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The 2023/24 Big Bash League starts on Thursday, with the Perth Scorchers (+260) the bookmakers betting favorites to retain their title and win the competition for a record sixth time. The Scorchers will also be looking to win the competition for the third year in succession, having won the 2021/22 and 2022/23 editions. There are no prizes for guessing that they are the favorites to win again this season, and in our latest cricket betting picks, we tell you what their chances of success are.
- What; 2023/24 Men’s Big Bash League (also known as BBL|13)
- Where; Various locations across Australia
- When; December 7th, 2023 – January 24th, 2024
- Number of Teams; Eight
- Total Matches; 44
- Format; Round-robin followed Playoffs
Also known as BBL|13, this is Australia’s franchise cricket competition – the Aussie version of the Indian Premier League if you like. Eight franchises will compete in the competition. They are the Adelaide Strikers, Brisbane Heat, Hobart Hurricanes, Melbourne Renegades, Melbourne Stars, Perth Scorchers, Sydney Thunder, and Sydney Sixers.
The competition starts in a round-robin format with all franchises playing ten games each. The top four qualify for the playoffs, with the top two teams going into a knockout match to decide the first place in the final. Third and fourth, then playoff, with the winner meeting the loser of the first knockout. The winner of that secures the remaining place in the final.
This makes getting into the top two more important, as it gives those teams two chances to make the final during the playoffs.
The Defending Champions
The defending champions are the Perth Scorchers. They won last year’s final against the Brisbane Heat by five wickets. The match was a lot closer than the result sounds, with the Scorchers fighting back from 3/54 to win with four balls remaining.
WE ARE #BBL12 CHAMPIONS!!! 🏆 A stunning fight back to clinch our FIFTH Title! 🔥 #MADETOUGH #FireUpTheFurnace pic.twitter.com/MDUEy3Cn0b
— Perth Scorchers (@ScorchersBBL) February 4, 2023
That was the Scorchers’ fifth win overall and second in two years. This year Perth is going for the three-peat, and it’s hard to see anybody stopping them.
Who is the favorite to win BBL|13?
According to the best cricket betting sites, the franchise most likely to stop the Scorchers from winning is the Sydney Sixers. The Sixers are the second most successful side in Big Bash history. The Sydney outfit has won the competition on three occasions, with their most recent wins coming in 2020 and 2021.
The Scorchers are +260 to win for a third successive year, with the Sixers second in the betting at +450. The teams chasing the two favorites are the Hobart Hurricanes at +650 and the Adelaide Strikes and Brisbane Heat at +700. The three outsiders are the Sydney Thunder (+800), the Melbourne Renegades (+900), and the Melbourne Stars (+1000).
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| Winning Team Betting |  |  |  |
| Perth Scorchers | +260 | +260 | +260 |
| Sydney Sixers | +450 | +450 | +450 |
| Hobart Hurricanes | +650 | +650 | +650 |
| Adelaide Strikers | +700 | +700 | +700 |
| Brisbane Heat | +700 | +700 | +700 |
| Sydney Thunder | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| Melbourne Renegades | +900 | +900 | +900 |
| Melbourne Stars | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
The format favors the Scorchers and Sixers
Any team can win a one-off match in a knockout competition. But the Big Bash is set up in a way to ensure the best teams make it to the latter stages. And the two best teams over the years in this competition have been the Scorchers and the Sixers. And this theme looks set to continue this season.
The group stage format sees teams play five games at home and five away, with the top four qualifying for the playoffs. In the 2022/23 Big Bash, the Scorchers won 11 of their 14 group matches (it was a longer format last year), with the Sixers winning 10 of their 14. The next best record was the Renegades, who won seven of their 14 matches (finishing third), with the Sydney Thunder finishing fourth, also with seven wins.
If winning only half your matches is the criteria for qualifying for the playoffs, it just seems inconceivable the Perth Scorchers and the Sydney Sixers won’t make it to the latter stages. And with the knockout phase giving the top two teams two chances of making the final, even that favors the Scorchers and the Sixers.
Both squads looking solid
On the playing staff, both Perth and Sydney have retained the squads that served them so well.
A significant addition to the Perth team is Zak Crawley of England. And the Scorchers also re-signed Laurie Evans, their match-winner from the 2022 final.
As for Sydney, they kept all their big names. The performances of English overseas duo Tom Curran and James Vince will go a long way to determining how successful the Sixers are this year. The availability of Steven Smith will also play a big part.
Our Picks
With the strength of the Scorchers’ squad and the competition format, it’s hard to see how Perth isn’t in the mix again when it comes to the latter stages. They have all bases covered and are simply the strongest outfit in the competition.
The Melbourne Renegades are an improving team, and they could be a good outside bet at +900. But for our main pick to win the 2023/24 Big Bash League, we are going for the Perth Scorchers.
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