The Hobart Hurricanes will take on the Brisbane Heat in the 29th match of BBL 2021 at the Blundstone Arena on Saturday. The Hobart Hurricanes have performed decently in the tournament so far. Having won four of their seven games so far, they are third in the points table. They lost their tournament opener against the Sydney Sixers by 14 runs, but they bounced back to beat the Sixers by 44 runs in the reverse fixture. However, they then lost back-to-back games against the Perth Scorchers by 53 runs and 42 runs respectively. The Hurricanes beat the Melbourne Stars by 24 runs in their fifth game of the tournament. They then beat the Adelaide Strikers by seven wickets in their next match. Heading into this game, the Hurricanes are coming off an 85-run victory over the Melbourne Renegades. Batting first, the Hurricanes registered a mammoth 206-run total, courtesy a brilliant 65-ball 127 from Ben McDermott. Tim David (9-ball 30) and Peter Handscomb (20-ball 24) played crucial cameos. Tom Rogers (3-24) and Sandeep Lamichane (3-32) were the Hurricanes’ top wicket-takers as the Renegades were bundled out for a paltry 121. Darcy Short and Riley Meredith chipped in with a wicket apiece. Meanwhile, the Brisbane Heat have won only two of their seven games in the tournament so far. They lost their tournament opener to the Sydney Thunder by seven wickets. They then lost their second game of the tournament to the Perth Scorchers by six runs. In their next game, the Heat beat the Melbourne Renegades by five wickets to get off the mark in the tournament. They were then beaten by the Thunder by 53 runs. The Heat returned to winning ways with a 39-run victory over the Adelaide Strikers. However, they were then handed a 20-run defeat by the Melbourne Stars in their next match. Heading into this game, the Heat lost a closely contested game by two wickets against the Sydney Sixers. Ben Duckett (19-ball 21), Max Bryant (23-ball 22) and Jack Wildermuth (26-ball 27) played key knocks in what was a low=scoring clash. Jack Wildermuth, James Bazley and Xavier Bartlett were the top wicket-takers for the Heat, claiming two wickets apiece. Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mark Steketee chipped in with a wicket apiece. Having reduced the Sixers to 47/8 , the Heats got a touch complacent as Ben Dwarshuis and Sean Abbot carried the Sixers over the line in a nail-biting encounter. HOBART HURRICANES VS BRISBANE HEAT MATCH DETAILS: Match: Hobart Hurricanes vs Brisbane Heat, Match 29, BBL 2021-22. Date: 1st January 2022. Time: 10:30 AM IST. Venue: Blundstone Arena, Hobart. HOBART HURRICANES VS BRISBANE HEAT PITCH REPORT The surface at the Blundstone Arena is a good one. The track is expected to assist batters, who can play their shots after getting their eye in. The Pacers will need to try to provide their team with timely breakthroughs. HOBART HURRICANES VS BRISBANE HEAT WEATHER REPORT Overcast conditions accompanied by occasional showers are expected to be a feature on match day. The temperature is expected to range between 12 and 21 degrees Celsius. HOBART HURRICANES VS BRISBANE HEAT PROBABLE XI: HOBART HURRICANES Ben McDermott and Matthew Wade have been phenomenal with the bat in the tournament. Tom Rogers and Riley Meredith will carry the onus of providing crucial breakthroughs. PROBABLE XI:

• Matthew Wade (c & wk)
• Darcy Short
• Ben McDermott
• Peter Handscomb
• Tim David
• Jordan Thompson
• Nathan Ellis
• Tom Rogers
• Riley Meredith
• Sandeep Lamichane.

BRISBANE HEAT Chris Lynn has shown glimpses of his prowess heading into this game. Ben Duckett and Sam Heazlett will be the ones to watch out for with the bat in hand. Xavier Bartlett, Mark Steketee and James Bazley could play key roles with the ball in hand. PROBABLE XI: 

• Chris Lynn
• Jimmy Peirson (c&wk)
• Max Bryant
• Tom Cooper
• Ben Duckett
• Sam Heazlett
• Jack Wildermuth
• James Bazley
• Xavier Bartlett
• Mujeeb Ur Rahman
• Mark Steketee

HOBART HURRICANES VS BRISBANE HEAT MATCH PREDICTION A cracker of a game is on the cards as two quality sides will take on each other. Recent form tips the scale in favour of the Hurricanes, though. The Heat will have to put up a strong batting performance to win this game on Saturday. PROBABLE TOP PERFORMERS BEN MCDERMOTT- HOBART HURRICANES Ben McDermott has been in sublime form in the ongoing edition of the BBL. The right-hander has notched 353 runs from five matches at an average of 88.25 and a strike rate of 170.53. The fact that he has scored two centuries and one fifty should give him a lot of confidence. The Heat bowlers need to be right on the money while bowling to him. THOMAS ROGERS- HOBART HURRICANES Thomas Rogers has performed exceptionally with the ball for the Hurricanes in the ongoing BBL. The fast bowler is currently the leading wicket-taker for his team and has given an account of his stupendous self. Rogers has picked up 12 wickets from six matches at an excellent economy rate of 7.63. The Heat batters need to be circumspect while facing him. TODAY’S MATCH PREDICTION:  HOBART HURRICANES TO WIN THE MATCH.