English spinner Adil Rashid is backing his Adelaide Strikers team to bounce back from a punishing defeat in the Big Bash League.
The Strikers were handed a seven-wicket thrashing by the unbeaten Sydney Thunder on Monday after claiming wins in their first two games.
Adelaide's top-order batsmen wilted under pressure from a tight Thunder attack, leaving evergreen captain Brad Hodge (34) and Rashid (25) to salvage the innings.
Speaking ahead of Friday's sellout clash with the Sydney Sixers at Adelaide Oval, Rashid said his side had to be prepared to adapt to changing conditions.
"Especially batting first, and if the ball's seaming around, how to deal with that," he told reporters.
"I think we didn't do that quick enough so we lost a lot of wickets in clumps.
"We're confident in ourselves. I think we've got all the bases covered and I believe we can go a long way in this competition."
Rashid, fresh from making his England Test debut against Pakistan in October, has impressed with the ball in his first BBL season, claiming key wickets while also restricting runs.
And after taking the attack to the Thunder, he says he's prepared to step up as a genuine allrounder if required.
"If the team needs me to bat, I feel as though I'm confident I can do a good job and same with the ball," he said.
The Strikers have named an unchanged 13-man squad for Friday's match but will consider playing a second spinner to mix up their bowling attack.
Strikers coach Jason Gillespie has backed struggling openers Tim Ludeman and Craig Simmons to find form after a string of disappointing performances.
The Sixers have made three changes, with captain Moises Henriques ruled out with a calf tear, Stephen O'Keefe joining Australia's Test squad and allrounder Trent Lawford dropped.
Former Test opener Ed Cowan and rookies Charlie Wakim and Riley Ayre have been added to the squad.
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