The summer of cricket is upon us and that means the thirteenth edition of the KFC T20 Big Bash arrives. In this article we will be giving our best eleven for each team and discussing what chance we think they have of making the finals and in turn taking out the competition. The Big Bash attracts superstars from around the world to our shores every year and this year is no different with Quentin De Kock, Zak Crawley, and Harris Rauf making the trip over. Let’s get into it!
PERTH SCORCHERS
1. Josh Inglis
2. Zak Crawley
3. Mitch Marsh
4. Laurie Evans
5. Ashton Turner
6. Aaron Hardie
7. Ashton Agar
8. Jhye Richardson
9. Andrew Tye
10. Matthew Kelly
11. Lance Morris
OVERVIEW:
As is the case every year, test selection and availability will play a big role in each clubs fortunes and for the Scorchers Mitchell Marsh and Lance Morris are the two big queries. Luckily, Jason Behrendorff is waiting in the wings if Morris tours with Australia, but they are short on batsmen if Mitchell Marsh takes his place in the test squad. Regardless, they are still in all likelihood the best and most experienced team in the competition. The likes of Ashton Agar, Andrew Tye, Jhye Richardson, and Lance Morris have continually defended low scores over the last few years (especially at home) and the batting has only improved from last year with Josh Inglis right at the peak of his powers as a short format cricketer after a blistering World Cup campaign. Crawley and Evans are experienced and powerful top order batsmen from England and the likes of Ashton Turner and Aaron Hardie have been the reason why the Scorchers have been able to even defend small totals numerous times over the last two seasons. They play brilliantly as a collective, they have the star power needed to win the competition, and their home deck is an absolute fortress. They are the top seed again and Josh Inglis is the key man both for them and the opposition.
PREDICTED FINISHING POSITION: FIRST
HOBART HURRICANES
1. Matthew Wade
2. Caleb Jewell
3. Ben McDermott
4. Sam Hain
5. Tim David
6. Corey Anderson
7. Sam Heazlett
8. Nathan Ellis
9. Riley Meredith
10. Chris Jordan
11. Paddy Dooley
OVERVIEW:
If it wasn’t for the might and experience of the Scorchers this team would clearly be the team to beat. They have everything in the sheds to win the competition. They struggled in the middle order last season and the recruit of Sam Hain might turn out to be a masterstroke for the Hurricanes. He averages forty in T20 cricket and is arguably one of the best batsmen in this competition. They have the experienced pair of Matthew Wade and Ben McDermott at the top of the order, the balanced middle order of Hain and Heazlett, and then the brutal power of Jewell, David, and Anderson. It is a perfectly balanced batting order.
The same can be said for the bowling attack. The lack of spin is a small concern when they go away from home with only Paddy Dooley being the specialist spinner (with some assistance from Tim David) but the pace bowling trio of Chris Jordan, Riley Meredith, and Nathan Ellis is a terrific one. I would have them three in the top ten pace bowlers in the competition so having three in the same attack will be worrisome for opposing attacks. They will be very hard to face with a swinging ball at home.
PREDICTED FINISHING POSITION: SECOND
MELBOURNE RENEGADES
1. Quentin De Kock
2. Nic Madinson
3. Shaun Marsh
4. Aaron Finch
5. Joe Clarke
6. Jon Wells
7. Will Sutherland
8. Adam Zampa
9. Peter Siddle
10. Kane Richardson
11. Mujeeb Ur Rahman
OVERVIEW:
The Renegades had a terrific winter and much like the Hurricanes, fixed some of their middle order issues which should see them return to finals action. Quentin De Kock is the big name signing and rightfully so as he is one of the best T20 batsmen in the world, but the recruits of Joe Clarke and Jon Wells to strengthen that middle order up (or allow Madinson or Finch to drop down the order) was a terrific decision. It was the top order or bust for the Renegades in recent seasons, but this batting line up is better balanced with batsmen who can both hit powerfully and then those who can build and save an innings.
The bowling line up has been strengthened ten-fold with the recruit of both Peter Siddle and Adam Zampa. Zampa is one of the best short form spinners in the world and Marvel Stadium, which is generally a spinners paradise, will set up perfectly for him and Mujeeb Ur Rahman to be able to tie down an end and also take wickets. Peter Siddle and Kane Richardson counteract each other with one being good with the new ball, and the other terrific at bowling at the death. Will Sutherland improved last season and there is nothing saying he cannot improve again both with the ball and bat. Nic Madinson and Aaron Finch can also chip in with part time overs when needed and have a knack for taking wickets.
PREDICTED FINISHING POSITION: THIRD
SYDNEY SIXERS
1. Josh Phillipe
2. James Vince
3. Moises Henriques
4. Daniel Hughes
5. Kurtis Patterson
6. Jordan Silk
7. Jack Edwards
8. Sean Abbott
9. Tom Curran
10. Steve O’Keefe
11. Izharulhaq Naveed
OVERVIEW:
The Sixers bring in a similar team than what they did last season when they finished third and I think they will be around that mark again. They don’t have the star power in their batting order that the top three teams have but they do bat incredibly deep down to whoever bats at ten (whether it be O’Keefe/Abbott/Curran). The key to them going well in the tournament is their opening batsmen in James Vince and Josh Phillipe. They can both make big scores and one of them needs to be there for most of the innings or they might struggle. I assume that is the reason regarding why they bat so deep.
The Bowling attack is terrific and among the best in the competition. Sean Abbott and Tom Curran are two of the best bowling all rounders in short format cricket around the world who are brilliant with both the new ball and at the death, and the two spinners in O’Keefe and Naveed have tremendous stats in T20 cricket and should love playing at the SCG which takes nicely to spin. Jack Edwards and Moises Henriques can bowl the other four overs needed and are handy enough bowlers as well.
PREDICTED FINISHING POSITION: FOURTH
MELBOURNE STARS
1. Sam Harper
2. Marcus Stoinis
3. Hilton Cartwright
4. Glen Maxwell
5. Joe Burns
6. Nick Larkin
7. Imad Wasim
8. Nathan Coulter-Nile
9. Usama Mir
10. Harris Rauf
11. Joel Paris
OVERVIEW:
The Stars batting line up has remained similar but they will have their captain and world superstar Glen Maxwell for the majority of the tournament this season. I think he is the best T20 player in the world and if he has a big series, he can drag them towards the brink of finals or potentially just sliding into that fourth position. Marcus Stoinis is also an Australian T20 player who has produced some of the best big bash innings ever so the star power is there. The small concern is the rest of the batting order. Sam Harper is very hit and miss and failed when given an important role for the Renegades and the likes of Joe Burns and Nick Larkin are also just okay T20 batsmen. Hilton Cartwright is going to be a vital cog in the top/middle order as he is a genuinely good batsmen and the Stars don’t bat deep. He needs to fire or else it might be left for the two stars to fire each game and the odds are that they won’t.
The three Pakistani bowlers have boosted the Stars bowling attack massively and improved them dramatically. Harris Rauf is one of the better fast bowlers in the world in short format cricket and the spinning options of Usama Mir and Imad Wasim will match and fill the void that Adam Zampa leaves. Stoinis, Maxwell, and Coulter-Nile all bowl well enough to fill the other eight overs and they have done so at international level to great effect so one would suggest they can do it and manage just fine in the Big Bash.
PREDICTED FINISHING POSITION: FIFTH
ADELAIDE STRIKERS
1. D’Arcy Short
2. Jake Weatherald
3. Chris Lynn
4. Adam Hose
5. Matt Short
6. Harry Nielsen
7. Jamie Overton
8. Wes Agar
9. Cameron Boyce
10. David Payne
11. Henry Thornton
OVERVIEW:
There isn’t much wrong with the Strikers batting order. The star power and big hitting from the top three in D’Arcy Short, Jake Weatherald, and Chris Lynn is enough to put any team scared and on the back foot early and the likes of Matt Short and Adam Hose in the middle order can either provide more punishment if they are on top in the game, or build an innings to save one. I think the batting order is well balanced but the small concern I do have is that they basically have a top five and then nothing else. Jamie Overton is the all rounder but isn’t a great batsmen and Harry Nielsen is very hot and cold with the bat. If opposition teams can get a couple in the powerplay, it puts a heap of pressure on too few in my opinion.
The Bowling attack is where it really falls away for the Strikers. David Payne has been brought in as the strike bowler and he is a very good cricketer, but outside of that it falls away. Yes, Wes Agar had a good tournament last season. Can he replicate that again? I have my doubts. Batsmen will do their homework on him now. Henry Thornton is good enough to get wickets but doesn’t put fear into batsmen and Cameron Boyce is just an okay leg spinner. The Adelaide Oval can be good to bat on and I feel like this bowling attack is very susceptible to having big scores put on the board against them. They lack firepower and fear.
PREDICTED FINISHING POSITION: SIXTH
BRISBANE HEAT
1. Max Bryant
2. Matt Renshaw
3. Colin Munro
4. Sam Billings
5. Paul Walter
6. Jimmy Peirson
7. Jack Wildermuth
8. Michael Neser
9. Matt Kuhnemann
10. Josh Brown
11. Mitchell Swepson
OVERVIEW:
I think the Heat batting line up is very well balanced up the top. Max Bryant and Colin Munro are the power hitters who can take a game away from you and they are accompanied by the more skilful and innings building batsmen in Matt Renshaw, Sam Billings, and potentially Jimmy Pierson. They don’t bat deep though and the likes of Paul Walter and Jack Wildermuth don’t fill me with confidence regarding their ability to hang around for long. Michael Neser has been in good form in the English Summer with the bat and may be asked to bat higher in the order, although it isn’t ideal to rely on him for his batting.
Outside of Neser the bowling attack is very average. Matt Kuhnemann and James Bazley were solid last yar but cannot be relied upon to get the best batsmen out over the tournament and the spinning options in Mitchell Swepson and Paul Walter can leak runs and don’t inspire confidence regarding being able to either keep the run rate down or take wickets. On a deck that is brilliant for batting, I can see this bowling attack going for plenty of runs.
PREDICTED FINISHING POSITION: SEVENTH
SYDNEY THUNDER
1. Alex Hales
2. Cameron Bancroft
3. Jason Sangha
4. Matt Gilkes
5. Alex Ross
6. Ollie Davies
7. Daniel Sams
8. Chris Green
9. Gurinder Sandhu
10. Tanveer Sangha
11. Zaman Khan
OVERVIEW:
Not to be harsh, but the batting order is much like the entirety of the team – okay without being great. A lot will again depend on Alex Hales as the star power and opening batsmen and the recruit of Cameron Bancroft should strengthen that top order. It really falls away after that though. Matt Gilkes has ability and is the only player I can see taking the next step up in terms of making the team stronger. Jason Sangha and Alex Ross are generally hit and miss and even though the likes of Sams and Green can hit powerfully towards the end of an innings, you don’t want much being left to them.
The bowling attack is solid without being great. The spinning options of Khan, Sangha, and Green are good, and Daniel Sams can bowl well at the death, but the big question remains about the early innings powerplay. Who bowls? Spinners can get taken to the cleaners during the powerplay much like they did last year, and Sams and Sandhu can struggle early in an innings. I think they will be conceding good starts throughout the tournament and their batting order isn’t and won’t be able to chase down good scores. I think they will struggle this season.
PREDICTED FINISHING POSITION: EIGHTH
CRYSTAL BALL PREDICTIONS
WINNERS: HOBART HURRICANES
RUNNER-UP: PERTH SCORCHERS
TOP TOURNAMENT RUN SCORER: SAM HAIN
TOP TOURNAMENT WICKET TAKER: MICHAEL NESER
MVP: MATTHEW WADE