December 31: Adelaide Strikers v Sydney Thunder in Adelaide

Our XI: Jake Weatherald, Alex Hales, Usman Khawaja, Callum Ferguson, Alex Carey, Jonathan Wells, Chris Morris, Rashid Khan, Peter Siddle, Arjun Nair, Daniel Sams

NOTE: We might not always be able to tip you off about a late injury (or other relevant) updates

Captain: Alex Carey

Three out of the top five run-getters in the tournament so far are from the Strikers, but Carey's record in Adelaide is strong - 422 runs at 38.20, and a strike rate of 131.56. In the first match held here this season, Carey made 55 from 24 deliveries, and is the ideal man for a crisis as well as accelerating in the end.

Vice-captain: Alex Hales

Hales almost won the Super over for the Thunder against the Sixers. The venue would be ideal for the in-form, big-hitting batsman, who has a strike rateof 153.24 - the most for anyone from the Thunder. It is always advisable to back the power player in a team.

Hot picks

Callum Ferguson

The man in form, Ferguson has scored 156 runs from four innings with two fifties, which is important in the context of fantasy cricket since he racks up bonus points for hitting milestones. Ferguson also strikes at 145.79 and is the most consistent player for his team.

Jake Weatherald

Another in-form, top-order batsman for the Strikers, Weatherald has scored 152 runs from four innings at an impressive strike rate of 153.53. The last time the Strikers played at Adelaide Oval, Weatherald scored 83 from 47 balls with 58 runs coming in boundaries.

Peter Siddle

Siddle has taken three wickets so far, but has gone only at 6.80 runs per over and played a key role in the Strikers win against the Melbourne Stars two matches ago. He is the go-to bowler for the Strikers and he could get some valuable points for his wickets and economy rate.

Value picks

Daniel Sams: Seven wickets at 7.87 per over, Sams is the leading wicket-taker for the Thunder. He has a dot-ball percentage of 45 and his variations could be useful in batting-friendly conditions.

Jonathan Wells: 161 runs from four innings and dismissed just once, Wells is another man in good form. He could be promoted to make best use of the conditions at Adelaide Oval; Wells is a budget pick as well and may provide maximum returns.

Points to note

• Average score while batting first in the last two seasons of the BBL is 171, so don't miss the top-three batsmen from the two sides.

• Spinners concede 7.82 runs per over, while striking once every 28 balls.

• Pacers concede 8.64 runs per over, but strike once every 21 balls.