Discussion BBL|14: Preseason Discussion

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The Strikers are likely to take on extra relevance in initial SuperCoach selection plans as one of four BBL clubs to have doubles in the first two rounds (three games all up) prior to Christmas.

Adelaide Strikers
Ins: Fabian Allen, Ollie Pope, Jordan Buckingham (Brisbane Heat), Alex Ross (Sydney Thunder)
Outs: Rashid Khan, Wes Agar (Sydney Thunder), David Payne, Adam Hose
Unsigned from BBL|13: Ben Manenti, Henry Hunt, Travis Head

Draft Insights
Draft picks: Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Fabian Allen

Strikers head coach Tim Paine said: “We wanted to add a bit of quality to our middle order. Ollie Pope brings that. He can also wicketkeeper and wants to push his case for white-ball cricket for England, so someone who is keen, hungry and young and brings some leadership.

“Fabian really strengthens our middle-order hitting. Bowls a bit more spin which we love at the strikers. Overs (Jamie Overton) last year was fantastic in all three phases of the game so it was a no-brainer to get him back.”

The Strikers’ big loss, of course, is Afghan spinner Rashid Khan who won’t be back next season.

Squad (17 of 18 signed):

Batsmen: D’Arcy Short, Chris Lynn, Alex Ross, Jake Weatherald, Thomas Kelly
Wicketkeepers: Ollie Pope, Harry Nielsen, Alex Carey
All-rounders: Matt Short, Jamie Overton, Fabian Allen, James Bazley
Bowlers: Henry Thornton, Cameron Boyce, Lloyd Pope, Jordan Buckingham, Brendan Doggett

Best XI
1 M.Short
2 D.Short
3 C.Lynn
4 O.Pope (wk)
5 J.Weatherald
6 J.Overton
7 F.Allen
8 J.Buckingham
9 H.Thornton
10 C.Boyce
11 L.Pope

This is a line-up that looks to have all bases covered, even with Alex Carey to miss most of the summer on Test duty.

The loss of Rashid is partly o***et by the emergence of tweakers Cameron Boyce and Lloyd Pope last season, while Fabian Allen offers spin too.

James Bazley could contend for that 6/7 spot too, given their weakness appears to be in the fast-bowling department.

Interestingly, all-rounder Jamie Overton missed the English Test summer due to back stress fractures which may impact his ability to bowl in BBL|14. He’s had back issues in the past so watch this space. Adelaide have one squad spot left and may target another quick.

Alex Ross’ return to SA means there’s real competition for spots in the middle order too.
 
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Brisbane Heat
Ins: Tom Alsop
Outs: Sam Billings (Sydney Thunder), Jordan Buckingham (Adelaide Strikers), Josh Brown (Melbourne Renegades), Charlie Wakim (Hobart Hurricanes)
Unsigned from BBL|13: Jack Wildermuth, Jack Wood

Draft Insights
Draft picks: Colin Munro, Paul Walter, Tom Alsop

Heat coach Johan Botha said: “Tall Paul was very good last year. Tom Alsop, we were impressed with him in the last 18 months. Munners is also a long-term pick. He’s been excellent. When our Test players aren’t there, he steps up a bit on that front.”

“We wanted to have that keeper-batter as a back-up and we got that in the bronze round… his stats in the last 18 months have been standouts. Full availability was the icing on the cake. We still get Marnus and Uzzie back with three games left in the group stages. If Tom is playing well, then he stays in the team.”

“(Continuity) is important and those guys are fully available which was another part of it. We just felt that’s important for us, so that’s what we went with.”

Squad (16 of 18 signed):

Batsmen: Colin Munro, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan McSweeney, Max Bryant, Matthew Renshaw
Wicketkeepers: Jimmy Peirson, Tom Alsop
All-rounders: Michael Neser, Paul Walter
Bowlers: Xavier Bartlett, Spencer Johnson, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Kuhnemann, Callum Vidler, Will Prestwidge

Best XI
1 C.Munro
2 J.Peirson (wk)
3 N.McSweeney
4 M.Renshaw
5 M.Bryant
6 P.Walter
7 M.Neser
8 X.Bartlett
9 S.Johnson
10 M.Swepson
11 M.Kuhnemann

We’ve deliberately left out Test pair Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne and they’ll miss the first two-thirds of the tournament.

Max Bryant or Jimmy Peirson should get first crack at Josh Brown’s opening role. Import Tom Alsop and Peirson will battle it out for the gloves.

Beyond that, the champs will likely go with the same formula as last season, with “all-rounders” Walter, Michael Neser and Xavier Bartlett supported by three more bowlers including a spinning duo.

Botha had flagged they’ll wait on using their final two list spots, given he’s eager to assess the talent in Queensland’s T20 Max tournament.
 
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Was more thinking long term for Bartlett... side strains have a tendency to hang around and might impact his summer.
Must be getting close to the start of the domestic season so hopefully he is ok , lot of potential both with the white ball and red ball.

Back to BBL , Tye and Bird signed in recent days waiting now to see what is happening with Coulter-Nile
 
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Reading between the lines of a few things I have seen and read about the Thunder , likely (best) starting XI

Warner
Bancroft
Maddinson
Davies
Billings (WK)
Rutherford
Sams (if fit)
Green

+ Ferguson & T Sangha

leaves one bowler spot , I gather they got Agar for a reason so that means Hatcher and McAndrew would miss out , curious to see how Honeyball see it

Currently have 17 so Gilkes , Konstas , Salzmann & J Sangha on the outer
 
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Hobart Hurricanes

Ins: Rishad Hossain, Shai Hope, Charlie Wakim (Brisbane Heat)
Outs: Corey Anderson, Sam Hain
Unsigned from BBL|13: Liam Guthrie, Sam Heazlett

Draft Insights
Draft picks: Shai Hope, Chris Jordan, Rishad Hossain

Hurricanes head of strategy Ricky Ponting said: “We were looking for a top-order batsman who can bat somewhere from 1 to 4 in our line-up.

We thought the chips would fall that way and Shai (Hope) would be waiting there. Hopesy and I coached him at Delhi Capitals last year, he was really good there. His form of late has been outstanding. He’ll fit into the group really well.

“Obviously Chris Jordan did a really good job for us last year. We’re looking for overseas continuity.”

Hurricanes GM of high performance Salliann Beams said about Rishad Hossain: “I saw a few faces when we put him in. he’s been doing very well especially in USA. There’s a few things we have to work through with him from an availability point of view but fingers crossed it works out.”

Squad (17 of 18 signed):
Batsmen: Tim David, Caleb Jewell, Mac Wright, Charlie Wakim, Shai Hope
Wicketkeepers: Matthew Wade, Ben McDermott
All-rounders: Chris Jordan, Nikhil Chaudhary, Mitch Owen
Bowlers: Nathan Ellis, Riley Meredith, Iain Carlisle, Paddy Dooley, Peter Hatzoglou, Rishad Hossain, Billy Stanlake

Best XI
1 M.Wade (wk)
2 B.McDermott
3 C.Jewell
4 S.Hope
5 T.David
6 N.Chaudhary
7 C.Jordan
8 P.Dooley
9 N.Ellis
10 Rishad Hossain
11 R.Meredith

The Hurricanes never quite settled last season, particularly their batting line-up so there’s some guesswork here. One thing for sure is it’ll be changes in the middle-order, with Sam Hain and Corey Anderson moved on and West Indian Shai Hope brought in specifically to bat in their top 4.

Mac Wright suffered an ACL injury in February, so will likely miss the first-half of BBL|14, impacting their top-4 options. Nikhil Chaudhary and Chris Jordan were impressive in BBL|13 in their late-order roles.

Bangladeshi leggie Rishad Hossain is a bit of a mystery and will battle with spinner Peter Hatzoglou for a game.
 
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How the Strikers manage their overs will be interesting, its a hell of alot of bowlers in one XI assuming Overton is cleared by then, reckon they pick the extra bat over a Thornton or Buckingham though.
 
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Matthew Spoors confirmed by the Perth Scorchers

Squad complete

Never realized he has played 5 x ODI'S & 10 T20I's for Canada

Scored 108* on his T20I debut (v Philippines) (highest score anyone has scored on T20I debut)
 
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Jon Merlo confirmed by the Melbourne Stars



1 spot left , if it isn't Coulter-Nile is it Rocchiccioli ?
 
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Melbourne Renegades

Ins: Josh Brown (Brisbane Heat), Gurinder Sandhu (Sydney Thunder), Laurie Evans (Perth Scorchers), Jacob Bethell, Tim Seifert

Outs: Shaun Marsh (retired), Aaron Finch (retired), Nic Maddinson (Sydney Thunder), Joe Clarke, Quinton de Kock, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Akeal Hosein (Sydney Sixers)

Unsigned from BBL|13: Ruwantha Kellapotha, Peter Siddle, Jordan Cox

Draft Insights

Draft picks: Laurie Evans, Tim Seifert, Jacob Bethell

Renegades head coach Cameron White said about Bethell: “Young player from Warwickshire. Just been picked in the England white-ball squad. Exciting prospect. Three-dimensional player, fields unbelievably well. Left-handed batter and bowls a couple of overs as well. All-round package.”

Squad (15 of 18 signed):

Batsmen: Josh Brown, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Laurie Evans, Jacob Bethell, Harry Dixon, Mackenzie Harvey, Jon Wells
Wicketkeepers: Tim Seifert
All-rounders: Will Sutherland
Bowlers: Kane Richardson, Tom Rogers, Adam Zampa, Gurinder Sandhu, Fergus O’Neill, Nathan Lyon

Best XI
1 J.Brown
2 T.Seifert (wk)
3 J.Fraser-McGurk
4 L.Evans
5 J.Bethell
6 J.Wells
7 W.Sutherland (c)
8 T.Rogers
9 G.Sandhu
10 K.Richardson
11 A.Zampa

The Gades will be relevant early with three games in the first two rounds. They have revamped their line-up after missing the finals last season, namely their batting options which is full of flexibility. Jake Fraser-McGurk opened in the IPL but was mainly used at first drop last BBL so we’re anticipating that’ll continue.

Recruit Josh Brown from the Brisbane Heat should be at the top of the order, alongside NZ import Tim Seifert who typically bats anywhere in the top 3. Laurie Evans and Jacob Bethell are good middle-order bats. Bethell typically bats 5/7 for Warwickshire and Birmingham Phoenix in the UK but did open in the Vitality Blast two years ago.

The bowling line-up is steady, with Gurinder Sandhu and Fergus O’Neill likely to battle it out for the final spot. Will Sutherland’s role should be juicy for SuperCoach points, especially given only Bethell can bowl out of the top 6.
 
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Melbourne Stars

Ins: Tom Curran (Sydney Sixers), Ben Duckett, Hamish McKenzie (Perth Scorchers), Doug Warren

Outs: Dan Lawrence, Haris Rauf, Imad Wasim, Nick Larkin (retired), Nathan Coulter-Nile (retired), Liam Dawson, Ollie Stone
Unsigned from BBL|13: Joe Burns, Corey Rocchiccioli, Jono Merlo, Peter Handscomb

Draft Insights

Draft picks: Ben Duckett, Tom Curran, Usama Mir

Stars T20 high performance manager Clint McKay said: “Duckett is a classy left-hand batter who plays spin really well. We know that spin has been our issue through the middle quite a bit.

“Tom Curran as a pre-signing covers a lot of roles which is great. Usama Mir, he’s got a strike rate bowling at 18, so he’s a massive wicket-taker which again has been our biggest concern over the last couple of years.”

McKay also noted full availability for all three players which was a big part of their decision making.

Squad (16 of 18 signed):

Batsmen: Ben Duckett, Hilton Cartwright, Campbell Kellaway, Tom Rogers
Wicketkeepers: Sam Harper
All-rounders: Tom Curran, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Beau Webster
Bowlers: Scott Boland, Joel Paris, Mark Steketee, Usama Mir, Hamish McKenzie, Doug Warren, Brody Couch

Best XI

1 B.Duckett
2 T.Rogers
3 B.Webster
4 G.Maxwell (c)
5 M.Stoinis
6 H.Cartwright
7 S.Harper (wk)
8 T.Curran
9 Usama Mir
10 J.Paris
11 M.Steketee

Import Duckett has opened over the past two seasons in the Hundred for Birmingham Phoenix and that seems his obvious role in this Stars’ line-up alongside Tom Rogers.

Last season, the Stars had some success with Beau Webster at 3, followed by Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis and Hilton Cartwright but all can play multiple roles.

Duckett can also take the gloves which could force Sam Harper out of their side, having struggled in BBL|13 before injury, allowing them to play an extra bowler. Given Webster, Maxwell and Stoinis can all bowl, we’re going with Harper in the side though but we’re not sold on that.

Tom Curran’s addition as a genuine all-rounder who can bowl 4 and bat anywhere from 6-8 depending on the situation is a major boost. Despite that, the attack still seems a little weak. Spinner Hamish McKenzie could be a smokie at the MCG.
 
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