Big Bash League – BBL 08
In the ranking of world T20s, Big Bash is one of the crown jewels. And not just for the excitement of watching the biggest names in T20 cricket, but also for the unadulterated action it brings to the table. The eight franchises are not just city based, they’re also action based.
You move from Adelaide to Brisbane and the action gets hotter with sixes and fours. Get a move down to Sydney and you will witness two dissimilar twins – one that tries to wriggle away from the bottom of the table and the other that blows hot and cold. Take a trip down to cricket loving Melbourne and you will meet two teams at extreme ends. While one treats you to a galaxy of stars, their bitter neighbours treat you sumptuously and cautiously.
Move further down south and you are treated to the Hurricanes sweeping you off your feet every action night. The best is served for last as you move closer to the edge and the heat of Perth scorches you with consistency – quite literally!
This year’s competition gets bigger and better – not just in terms of the number of matches, but also in terms of new locales being added to the roster. Every team has just two international players in their squad – unlike other leagues around the world. This means more domestic players, more action and more local excitement!
Which team is better placed to make a dash in this edition? Have the teams course-corrected over the break? Will there be a surprise from one of the non-performers?
In the fast-paced T20 environment, there is little or no place for pre-tournament predictions based on past performances. Yet, it is equally futile to brush aside the patterns discovered from understanding the teams and analysing their strengths. Therefore, we cautiously offer our insight into the chances of each team.
ADELAIDE STRIKERS
Who would have predicted that the Strikers would win the Big Bash last season! A squad that rode the success of Alex Carey (443 runs) and the surprise success of Jake Weatherald (third most runs at an average of 31.91), didn’t have to look around for runs.
And, who can forget the Afghan bowling sensation Rashid Khan (18 wickets, economy rate of 5.65)! Already a T20 sensation when he came to these shores last season, Khan was immediately lapped up by the cricket-loving Australian crowd thanks to his endless energy. He wasn’t alone, however, as the pacers led by Ben Laughlin, Michael Neser, and Peter Siddle stayed in the top-ten wicket-takers of the tournament.
Khan will be joined by the hard-hitting South African Colin Ingram which covers them well in the foreign player department.
All set for another title charge? Sometimes success comes at a price and the Strikers could be a prime example of that. Travis Head, Carey, Billy Stanlake and even Weatherald may get called up for national duty, which is sure to weaken their title defence.
Key player: Rashid Khan
Key domestic player: Jake Weatherald, not just with the bat but also on the field.
Key recruit: Colin Ingram – purely because all eyes will be on Khan.
Young player to watch: Jake Lehmann, although he’s almost out of the ‘young’ bracket.
Prediction: Playoffs, if they can manage the potential absence of Carey, Head and Stanlake.
BRISBANE HEAT
Raise your hands if you think Brisbane Heat should have had better success last season. Captained by the ever-affable Brendon McCullum (248 runs last season) and with some hard-working cricketers making up the roster, the Heat are sure to raise the barometer this season.
They may have ended up second from bottom last season, but the Heat were a win away from the playoffs. Who can forget that they scored at a strike rate of 128.3 last season, the third-highest among the sides! A lot was down to the mercurial Chris Lynn, who will surely miss some part of the tournament on national duty.
Joe Burns averaged 40.20 last season and showed that he can combine his much-acclaimed Test credentials with T20 skills. Matthew Renshaw makes a Big Bash comeback, while Alex Ross continues to surprise with his ‘stay in the shadows’ routine.
Joining McCullum in the foreign player roster is the exciting 17-year-old mystery spinner from Afghanistan Mujeeb Ur Rahman. He is not only the youngest player to sign a Big Bash contract, Mujeeb is also the only male player born in the 21st century to play international cricket.
The worry for Heath, though, is the over-dependence on Lynn. Whenever he went on national duty, they struggled. There also could be a possibility of Burns or Renshaw being called up to the Test squad, which will further weaken their batting.
Key player: Brendon McCullum – with the bat, on the field and for his inspiration.
Key domestic player: Alex Ross, watch out for his calm contributions in key situations.
Key recruit: Mujeeb Ur Rahman – remember the name!
Young player to watch: Marnus Labuschagne – watch out for his leggies!
Prediction: Another heartbreak in store, will be a surprise if they make it deep in the tournament.
HOBART HURRICANES
If teams on paper win you titles, the Hurricanes will be crowned the champions of Big Bash 2018/19 – such is the strength of their squad. However, the fact that they are yet to win the tournament remains a sore point and a pointer to their troubles in converting potential into performances.
D’Arcy Short (572 runs) was the best batsman last season and also featured three times in the top-ten highest scores. Ben McDermott averaged 36.11 and vaulted into national reckoning on the basis of those performances. Tim Paine’s calming influence wasn’t missed last season as Matthew Wade rose to the occasion – with punch and panache!
Bowling was all about their foreign recruit Jofra Archer (16 wickets) last season. The newly-qualified, soon-to-be England international is one of the most exciting fast bowlers in this format already! Joining him will be his fellow England mate Tymal Mills, who has a score to settle after a below-par 2017/18 season.
George Bailey, James Faulkner and Johan Botha add experience to the squad and once again the Hurricanes look well covered in all aspects to mount a title challenge. The worry, though, is the fact that they have struggled to get going in big matches.
Key player: Ben McDermott
Key domestic player: D’Arcy Short
Key recruit: Jofra Archer – sorry Mills, your soon-to-be England international mate is the pillar of this side.
Young player to watch: Caleb Jewel – unknown before the tournament, but sure to be a known commodity by the end of it.
Prediction: Playoffs.
MELBOURNE RENEGADES
It’s a statistician’s nightmare as to why the Renegades keep struggling year on year. They have usually had to settle for the lower half of the table in the regular season and reaching last year’s playoffs was just the second instance they reached that stage.
Consider this – Cameron White averaged 76 last season which is the highest across all teams and Marcus Harris (324) was the seventh top-scorer through BBL07. In Aaron Finch and Kane Richardson, they have two of the best domestic T20 stars in the Big Bash.
The disappointments of the past should not hinder their charge this season. Recruiting experienced allrounder Dan Christian is a huge coup, considering his ageless performances. The loss of Dwayne Bravo (18 wickets last season) will be felt, although Richardson (12 wickets) will look to step up the plate.
The Afghan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi stays in the side and will be a huge asset, after lighting up Australia on and off the field. Watch out for the left-arm seamer Usman Khan Shinwari who has impressed in this format for Pakistan, while his late season replacement Harry Gurney brings experience from England.
The Achilles’ Heel for the Renegades is the potential absence of Finch, Harris and Richardson on national duty.
Key player: Dan Christian, the ‘wine of T20 cricket’ who gets better with age!
Key domestic player: Tom Cooper
Key recruit:Mohammad Nabi
Young player to watch: Will Sutherland, once he comes back from injury in January, will be the one for the future.
Prediction: Too many ifs and buts, may struggle to make the playoffs.
MELBOURNE STARS
The Stars are one of the most consistent franchises in BBL history, making it to the playoffs every season, barring the last. Finishing with the wooden spoon in 2017/18 has seen them start a rebuild.
Marcus Stoinis will be the key once again, after starring in five matches (179 runs, five wickets) before leaving for national duty. Dwayne Bravo is an excellent addition and comes with great experience and pedigree, while Glenn Maxwell is equally important with his fireworks (277 runs last season).
The bowling looks a little thin after John Hastings was forced to retire due to medical concerns. Michael Beer and Adam Zampa are a great combination of spinners – one holds and the other attacks – but a lack of pace alternatives could be a worry.
The signing of exciting Nepal leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane is sure to create waves. The young leggie has experience of global T20 leagues, having featured in the Indian Premier League and the Caribbean Premier League. He will of course be replaced later in the season by English seamer Liam Plunkett.
Overall, the Stars look short of that quality to help them propel to the playoffs.
Key player: Glenn Maxwell
Key domestic player: Adam Zampa
Key recruit: Dwayne Bravo
Young player to watch: Liam ‘Harry Potter’ Bowe (four wickets in four games last season) has the qualities to surprise with his left-arm orthodox spin.
Prediction: Heartbreak – no playoffs.
PERTH SCORCHERS
Three titles, seven playoffs and an array of proven T20 stars – need we say more why the Scorchers are favourites for the 2018/19 season?
Before we start talking about their squad positives, let’s gloss over their negatives; the Marsh brothers will be on and off the radar, owing to their national duties. Also unavailable will be Cameron Bancroft due to his suspension until late in the season. The biggest loss, however, will be off the field as Justin Langer has left the Scorchers to be tied with the national team.
Ashton Turner (252 runs, SR 162.58) was a revelation last season and will once again look to make the most of the Marsh brothers’ absence. Ashton Agar (eight wickets in nine games @ 5.74 RPO) enjoyed a fruitful season last year, while Hilton Cartwright and Michael Klinger come with rich experience.
If we don’t talk about T20 magician Andrew Tye (16 wickets in six matches last season), then it’s a great injustice! He will once again be a leading light, even if the pacer plays only a handful of matches.
David Willey comes back to be one of their foreign recruits, but all eyes will be on the Pakistani leg-spinner Usman Qadir. Son of the famous leg-spinner Abdul Qadir, Usman is trying to acquire the citizenship. Until then, he is taking wickets in buckets with his mean googly!
Key player: Ashton Agar
Key domestic player: Ashton Turner
Key recruit: Usman Qadir
Young player to watch: 6-foot-7-inches and all of 19 years – allrounder Cameron Green can ramp up the pace upwards of 145 KMPH and can use his strength to good effect in the top-six. A deadly combination!
Prediction: Playoffs
SYDNEY SIXERS
The inaugural Champions and two-time runners up, the Sixers, have failed to reach the playoffs in two of the last three seasons. Captain Moises Henriques’ absence due to personal reasons was a reason for their failure last year, but his comeback might not be enough to spur them.
England international Joe Denly is an excellent pick at the top of the order, as he looks set to carry on from his short stint in the 2017/18 season (146 runs in four matches @ 131.53 SR). In Nic Maddinson (291 runs) and Daniel Hughes (227 runs), the Sixers had two players who flattered to deceive last season.
Sean Abbott (13 wickets) will once again hold the mantle with the ball, but it is the addition of England all-rounder Tom Curran that adds depth to their bowling to go with his lower order hitting.
Jack Edwards, the 19-year-old batting prodigy, joins his brother Mickey to become the first set of brothers to represent the Sixers. All in all, they look an exciting team on paper.
Key player: Moises Henriques
Key domestic player: Sean Abbott
Key recruit: Tom Curran
Young player to watch: Lloyd ‘New Warne’ Pope – remember that magical spell in the U19 World Cup?!
Prediction: It would be a disappointment if they don’t reach the playoffs.
SYDNEY THUNDER
What would you call a team that has Jos Buttler, Usman Khawaja, Pat Cummins, Joe Root and Shane Watson in its ranks? They call it the Thunder in Sydney and this time hopes are high for the 2015/16 winners.
Barring that win, the Thunder have come eighth four times, seventh once and sixth once – that means their ageless captain Watson will have a lot riding on his shoulders. He scored 331 runs last season (fifth-highest scorer), while Buttler (202 runs @ 143.26 SR) was very effective.
Bowing was all about spin as Fawad Ahmed (12 wickets), Arjun Nair (nine) and Chris Green (seven) led the attack last year. Cummins will not be available for most, if not all of the season owing to his international commitments, and that certainly leaves the Thunder low on fast bowling resources. Usman Khawaja is also likely to be lost to international duty.
However, the excitement in the Thunder camp is around the international recruits. Root and Buttler add a wealth of international experience, certainly the latter with his T20 exploits. This will be the first-ever T20 franchise appearance for Root, who will be watched with interest. Once the two England internationals depart for national duties, Chris Jordan and Anton Devcich will be the late-season replacements.
Key player: Shane Watson
Key domestic player: Fawad Ahmed
Key recruit: Jos Buttler
Young player to watch: Jason Sangha – the level-headed youngster is going to be one for the future in all formats; not just for the Thunder but also for Australia.
Prediction: Strong candidates for the playoffs.
It is not often that you say that Australian cricket needs a fillip. The cricket-loving – and indeed sports-loving – public down under need a boost to get their confidence back in the game. The unsavoury incidents in South Africa and the subsequent struggles of the national side, mean that this year’s Big Bash starts under a cloud of uncertainty.
The biggest positive is the fact that the likes of Alex Carey, Travis Head, Rashid Khan, Brendon McCullum, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Chris Lynn, Jofra Archer, Ben McDermott, Aaron Finch, Andrew Tye, Dwayne Bravo among others are gracing this year’s edition.
The BBL 08 will not be short of runs or wickets; or even those breathtaking catches witnessed last season. It is an understatement to say that Australian cricket needs a strong Big Bash. Indeed, world cricket needs a strong Big Bash and we are all set to have one this year.
To double your excitement, we are going to be part of the action for the second year in a row. Just as this year’s competition got bigger and better, we too have grown from BBL 07. Let the action begin!
Written by Sridhar Bhamidi
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