Finch available for Renegades opener against Scorchers

BBL 2020 Team Preview: Melbourne Renegades will put behind an off season to ignite the fire within

Melbourne Renegades, boosted by the current amazing form of their skipper Aaron Finch and new signings in the wings, would look to improve upon their last year’s showing, the worst in the history of the league. Coach Michale Klinger is hopeful that this year it would be different saying, “Everything last year was going a hundred miles an hour." BBL so far The Renegades have been one of those stories which if have unfurled well at the start of the season, had gone on to make the playoffs regularly. Into their 10th season now, the red machine have been in the Playoffs, with the best showing in the 2018-19 season, where they went on to defeat the city rivals, Melbourne Stars in a low-scoring thriller. The worst season came in the title defense, i.e. last year when they were unable to rise above the last spot for the most part of the season and ended there as well. The foreign signings If last season was a hurried one for Klinger and also the two Pakistani players pulling out, just ahead of the season, was a main worry for the new coach, he seems to have covered all this time around by signing some of the very experienced and quality foreign recruits Mohammad Nabi is one of them. The traveler, who like his Afghan junior Rashid Khan, has been in great demand across leagues, has been retained by the red and black. With an experience as vast as 270 T20 games, more than 4000 runs with the bat, and 267 wickets, there could hardly be anyone in the opposite camp who would not fear him as a player. And that’s his advantage apart from quick runs and tight bowling. Alongside him is his fellow Afghan, the young leggie Noor Ahmad. Just about 16 years, the Afghan impressed all with his brilliant showing in the Under-19 World Cup and was regarded as a prodigy after his excellent showing at Shpageeza Premier League, the premier T20 tournament in Afghanistan. He was readily signed by St. Lucia Zouks for CPL 2020, although he couldn’t reach the Caribbean to play. "We've [also] been tracking Noor Ahmad closely for more than a year now and although he's in the early stages of his career, he's an exciting prospect and he has a few tricks that'll make life difficult for batsmen," Klinger said about Ahmad. Along with these two, there are two very professional spinners in Pakistani all-rounder Imad Wasim and Pakistan-born South African leg-spin maestro Imran Tahir to bolster the bowling attack as well. However, it is the buy of Rilee Russow, the South African hitter that is going to be crucial for the Renegades, considering that he has scored nearly 5000 T20 runs in 201 games at a strike rate of more than 135 and can hit them as cleanly as anybody else. Talking about his plan of involving the foreign recruits all the time, Klinger said, “We're hoping to have three of them available as much as possible. It's going to be a combination of trying to fit in your best three of them at any stage with a combination of availability and sometimes tactical (factors) as well. We're really excited to have those (five) players with us." Melbourne Renegades BBL 10 Squad Squad: Aaron Finch (c), Cameron Boyce, Zak Evans, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Mackenzie Harvey, Jon Holland, Josh Lalor, Shaun Marsh, James Pattinson, Mitch Perry, Jack Prestwidge, Kane Richardson, Will Sutherland, Beau Webster Overseas Players: Noor Ahmad (AFG), Mohammad Nabi (AFG), Rilee Roussow (RSA), Imran Tahir (RSA), Imad Wasim (PAK) Head Coach: Michael Klinger List Manager- Andrew Lynch, Assistant Coaches- Simon Helmot, Andre Borovec, Mick Lewis Strength & Conditioning Coach- Richard Johnson, Physiotherapist- Nick Adcock Home Ground: Marvel Stadium, Docklands Experience of Finch and Marsh crucial Shaun Marsh has been one player that has performed throughout the formats, be it First Class, List A, or T20s, he could be the most bankable player that can ever exist. Even in the last season, when things were downhill for the Renegades, the Western Australian was among runs. In fact, he had the most number of runs (449) for any Renegade in the entire league. He was also one of the lead scorers in the Sheffield Shield of both the 2019-20 season and the ongoing 2020-21 season. Finch, the skipper was also among runs last season. This season, he has been in great touch, moving to the top 10 of the ICC ODI rankings. Thus, it would be between these two to take the lead and get the Red Machine running. Klinger also thinks that the batsmen need to put their hands up. “We probably need some more match-winning performances from our top six. Bowling, it's just about finding the balance to get 20 quality overs. This year I feel like we have the squad to do it," he said. The T20 Specialists: Kane Richardson and James Pattinson Kane Richardson and James Pattinson are two bowlers that Australia have had an eye on for a long and they have performed throughout the leagues as well as for the country to make a name for themselves in the shortest format. Pattinson has just recently been an instrumental figure in Mumbai Indians’ victory in the IPL 2020. Though Richardson, 32, didn’t play in the IPL or the Australian home season citing personal reasons, he would be itching to get on the pitch and prove that he is still the favorite fast bowler of the team. Not really a T20 favorite, but Pattinson has improved his line and length to suit the game a lot more thus becoming one of the spearheads, picking 11 wickets in the last IPL for the Mumbai Indians. In his last season with the Heat, he picked up 9 wickets in six innings to get a call from MI as Lasith Malinga’s replacement. Richardson was flawless last year as well, as he picked 10 wickets in eight innings for the Renegades. It is these two that would have to lead the attack to get things on board. Spinners will pave the way Spinners and especially leg spinners have been a treat to watch in the T20 format. Considering their importance, the renegades renewed their arsenal by adding two to it in the form of Ahmad and Tahir who would be playing alongside Cameron Boyce. While Tahir has experience of playing around the world and taking 392 T20 wickets, Boyce has been handy with the ball in hand. Along with these pure spinners, all-rounders like Nabi and Imad will also be crucial for the team’s growth in the tournament. “Obviously you need one of those spinners to be able to bowl a Power Play over generally. Both Imran and Noor can do that. It's going to be a huge advantage having two wrist-spinners to go with someone like Cameron Boyce,” Klinger said. Possible Best XI: Aaron Finch, Sam Harper (wk), Shaun Marsh, Rilee Rossouw (OS), Beau Webster, Mohammad Nabi (OS), Will Sutherland, James Pattinson, Cameron Boyce, Kane Richardson, Imran Tahir (OS) The Renegades play their first game against Perth Scorchers on Saturday i.e. 12th December at Hobart.

BBL | Hurricanes vs Sixers: Talking points from the game that changed between the two Power Surges

The new Big Bash season kicked off with the first game being played between the Hobart Hurricanes and last year’s champions Sydney Sixers. More than the game in focus, it was the new rules that were on the cards to be discussed and debated. And surprisingly it was one such rule- the Power Surge that changed the dimension of the entire game. The host Hurricanes had an unlikely victory as the match in the second innings was dominated by the Sixers thanks to some brilliant batting display from James Vince (67 off 41) and Jack Edwards till the time they decided to take the Power Surge. The new rule allows the batting team to break the six-over power play into two sections i.e four overs mandatory powerplay in the first four overs and then the rest of the two overs can be taken by the batting side at any moment in the games that they wish to. The Power Surge produced contrasting results for the teams in this game. While Hurricanes, who were 96 at the end of the 14 overs, took the Surge in the 15th and from there on went on to score 82 runs in the last six overs to reach a more than competitive total of 178/6. Jordan Silk of the Sixers made a valiant effort while fielding as he saved a certain six and was appreciated widely for this act of his. However, Sixers, who were going smoothly in the chase with 99/1 in 11 overs went downhill after opting for the surge as they tumbled from there to 162/6, scoring just 63 runs in the last nine overs. For Hurricanes, Tim David as batter and the bowling of James Faulkner and Scott Boland won the game. While David scored a fearless 33 ball 58, he was well supported initially by Colin Ingram and later on by Nathan Ellis. Among the bowlers, Faulkner and Riley Meredith were brilliant, Meredith went past 150 on a regular basis and was threatening with pace in the ball while Faulkner with the change of pace did the damage. Faulkner finished with figures of 2/22 in four overs while Meredith has the figures of 2/29 from four. Among the other new rules, the X factor was not used by either of the teams while the Bash boost was won by the Sixers as they were ahead of the Hurricanes’ score in the first 10 overs of the innings. While people appreciated the new rules, there are also those who criticized and that included the likes of Kiwi man James Nessham. With this victory, the team from Hobart occupies first place while Sixers remained at second with one point of the Bash Boost. In the second match of the series, Melbourne Strikers would face Brisbane Heat.

BBL 2020 Team Preview: Sydney look to regain Thunder with talent-laded squad

One of the underachieving sides in Big Bash League (BBL) history, Sydney Thunder do have one title to their name, won in the 2015-16 season. Going into the 10th edition, Thunder have one great advantage over other sides. It is the availability of their top players, both Australian and foreign. Usman Khawaja missed out on getting selected for the Australian Test team. This would have been very disappointing for the stylish left-hander but great for his BBL team. Among overseas players also, Thunder have had a big slice of luck with neither Alex Hales nor Sam Billings selected for England's upcoming series. To top it all, New Zealand speedster Adam Milne has chosen to play in BBL instead of his country's domestic tournaments. With all of these key names in the squad, the former champions would be optimistic about their chances. They finished third in the last season, a considerable improvement over the sixth position they occupied in the preceding two seasons and the wooden spoon they earned in the edition before that. Batting Challenges Thunder would be led by the highly-experienced Callum Ferguson. A man with some international experience, he would have to provide the solidity that the middle order requires. He has played every season of BBL and has even registered a century - scored in the eighth season. Last year, Ferguson was in great form at the start of his team's campaign but then lost his way. His getting runs would be extremely crucial for his team's success this time. Since he is both able to bat long and hit the big shots when necessary, he will be the perfect pivot around which the innings can revolve. Equally important would be two other regular members of the side. Alex Hales and Usman Khawaja opened the innings for their team during most of the matches and formed a reasonably good pair. Hales, who has been out of favour with the English team, partly due to on-field performances and partly due to off-field antics, seems to have found his groove in BBL. Last season, he did a very decent job for his side. A very competent batsman in limited-overs cricket, Hales is a very clean striker of the cricket ball. If it wasn't for his repeated transgressions of England team's rules, he might well have continued to be a member of that country's ODI and T20 team. His batting style is quite suited to Australian conditions as the right-hander enjoys the ball coming on to the bat. Khawaja, on the other hand, is one of the most aesthetically pleasing batsmen to watch in the entire world. He is in possession of all the elegance that is associated with left-handers. After making a mark in Test cricket, he was able to prove his credentials in limited-overs formats also last year. The Pakistan-born left-hander produced good performances last year for Thunder. The only problem he faces is something all stylish and graceful batsmen have to deal with in T20 cricket. How to adjust their classical stroke-making abilities to a format that requires improvisaton and unorthodox batting. This was a problem that VVS Laxman had to deal with in his brief IPL career. Still, Khawaja's talent is good enough to see him through this challenge, as it did last year. He and Hales form a good partnership, not just because of the right hand-left hand combination, but also because of contrasting strokeplay. While Hales prefers to stay on the leg side of the ball, Khawaja's wrists come into play when he bats. Apart from this troika, there is another player who can make a big impact. He is Sam Billings of England. A hugely talented youngster, he has been on the fringes of the English team for the last three years and has actually managed to get in and play some good knocks at the international level. He represents the new kind of English batsman, someone who is more adept at big hitting and limited-overs cricket than the previous generation. A sweet timer of the ball and well-balanced at the crease, this is a great opportunity for him to make a big statement as the World T20 approaches and English selectors try to finalise their squad in the coming months. From the lesser known domestic talents, Alex Ross is a name to take note of. His T20 record, from 65 matches looks very impressive, when put in the context of other players like him. He has scored six half-centuries at this level and has an average of 28.85, better than most other players. With a strike rate of 127.34, he is adept at keeping the run-flow going. His distinguishing feature is the prevalence of sweep shot in his batting. Damien Fleming, commentating on his batting, has even dubbed him the 'sweepologist' - something that would prove useful against spinners. Lastly, on has to mention Ben Cutting. Primarily a bowler, the 33-year old is now counted among all-rounders due to his great hitting ability. His strokeplay proved decisive in the final of the 2016 IPL. He was also part of a devastating partnership a couple of seasons ago, where more than 90 runs were added in the first six overs. With such a volatile batting temperament, Cutting can turn the match around with one good cameo. Bowling Capability While Cutting is a spectacular batsman to watch when he is in full flow, as a bowler, he hasn't been the most effective. But he has experience, which may come in handy. In over 150 T20 matches, Cutting has gone for an economy rate of over 9/over. The average is also on the wrong side of 30. In other words, he is not the bowler Thunder would like to rely on in their attempt to stop the opposition. For that purpose, the team has roped in New Zealand's genuinely quick bowler Adam Milne. One of the few genuine pacers to have come out of New Zealand in the last decade and a half, Milne could clear the 150 kph barrier when he was bowling at his best. But pace can cut both ways, it could also benefit the batsman if the line and length is wayward. If the Kiwi bowlers gets these right, he will be a handful. Though his performance recently against India may not have been that encouraging, Daniel Sams has been very successful in this league. Last year, he was the leading bowler for his team and was very consistent. Surprisingly, against India, he choked in the last over of the innings, failing to defend 14 runs and getting hit for two sixes by Haridik Pandya. However, last year, it was his death bowling which proved to be his strong point. His failure against India is not sufficient to write him off as a prospect for Australia. Through the BBL, he can again show how good he is. Two other leading bowlers in the seam department are Chris Tremain and Brendon Doggett. Both are decent bowlers without being considered among the best in the business. The spin bowling department is where Thunder seem to be lacking. There isn't any established name but Jonathan Cook, a leg-spinner, proved quite handy last season with his leg-breaks. His four-wicket haul in the eliminator final of the 2019-20 season was his best effort and a clue to how good he can be on his day. There is another leg-spinner in the squad - Tanveer Sangha. He came into focus as Australian team's leading wicket-taker in this year's Under-19 World Cup. Fans and Australian selectors would love to see him in action. A young leg-spinner is always great to watch. At the same time, leg-spinners can go for runs as well if they get their line and length slightly wrong. At the age of just 18, he would need a lot of support from the team leadership. Conclusion Sydney Thunder would hope to go further than last season. They have the players to shine on the big stage and, unlike other teams, they are available also. This is a golden opportunity for the Sydney-based team to capture their second BBL title. Whether they succeed or not depends a lot on their leadership also. Sydney Thunder Squad Sam Billings, Alex Hales, Usman Khawaja, Callum Ferguson (C), Jason Sangha, Matt Gilkes (Wk), Chris Green, Baxter Holt (Wk), Nathan McAndrew, Oliver Davies, Brendan Doggett, Adam Milne, Arjun Nair, Alex Ross, Daniel Sams, Jonathan Cook, Tanveer Sangha, Ben Cutting, Chris Tremain

BBL | Hurricanes vs Sixers: Hobart hold nerve to clinch clinical victory

The much-awaited Big Bash League is back with its 10th season and so is the quotient of unpredictability. Planned to the last detail, keeping the entertainment quotient in mind, the new rules of BBL struck in the first game itself with Hobart Hurricanes trouncing defending champions Sydney Sixers to achieve a clinical victory of 16 runs. The top players of Hurricanes showed their class in the inaugural clash and delivered in the crunch moments to start off their campaign on a winning note. Led by James Faulkner and Riley Meredith in the bowling department, Hurricanes restricted Sixers to a modest 162-6 in 20 overs after Colin Ingram (55 off 42) and Tim David (58 off 33) stole the show in the batting department. Power Surge proves the deciding factor Chasing at a fantastic run rate in the first half of the innings, Sixers were 85/1 after the first 10 overs and looked well poised to get to the target of 179. After a lean Power Surge (2 over batting powerplay) that yielded just 18 runs and a dropped catch by Tim David, Sixers, in the hunt for quick runs, lost two wickets, one each in consecutive overs. The wickets shifted the momentum completely towards the Hurricanes and the Sixers never recovered. Sent in to bat first, Hurricanes had a stop-start progress throughout the innings but managed 19 runs from the final over of Steve O’Keefe (first Power Surge over). This brought Tim David and Hurricanes much-needed impetus. David, who was batting on 14 off 12 before that over, picked himself up and dealt a huge blow to the opposition by scoring 58 off 33 before getting out in the last over. Hurricanes’ bowlers hold their nerve After getting smashed to all corners of the park in the first 10 overs. Hurricanes’ bowlers picked up 5 wickets between the 14th and 20th over. With Ryan Meredith bowling at pace throughout the game, Sixers targeted the 26-year-old Nathan Ellis. Coming into bowl in the 17th and the 19th overs, Ellis gave away just one boundary and picked up the crucial wicket of Jordan Silk to put the pressure straight back on Sixers. Meredith and Faulkner were the pick of the bowlers, taking two wickets each while Ellis and Scott Boland picked up two wickets between them. Vince shines for Sixers, but not enough The match found certain batsmen from both teams in top form, doing what they individually do best. Peter Handscomb (24 off 20) created angles and stole runs in his brief stay at the crease, while Colin Ingram’s drives looked as heavenly as usual. However, the show was stolen by the man of the match Tim David who played a few huge shots under the pump and helped a batting order starved for momentum. James Vince tried to emulate the same in the second innings, carefully choosing the balls to go after. Coming from a classical background, Vince caressed the drives, tapped the straight balls, and unleashed a big heave when necessary. When Faulkner forced him to work the leg side, the bigger side of the ground, bowling a straight line to him, the Englishman kept nudging the ball with his flicks. The one time, the only time, when he lapsed in his concentration, Faulkner struck him on the pads and earned a crucial wicket to shift the momentum towards Hurricanes. Want to see good fielding, come to BBL In a season marred with match fitness, the first game of the 10th edition of Big Bash League delighted the in-game crowd with one of the most outrageous attempts in the outfield. Running to his right, Jordan Silk pulled back one of the cleanest hits of the day from Colin Ingram by a single-handed dive that saw him leaping over the rope, catching the ball, and then throwing it back inside the boundary. Eh, why waste words on this indescribably beautiful effort? Watch it rather. Major talking points from the first game While Hurricanes were awarded three points, chasers Sidney Sixers, despite losing, earned a point for scoring more runs at the halfway stage of the game. It was quite clear from this game that the Power Surge rule is going to have quite a bit of importance. If you go hard, you score more runs at the risk of losing wickets in those two overs. But if you take the more cautious route, you could end up losing a fair bit of momentum, evident from the Sixers' chase. One interesting bit from the day's match was that the much talked about X-factor rule was not used by either of the teams. It might be an indication of a 'wait and observe' strategy, or teams might be happy with their set strategy coming into the game, unless the need to change arises. To sum it up, the opening game of the much-awaited BBL was worth the wait. The competition was fierce, athleticism was great, and new rules exciting. One can only hope that it will get better as the tournament matures.