Oddsworth

Brisbane Heat v Sydney Sixers: too close to call

Heat 48%. Sixers 52%.

KFC BBL|16, match 2Tuesday 15 December 2026, 6:15pm AEST (7:15pm AEDT)The Gabba, Brisbane

Heat

ParBatting+9.5Bowling−1.1Overall+8.4

Sixers

ParBatting+11.8Bowling+2.2Overall+14.0

Heat bat first

First innings178
Sixers chase in18.2 overs
54%Sixers win
46%Heat win

Sixers bat first

First innings177
Heat chase in18 overs
51%Heat win
49%Sixers win

First innings

178Heat bat first
177Sixers bat first
178Par
180Recent average here

Par is the total defended about half the time. The recent average covers 14 innings since Sept 2023.

Chasing here

69%

9 of 13 won chasing over the last three years. All-time 51% (36 of 70). BBL and T20Is.

Rain risk

37%

of games in wet weather at Australian BBL grounds were shortened or washed out (37 of 101).

The match is beyond the forecast range, so pick a past evening at the ground. The win chance and players stay the same.

Strengths and weaknesses

Steve SmithBatting standout, Sixers: 285 runs, SR 161 (last 10)
Ben DwarshuisBowling standout, Sixers: 17 wkts, econ 8.85 (last 10)
HeatBowling weakness: −1.1 runs a game. Neser econ 9.85 in the last 10.

Too close to call as Sixers hold narrow edge on paper

This is too close to call, with Sydney Sixers at 52% and Brisbane Heat at 48%. The Sixers are the stronger side on paper by about 6 runs, built on both batting and bowling: they are 2.4 runs ahead with the bat and 3.3 runs ahead with the ball. The Heat's batting projects 9.5 runs better than average, but their bowling is 1.1 runs worse, leaving them with a total of 8.4 against the Sixers' 14.

The par score is 178, and the Heat project 178 batting first while the Sixers project 177. Recent first-innings scores here average 180 across 14 innings since September 2023, and the all-time median is 172 from 73 games. Chasing has been the sharper angle: chasers have won 9 of the last 13 here, and 36 of 70 all-time. Teams defending 170–189 have held on 50% of the time, 11 of 22.

The case for the Heat

  • Their batting projects 9.5 runs better than an average side, with Renshaw rated 3.3 runs better than an average batter and Bryant 2.2 better.
  • They are at home, and the par score of 178 matches their projected first-innings total exactly.

Batting standout

Matthew Renshaw

270 runs, SR 126, 9 sixes in the last 10. Rated +3.3 runs a game with the bat.

Rated 3.3 runs better than an average batter, the Heat's leading batting impact. He has 270 runs in his last 10 T20 matches, though at a strike rate of 126.2.

Bowling weakness

Michael Neser

13 wkts, econ 9.85 in the last 10. Rated −1.0 runs a game with the ball.

Rated 1 run worse than an average bowler over four overs. He has 13 wickets at an economy of 9.85 in his last 10 T20 matches, and the Heat's bowling unit is 1.1 runs worse than average.

The case for the Sixers

  • They are the stronger side on paper by about 6 runs, with a team strength of 14 runs against the Heat's 8.4.
  • Their bowling is 3.3 runs ahead of the Heat's, led by Dwarshuis at 1.8 runs better than an average bowler and Abbott at 1.1 better.
  • Their batting is 2.4 runs ahead, with Smith rated 4.5 runs better than an average batter and Seifert 3.1 better.

Batting standout

Steve Smith

285 runs, SR 161, 17 sixes in the last 10. Rated +4.5 runs a game with the bat.

Rated 4.5 runs better than an average batter, the biggest batting impact in either side. He has 285 runs at a strike rate of 161 in his last 10 T20 matches, with 17 sixes.

Bowling standout

Ben Dwarshuis

17 wkts, econ 8.85 in the last 10. Rated +1.8 runs a game with the ball.

Rated 1.8 runs better than an average bowler over four overs. He has 17 wickets at an economy of 8.85 in his last 10 T20 matches, and is the pick of the bowlers.

Bowling weakness

Fergus O'Neill

7 wkts, econ 7.84 in the last 10. Rated −2.1 runs a game with the ball.

Rated 2.1 runs worse than an average bowler over four overs, on limited data. He has 7 wickets at an economy of 7.84 in his last 10 T20 matches, but the rating is cautious.

Photo: Rae Allen · CC BY 2.0

The Gabba

Brisbane, Australia · 67 BBL matches here

The Gabba opened in 1895 and held its first Test in November 1931.

Opened
1895
Capacity
37,000 seats
Ends
Stanley Street End · Vulture Street End
Home to
Brisbane Heat (BBL)

The ground's full record

Every first innings here

24 of 73

reached par (178). Median 172.

Under par Par or more

Recent BBL first innings average 170; games here have scored about 2% above their leagues' averages. Medians by era: 2008–2017 174, 2018–2022 163, 2023 onward 177.

What total is safe?

First inningsDefended
Under 1506%1 of 16
150–16960%9 of 15
170–18950%11 of 22
190–20979%11 of 14
210+67%2 of 3

Weather: wet, like 1 Dec 2021

1 December 2021 at The Gabba: 21 °C, humidity 98%, wind 7 km/h and 2.5 mm of rain during the hours of play. 44 of 430 evenings within three weeks of 15 December in the last 10 years had at least 1 mm of rain at The Gabba during these hours.

These conditions are wet, with 2.5 mm of rain during the hours of play and the heaviest spell from 18:00 to 19:00, overlapping the first innings. At Australian BBL grounds, 37% of games in similar weather were shortened or washed out. Heat and wind have made no measurable difference to first-innings scoring. Rain could interrupt the first innings in particular.

During play: 21.4 °C on average, humidity 98%, wind 7 km/h gusting to 19.

Heaviest rain 18:00–19:00, mostly over the first innings. Runs figures assume 20 overs. If overs are lost, totals and par come down: check how your bookmaker settles runs markets in reduced matches.

Brisbane Heat XI

Batting positionPlayer and last 10BatBowl
1Jack Wildermuth3 overs222 runs, SR 159; 10 wkts, econ 9.92+0.5−2.0
2Nathan McSweeney210 runs, SR 146+0.1–
3Tim Robinson178 runs, SR 131+0.7–
4Matthew Renshaw2 overs270 runs, SR 126; 3 wkts, econ 7.00+3.3+0.1
5Max Bryant222 runs, SR 152+2.2–
6Tom Curran3 overs12 wkts, econ 7.71+1.5+0.2
7Hugh Weibgen151 runs, SR 107−0.3–
8Jimmy Peirsonkeeper, unsigned145 runs, SR 131+0.4–
9Xavier Bartlett4 overs11 wkts, econ 7.82–+0.7
10Michael Neser4 overs13 wkts, econ 9.85–−1.0
11Matt Kuhnemann4 overs9 wkts, econ 7.29–+0.8

Team record and squad

Sydney Sixers XI

Batting positionPlayer and last 10BatBowl
1Tim Seifert301 runs, SR 135+3.1–
2Steve Smith285 runs, SR 161+4.5–
3Josh Philippekeeper267 runs, SR 153+1.4–
4Ollie Davies1 over174 runs, SR 112; 0 wkts, econ 12.00+0.4−0.5
5Jordan Silk193 runs, SR 118+0.7–
6Jack Edwards4 overs41 runs, SR 95; 10 wkts, econ 9.49−0.3+0.6
7Lachlan Shaw188 runs, SR 146+0.6–
8Joel Davies3 overs12 wkts, econ 6.77–+1.2
9Ben Dwarshuis4 overs17 wkts, econ 8.85–+1.8
10Fergus O'Neill4 overs7 wkts, econ 7.84–−2.1
11Sean Abbott4 overs6 wkts, econ 8.95–+1.1

Team record and squad

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