Although there is a high quality Test series going on in Australia at present, the domestic T20 competition gets underway on Sunday when the latest season of the Big Bash League starts with eight teams all aiming for glory.
Brisbane Heat came out on top in fine style last season and they will be looking to retain the title but they are going to be up against it because all of the usual protagonists are here aiming to get their hands on this trophy.
Recent Winners
2023-24 – Brisbane Heat
2022-23 – Perth Scorchers
2021-22 – Perth Scorchers
2020-21 – Sydney Sixers
2019-20 – Sydney Sixers
2018-19 – Melbourne Renegades
2017-18 – Adelaide Strikers
2016-17 – Perth Scorchers
2015-16 – Sydney Thunder
2014-15 – Perth Scorchers
The Format
We have an unchanged format from last season which means that each team plays 10 matches so they all play each other once, play their derby home and away and play two other sides home and away too. At the end of the season the top four teams progress to the playoffs where the top two meet in the first game with the winner going through to the final before the third and fourth teams compete in a knockout match with the winner facing the loser of the first game for the second spot in the final. We are playing traditional T20 rules with the exception of the Power Surge. The powerplay at the start of the innings is cut to four overs with two more powerplay overs coming at the choice of the batting team in the second half of the innings.
The Favourites
The Perth Scorchers have won this title on five previous occasions and they are the 4/1 favourites to get their hands on the trophy once again this season. They were beaten in the playoffs last season when their weaknesses were exposed, primarily that of an issue at the top of the batting order. To their credit, they have rectified that with the additions of Finn Allen and Keaton Jennings but injuries already look like they are going to have an impact on their season with Aaron Hardie, Ashton Agar, Ashton Turner and Cooper Connolly all starting the season on the sidelines. They are unlikely to see much of Mitchell Marsh too.
Sydney Sixers are no strangers to winning this title either and they are 11/2 to get their hands on the prize once again. They go down the Perth route of offering up continuity rather than chopping and changing their squad but they are going to have some issues later in the competition when overseas recruits James Vince and Akeal Hosein leave for the ILT20. Todd Murphy could be in the touring squad to Sri Lanka in the second part of the campaign while Sean Abbott is likely to be with Australia at various points too. Sydney have a spin loaded squad so certainly won’t be wanting much rain in the competition.
The Contenders
Brisbane Heat will look to retain their title this season and win the competition for a third time. They are 6/1 to do exactly that and when you consider that they won the tournament last term despite missing a host of players at the business end of the campaign, they should be in a good position to go well again here even allowing for the loss of Nathan McSweeney who is now with the Australia squad full-time. John Brown, the hero of that final last year, has also left the Heat but Colin Munro and Paul Walter return while Tom Alsop could be a canny signing. Spencer Johnson and Xavier Bartlett have international representation since last season.
Hobart Hurricanes have missed the playoffs in three of the last four seasons so their immediate aim will be to find their way into the top four and ensure that they extend their campaign this time around. They are 7/1 to win the title this year and were they to do it they would win it for the first time. Chris Jordan is a good signing for them and he is around for the entire season but they won’t have Shai Hope for Waqar Salamkheil for as long as they would have liked. Tim David is going to need a big season if Hobart are to go well.
Sydney Thunder come next in the betting at 8/1. The Thunder will immediately be boosted by the availability of David Warner for the entire season now that he has given up international cricket. Sam Billings is back in the Thunder uniform and Sherfane Rutherford and Lockie Ferguson will provide firepower with bat and ball in the first half of the season. If there is a blow it is the broken finger that Nic Maddinson recently suffered but Wes Agar is a big pick up from Adelaide and with some good spin options the Thunder have it in their ranks to go very well this term.
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The Outsiders
Adelaide Strikers went deeper into the playoffs than they would have been expected to last term but since then Jason Gillespie has departed to be replaced by Tim Paine. Bigger still, there is no Rashid Khan this season while Peter Siddle and Wes Agar, big parts of the seam attack in previous seasons, have both left and the big two of Alex Carey and Travis Head are going to spend a lot more time with Australia than the Strikers. Adelaide have signed Ollie Pope which looks a good move while Jamie Overton and Fabian Allen are set to be available throughout but there are more questions than answers here.
Melbourne Renegades have a very much hot or freezing cold edge to them and obviously they will be hoping this season is the former but the fact that they are 10/1 to win the title bookmakers clearly think they are going to be the latter. The Renegades have done some big work in the off season with Josh Brown, the hero of the final last year, arriving while Jacob Bethell was picked up before the world saw the star that he is. Tim Seifert is another good addition to the side as is Laurie Evans. If the bowling can come to the party then there is more than enough firepower for the Renegades to outrun their odds.
Melbourne Stars have a terrible record in this tournament and they are 11/1 to change that this time around. There has been a bit of a shake up at the MCG with Adam Zampa a huge exit in recent times. The captaincy has changed hands too with Glenn Maxwell handing over to Marcus Stoinis but the former is facing a race to be fit for the start of the season which isn’t ideal. Usama Mir and Ben Duckett, two overseas signings, will miss the start of the campaign too while Beau Webster and Scott Boland start the tournament away with Australia. There still isn’t a lot to like about the Stars unless Maxwell is fit and fires from the beginning of the season.
Betting
There is a part of me that wants to think that the Melbourne Renegades are value this season but even then I still can’t bring myself to part with my dough on them. Instead I think the Sydney Thunder could be the value pick this season. Admittedly we have to put their poor campaign last term to the back of our minds but if we do that then there is reason to be encouraged by the Thunder and expect a much stronger showing from them.
One of those reasons is the availability of David Warner for the whole season and once he hits his stride you would imagine he’ll be a big run scorer this term but Sam Billings knows this part of Sydney quite well having played for them in the past. They have done some good work in the draft and free agency with their bowling unit and if they can find replacements for Sherfane Rutherford and Lockie Ferguson when they leave for Dubai they will be in a good place. I expect a much stronger season for the Thunder this term at a perfectly acceptable price.
Tips
Back Sydney Thunder to win Big Bash League 2024-25 (e/w) for a 1.5/10 stake at 8.50 with Unibet (1/2 1-2)
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