 35-year-old smashed a scintillating 72 from 35 balls against Hobart last Friday night.

MATCH DETAILS

Perth Scorchers v Brisbane Heat

KFC Big Bash League

Thursday 5 January 2017, 4:10pm WST

#TheFurnace

MATCH NOTES

Watch live: BT Sport | Live Scores: Cricket.com.au

Perth Scorchers squad: Michael Klinger (c), Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Ian Bell, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, James Muirhead, Jhye Richardson, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, Sam Whiteman, David Willey

Brisbane Heat squad: Brendon McCullum (c), Xavier Bartlett, Nick Buchanan, Joe Burns, Ben Cutting, Jason Floros, Chris Lynn, Jimmy Peirson, Nathan Reardon, Alex Ross, Mark Steketee, Mitch Swepson, Jack Wildermuth

Watch Klinger in action in 2017 with a Gloucestershire Cricket One-Day Membership. Now just £89 with our early-bird offer. Click here to join Gloucestershire Cricket.

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