The biggest season of the Big Bash League is upon us with more matches, better players and a huge profile for what should be six weeks of extremely good T20 cricket down under. With Australian cricket boosted by reclaiming the Ashes on the eve of the tournament we should get a celebration of all that is good about this league over the course of the campaign.
Recent Winners
2016/17 – Perth Scorchers
2015/16 – Sydney Thunder
2014/15 – Perth Scorchers
2013/14 – Perth Scorchers
2012/13 – Brisbane Heat
2011/12 – Sydney Sixers
The Format
Every franchise has two extra regular season matches this year which means each team plays each other in the competition once as well as their derby game home and away. They each play two more matches on top to make ten games in the first stage of the tournament. The top four in the table at the end of that go through to the semi-finals where the winners will compete in the final.
The Favourites
The Perth Scorchers are the favourites to retain their title and that is no surprise. They are the most successful franchise in the competition’s history and they look to have all bases covered in their squad. As ever they have a formula which works for them which is unlikely to change. Whoever beats them may well be the champions.
Melbourne Stars continue to find the title elusive and the main reason for that is the amount of players they lose when the Tests end and the ODIs begin. No matter what they do they can’t find a squad which is competitive in the second half of a campaign. This one looks better equipped to handle absences but constant changes can’t be helpful.
Melbourne Renegades go into the tournament as the third favourites to win the event and they have been well supported in the lead up to the off. They have made a number of additions to their squad with Brad Hodge among the pick of them. They have a good selection of overseas players to pick from but as ever their season will be defined by how they go without Aaron Finch in the second half of it.
The Contenders
Brisbane Heat have been fancied strongly this season. Any side that carries the power of Chris Lynn and Brendon McCullum will be popular but we should add that if Chris Lynn goes well he will be away with Australia. If he doesn’t the Heat can’t win this but the worry is his shoulder issue flares up. Shadab Khan and Yasir Shah look to be good signings who should help them defend scores at the previously impossible to defend Gabba.
Sydney Sixers were well beaten in the final of the competition last year but they should not be written off. Even when they don’t look the best on paper they are extremely competitive. There is no Michael Lumb for them this season so they will need to find an opening partnership but when their Test stars return look out for this lot to finish strong.
The Adelaide Strikers might be the most interesting side in the competition this year. There is no doubt they have lost a raft of talent with much of it heading to the Melbourne Renegades but they have been using youngsters in the past seasons who should come to the fore. Talking of youngsters the appeal of Rashid Khan is strong while Colin Ingram is a big signing. If a dark horse exists this season these could be it.
Outsiders
The Sydney Thunder were winners two seasons ago but couldn’t emulate that last season but they look to have done some good work on their squad and while Jos Buttler is in town in the early part of the event we can expect them to go well. How they go when he leaves remains to be seen but they might get Usman Khawaja back which will lessen the blow. You get the feeling the Thunder will either be brilliant or awful with the latter more likely based on previous seasons.
Hobart Hurricanes are once again the outsiders for the tournament and Tim Paine’s Ashes call up is probably not going to do their chances any good. The question would have to be whether they will go well enough with the bat. Mills and Archer will go well as overseas players and they have a decent support cast with the ball but the batting looks very reliant on George Bailey.
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Betting
Although they will be without the Marsh brothers in the early stage of the season it is still hard to look past the Perth Scorchers purely because of the quality of their bowling attack. Mitchell Johnson, Jason Behrendorff, Andrew Tye, David Willey and Jhye Richardson are all standout performers and they have spin options too. They have enough with the bat with Michael Klinger and Adam Voges high class performers so as boring as it is the champions have to be the bet.
I will allow myself a slight saver on the side they beat last season in the Sydney Sixers. While the English pair are with them they will overpower sides with the bat but then later in the season they will get the likes of Jackson Bird and Nathan Lyon back. They know how to win matches in this tournament and under pressure too so I’ll save on them but it is the champions for me.
Tips
Back Perth Scorchers to win Big Bash 7 for a 3/10 stake at 5.00 with William Hill
Back them here:
Back Sydney Sixers to win Big Bash 7 for a 1/10 stake at 8.00 with Betfred
Back them here:
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