Why is Kane Richardson not playing today’s BBL 12 Knockout between Melbourne Renegades and Brisbane Heat at Marvel Stadium?

Brisbane Heat captain Usman Khawaja has won the bat flip and chose to bowl in Big Bash League 2022-23 Knockout against Melbourne Renegades at the Docklands Stadium tonight.

In what is the second knockout match of the tournament, its loser will be eliminated from this season. The winner, meanwhile, will be locking horns with Sydney Sixers in BBL 12 Challenger on Thursday.

While Renegades have reached this virtual quarter-final on the back of finishing third on the points table, Heat had defeated Sydney Thunder in a rain-affected Eliminator (virtual pre quarter-final) at the Showground Stadium on Friday.

Why is Kane Richardson not playing today vs Brisbane Heat?

It is worth mentioning that both the teams have had to make one important change to their respective Playing XIs for this all-important match. While Brisbane are without spinner Mitchell Swepson, Melbourne are without pacer Kane Richardson.

Swepson, part of an 18-member Test squad for Australia’s tour of India 2023, has remained in Sydney to prepare for the same. Richardson, on the other hand, opted out of this match due to “family reasons”.

Swepson, however, wasn’t at his best in this season of the BBL picking five wickets in 14 matches at an average of 67.80, an economy rate of 7.70 and a strike rate of 52.8. Pacer Xavier Bartlett, who has played three BBL 2022-23 matches in the past picking two wickets at an average of 54, an economy rate of 10.80 and a strike rate of 30, has replaced Swepson in the XI tonight.

Third-highest wicket-taker in the history of the Big Bash, Richardson had dismissed 12 batters in as many matches at an average of 27.41, an economy rate of 7.10 and a strike rate of 23.1 this season. The experienced campaigner has been replaced by pacer David Moody, whose three wickets this season have come at an average of 22.33, an economy rate of 8.33 and a strike rate of 16.3.

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