BBL 14 SWOT Analysis: The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Adelaide Strikers

Probuddha Bhattacharjee

Travis Head for Australia [Source: @cricketcomau/x.com]Travis Head for Australia [Source: @cricketcomau/x.com]

The 14th edition of the Big Bash League is just around the corner. The first match of the tournament will be played between Perth Scorchers and the Melbourne Stars. As we gear up for the tournament, let us look at the strengths and weaknesses of all the teams.

In this article, we will take a deep dive into the Adelaide Strikers and look at their depth and along with the strengths and weaknesses of the team.

Before going into deeper analysis, let us look at the squad of the Strikers for BBL 14.

Adelaide Strikers Squad For BBL 14

Batters: Alex Carey, Travis Head, Thomas Kelly, Chris Lynn, Harry Nielsen, Ollie Pope, Alex Ross, D'arcy Short, Matthew Short, Jake Weatherald
All-rounders: Fabian Allen, James Bazley, Jamie Overton
Bowlers: Cameron Boyce, Brendan Doggett, Lloyd Pope, Henry Thornton, Jordan Buckingham

Strengths Of Adelaide Strikers For BBL 14

Power at the top order

Matthew Short will be one of the constant openers for the Strikers during the tournament. Travis Head will be away for most past of the tournament owing to his nation duties. In Head's absence, it is expected that either D'Arcy Short or Chris Lynn will open the innings for the Strikers.  Whatever the batting line-up is players like Lynn, the two Shorts and even Alex Ross are powerful hitters and hence there seems to be plenty of firepower in the top order of the Adelaide Strikers.

Variety in the bowling attack

The likes of Henry Thornton, Brendan Doggett, James Bazley and Jamie Overton add a lot of variety to the pace department of the team.  With these medium pacers, Camron Boyce, Lloyd Pope and Fabian Allen add variety and depth to the bowling line-up with their spin efficiency. Overall from the new ball to the middle-phase the team looks well sorted.

Weaknesses Of Adelaide Strikers For BBL 14

Over Dependency On Matt Short At The Top

Matt Short was the highest run scorer in the BBL last season. He has been a steady influence for their team at the top in the last two or three editions. With the consistent shows that he is putting up and the dynamism that he is showing, the Strikers sometimes become overly dependent on him to provide them with an impactful start.

Probable Playing XI Of Adelaide Strikers For First Match

Matt Short (c)
D'Arcy Short
Jake Weatherald
Thomas Kelly (wk)
Harry Nielsen
James Bazley
Fabian Allen 
Henry Thornton
Jamie Overton
Cameron Boyce
LLoyd Pope