BBL|11 - Derp's Megathread + General Discussions

[ddrap14]

mods, if you want this to be part of the BBL discussion thread, can you please DM me so I can copy this post off?

There's 24 hours to go until the start of a brand new season of Big Bash cricket! It's always an exciting time for me as, due to the unique way Australian TV works, it's the only T20 competition I can watch. Thusly I spend abotu six weeks being cricket obsessed every single year.

This is also the first time I'll be an active part of PlanetCricket for the duration of the tournament. I think I began to chat during the India series last year?

Anyway, for this year I'll be watching most games as usual (if I miss one, highlights package time) and I'll be reviewing each game in this thread. Will also be keeping track of a Brownlow-esque (3 points for MOTM, then 2, then 1) tally for player of the series, using Cricinfo's advanced stats if they will be existing for this tournament.

Tomorrow morning, I'll do a season preview!

 

[Na Maloom Afraad]

mods, if you want this to be part of the BBL discussion thread, can you please DM me so I can copy this post off?

I can remove the other thread from stickied threads, and add yours if you're going to allow other members to post in this thread, almost as if this was BBL|11 general discussions?

 

[ddrap14]

I can remove the other thread from stickied threads, and add yours if you're going to allow other members to post in this thread, almost as if this was BBL|11 general discussions?

Yeah that's fine. If you want to do that, feel free, although no stress if you don't

 

[Na Maloom Afraad]

Yeah that's fine. If you want to do that, feel free, although no stress if you don't

That's neither a no, nor a yes

I've done it, if you want it reverted just let me know

 

[ddrap14]

That's neither a no, nor a yes

True, it's more of a "you guys are mods, I'd rather you have the final decision"!

Writing the season preview now

 

[ddrap14]

If you're wondering why so many teams have more subtractions than additions, it's because players signed to replacement contracts last year and elevated to full ones this year (e.g. Ryan Gibson and Tim David) don't count as additions in my book.

Adelaide Strikers
Key Additions: Fawad Ahmed, George Garton
Key Subtractions: Michael Neser, Cam Valente, Phil Salt, Danny Briggs
Thoughts: Adelaide are almost certain to sign a couple of replacement players with Head and Carey away at the Ashes - unlike every other club though, those transactions are not currently complete. More important to their chances, though, is that they've lost Michael Neser and Cameron Valente. While Neser is also at the Ashes for now, Valente is the man they turned to last season to back him up. They'll need a lot from import George Garton and youngsters Spencer Johnson and Liam Scott to fill the void. Also worth mentioning: Strikers are the only team to sign 16 local players and just 2 overseas. One of those is Rashid Khan, mind...
How to improve from last year: The middle order. Carey and Weatherald were good up top if a bit unlucky at times, but below them, Head was away for much of the season and Renshaw and Wells didn't fire at all.
Prediction: 8th. This feels extremely harsh and probably wrong, but barring another Renegades:tm: moment, their squad just looks slightly weaker than everyone else's on paper.

Brisbane Heat
Key Additions: Michael Neser, Nathan McSweeney, Tom Abell, Ben Duckett
Key Subtractions: Joe Burns, Ben Laughlin, Morne Morkel, Lewis Gregory, Dan Lawrence
Thoughts: Why didn't we resign Ben Laughlin?
How to improve from last year: Consistency. The Heat were good last year, but they played terribly in some games. I think this is mostly resolved already by hiring Jimmy Peirson as captain; while Chris Lynn's a good player, plans under him seemed to involve batting with 11 Chris Lynns.
Prediction: 5th. Heat will be more consistent this year, but losing Burns and Laughlin and the issue of squad depth may be problematic. I reckon it'll be the exact same run as last year.

Hobart Hurricanes
Key Additions: Joel Paris, Harry Brook, Jordan Thompson
Key Subtractions: David Moody, James Faulkner, Johan Botha, Dawid Malan
Thoughts: Another puzzling decision not to resign Faulkner, but Hobart look stronger than last year for the mere thought of having a Wade-Short-McDermott 1-2-3 available all season long.
How to improve from last year: Support Short. Without Wade, Ben McDermott was often the only valuable runs to go alongside Short until Tim David came in late in the innings. Peter Handscomb will be important for this. Also with the ball, Short had to do a surprisingly high amount of heavy lifting.
Prediciton: 3rd. Devastating top three and one of the strongest attacks on paper means the Hurricanes should make up for last year's last day disappointment.

Melbourne Renegades
Key Additions: Nic Maddinson, Jon Merlo, James Seymour, Unmukt Chand, Zahir Khan, Reece Topley
Key Subtractions: Peter Hatzoglou, Beau Webster, Rilee Rossouw, like seven players who made up the third slot
Thoughts: All three domestic additions have crossed the Melbourne divide! Spicy rivalries outside, the new OS players and the addition of Maddinson (and Cam Boyce, who returns after sitting out BBL10 due to the pandemic) will definitely strengthen this squad.
How to improve from last year: It's Already Been Done. And by that I mean, have Finch fix his vision issues which were apparently the cause of his bad form, and get some experience into the young players (aka what they did for the second half of last season)
Prediction: 6th. I'm not sure the youth is there yet, but they should finish around even in wins and losses.

Melbourne Stars
Key Additions: Beau Webster, Joe Burns, Peter Nevill, Qais Ahmad, Joe Clarke, Syed Faridoun
Key Subtractions: Jack Coleman, Lance Morris, Will Pucovski, Billy Stanlake, Andre Fletcher, Zahir Khan, Nick Pooran
Thoughts: I'm not convinced that Stanlake isn't a misprint edit: it is according to SuperCoach. Otherwise, looks like some strong additions. NMA will need to tell you about Faridoun as I've never heard of him, but the other two OS players are extremely talented, as is Webster and Burns (Webster again crossing the divide in Melbourne).
How to improve from last year: Get more from the OS players. Sure Pooran was good, but Zahir was average, Fletcher bad in every game except for one, and Dilbar Hussain dire. They need more out of Qais, Clarke and Faridoun to compete this year.
Prediction: 4th. A strong squad. Will still probably choke in finals, it is the Stars after all

Perth Scorchers
Key Additions: Peter Hatzoglou, Laurie Evans, Tymal Mills
Key Subtractions: Sam Whiteman, Fawad Ahmed, Cam Gannon, Jason Roy, Liam Livingstone
Thoughts: A full compliment of available players, except Jhye Richardson, will give Perth a big boost. Tymal Mills will also prefer Perth compared to the prior places he's been in Brisbane and Hobart.
How to improve from last year: Win the final
Prediction: 1st. They've squad on paper is slightly weaker, but more importantly, a lot of key players who were unavailable for stretches of last year will be this year. Watch for a big season from Perth.

Sydney Sixers
Key Additions: Jack Bird, Chris Jordan
Key Subtractions: Gurinder Sandhu
Thoughts: The Sixers have won two in a row and saw no need to change. Only swapping Bird for Sandhu, and then adding Chris Jordan as an overseas replacement player.
How to improve from last year: You can't
Prediction: 2nd. Perth may pip them but Sydney still have one of the strongest squads of all.

Sydney Thunder
Key Additions: Sam Whiteman, Gurinder Sandhu, Saqib mahmood
Key Subtractions: Cal Ferguson, Adam Milne
Thoughts: A quiet offseason for the Thunder, but they have brought back key contributors from last year's team that finished third. Except, oddly, Cal Ferguson
How to improve from last year: Improve the attack. Having to trot out Nathan McAndrew for most of the season is rarely a good thing
Prediction: 7th. This feels a bit out of their hands - they're losing Ferguson and Milne, but also Khawaja is with Australia and Davies is injured. Tough cheese for the batting order

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

So one can expect Sixers v/s Perth in the Final with Perth Scorchers taking the title? @ddrap14

 

[ddrap14]

So one can expect Sixers v/s Perth in the Final with Perth Scorchers taking the title? @ddrap14

I'm not game to predict finals - I was intending those to be the regular season predictions. I do think those are the two best squads though

In other news, I have lineup mail for tonight's game:
Sydney Sixers: Josh Philippe (wk), James Vince, Moises Henriques (c), Daniel Hughes, Jordan Silk, Daniel Christian, Tom Curran, Sean Abbott, Hayden Kerr, Chris Jordan, Steve O'Keefe. X-Factor subs: Nick Winter, Ben Manenti

Melbourne Stars: Joe Clarke, Peter Nevill (wk), Nick Larkin, Glenn Maxwell (c), Hilton Cartwright, Beau Webster, Sam Rainbird, Sam Elliot, Brody Couch, Adam Zampa, Syed Faridoun. X-Factor subs: Clint Hinchliffe, Tom O'Connell.

Key points:

• Peter Nevill in for his first BBL game in three years.
• Marcus Stoinis out with a calf injury.
• Brody Couch, Sam Elliott and Syed Faridoun all to make their BBL debuts.

 

[ddrap14]

Josh Philippe's right back into his old form. A textbook square drive for the first boundary of the game, and then he just clubs Rainbird back over his head for a one-bounce four. Vince with a few nice shots too. The youngster Elliott looked good but Rainbird was too short and too straight.

0/40 from the powerplay.

 

[ddrap14]

Poor Brody Couch. Has a catch dropped from his third ball that should have been taken by Nevill. Then gets hit really neatly for four by Philippe. Overcorrects the sixth ball and the first six of the tournament results. Faridoun doing okay, Zampa's definitely the pick of the bowlers so far - but only he and Maxwell are not making their Stars debuts tonight.

WICKET, though! Vince is desperately unlucky - he drills a cover drive, but it's directly at Adam Zampa at short cover. Good to see him take the catch too - if not, the Stars' injury crisis would have considerably worsened. Maxwell breaks the partnership

1/90 after 9.4 overs

 

[ddrap14]

Stumping shout from Faridoun, but Henriques was easily back. Meanwhile, Dave Hussey touting that the Stars have an all-time great lined up to replace him for next game... who could it be? And with good reason - just after Ponting finishes talking about the speculation, Henriques nails a half-volley and sends it ten rows back.

Philippe flicks the first ball of the 12th through mid wicket for the first 50 of the tournament. Not a bad start.

Power surge taken for overs 14 and 15. And PHILIPPE HITS THE MEMBER'S STAND ROOF! Rainbird's just bowling half volleys but that's a spectacular hit regardless. 101m. The next ball is so nearly caught but Beau Webster can't quite get to the skied ramp attempt. And the last goes into the same stand just for good measure. The second over was quieter but it still meant a 33 run power surge.

1/156 from 15 overs

 

[ddrap14]

Henriques grabs his fifty after 29 balls by lofting Elliott into the stand. "Phil", who caught the Philippe six earlier that didn't end up on the roof, calls it perfectly. Ricky Ponting's job isn't safe... neither would Philippe have been if Sam Elliott had hit the stumps! A bit of a suicidal leg bye that but the big quick's arm was off. And to cap off an interesting over, Henriques nearly plays on.

WICKET! Philippe picks the man on the fence! And it's a highly undeserved wicket for Sam Rainbird whose 19th half tracker of the day gets the job done. Out for 83 (47), early man of the match favourite for sure. 2/192, 11 balls to go. Dan Christian comes to the wicket, and sweeps the quick for four from his first delivery. And Henriques flicks the final ball over the leg side - it wasn't bad bowling and was so nearly caught, but six more anyway.

WICKET! And Couch gets his deserved wicket. A good start to the final over, and Dan Christian slices it straight to Cartwright at deep cover. He made it look hard but he doesn't drop those. 3/206 - apparently the Sixers' highest ever score.
WICKET! Curran scored 24 from 25 in a practice game and still got told to pinch hit. He hit his first one straight to Larkin at long on. Couch deserves the best-of-innings figures he'll have here. 4/207

And a last ball boundary that's absolutely undeserved - a big edge over the keeper from Henriques - ends the innings. A franchise record 4/213 for them, led by Josh Philippe's 83 and Moises Henriques' 76*. The Stars' inexperienced attack really showed, with the exception of Couch - expensive early to Philippe, he closed them down in the 20th exceptionally and should have conceded just four as well as two wickets. Still, it's the Sixers' game to lose.

 

[ddrap14]

Clarke and Nevill open as expected. Although this doesn't last long as a WICKET falls on the third ball - Joe Clarke edges a big drive and it balloons to backward point. 1/2. Surely he isn't Fletcher 2.0... The next ball nearly bowls Larkin through the gate, but Philippe misses it too and they get a pair of byes.
WICKET! And the next ball removes Larkin! A bit less bounce and catches him sweeping and missing. We saw a few games that look like what this may be turning into last year... 2/4. And the last one's through Maxwell too, albeit outside off. An outstanding start from Steve O'Keefe!

Chris Jordan sends the ball flying down the leg side for four wides. Looked like an attempted bouncer and tbf it did have height, but it was on the Test wide line.

WICKET AND IT'S MAXI! He tries to absolutely remove Sean Abbott but all that's removed is off stump. As Fleming would say, it's the Doorway of Departure, and surely the Stars are going to lose? 3/18. Cartwright blocks his first two balls, then pulls Abbott deep into the stand.

3/35 from 5. 11.6 runs an over for the bonus point

 

[ddrap14]

WICKET! Peter Nevill had to go for it and, after a nice ramp, he goes for a big flick. Almost clears the boundary but a good running in catch by SOK (who has been injured doing such things before) secures a wicket for Hayden Kerr. 4/41
WICKET! Cartwright does the exact opposite next ball. Flat batted to deep square leg like a tracer bullet, but Vince was exactly where he hit it. Kerr on for a hat trick. 5/41, Cricinfo calling a 0.64% chance of a Stars win. Still a bit optimistic imho

Kerr doesn't get a chance to immediately go for the hattie. Maybe waiting for a tailender?
WICKET! And that tailender is now in. A nothing shot from Webster, and a bit of seam away, and a wicket for Sean Abbott. 6/45
In the ad break, Channel Seven appear to be playing up Chris Lynn and Alex Hales as the tournament's premier bats. Not sure about that after the stuff we've seen tonight from Philippe...
WICKET! Rainbird was at least trying to whack a six... same result as Slug though. 7/45

WICKET! Elliott hits it straight up in the air. SOK with another wicket, will Kerr actually get to go for the hattie? 8/47

 

[ddrap14]

WICKET! Zampa's stumped. Tried to hit SOK out of the ground. Worth just defending now for Couch and Faroudin, otherwise we could see a new record low score. Two hattricks are on now 9/47
Hattrick averted by Syed Faridoun. But there's still the matter of the Kerr one.

And they're bowling... Chris Jordan? Surely this is just a waste of a hattrick attempt... except there goes the first ball to the cover boundary! What a nice shot by the No. 10! A trash game for the Stars, but for Brody Couch it's been a fairly good showing. In fact it takes a James Vince diving stop to prevent a cut reaching the fence as well.

This next over will surely be Hayden Ke... STEVE O'KEEFE????? Oh, I guess he's on for a five-for. Faridoun nicks his first ball to the fence to prevent a BBL record low score. Second one's a big shout but going down.

Now it'll definitely be Kerr... nope, Tom Curran. Not sure what Henriques is doing. And the first one is taken. No hattrick for Kerr. And the biggest ever defeat in BBL history is completed.

A dominant performance for the Sixers as they win by 152 runs. They're still title favourites (as are the Scorchers). As for the Stars, don't read too much into this - they're missing Coulter-Nile, Stanlake, Stoinis, Burns, Hatcher and Zahir Khan (as well as the mystery international) from their first choice 11. It's kind of like throwing out a B team with Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa against the two-time champions.

I'll wait to discuss my three stars of the game until I know if Speedcafe are doing SmartStats for this tournament. We know one of them though, don't we?

See you tomorrow where my Heat help me die inside start their season against the Thunder!