Rashid Khan was ruled out, then ruled in, and finally named in an extended Strikers squad, while we got updates on Nathan Coulter-Nile, Morne Morkel, Dan Lawrence and Joe Denly.

SQUAD NEWS

Adelaide Strikers confirmed an 18-man extended squad late on Sunday afternoon, with Rashid Khan ($166k BWL) included amid confusion and mystery about his fitness, having reportedly been ruled out before bowling five overs in the nets.

The Strikers said in a statement: “Will be given every chance to prove his fitness after scans revealed a low-grade hamstring strain occurred in the match against the Brisbane Heat on Wednesday.

“Rashid went through some running and bowled overs at training on Sunday night, and the Strikers Medical Team will again assess him tomorrow before the match.”

Alex Carey ($181k WKP/BAT) and Harry Conway ($90k BWL) are also included after their border closure issue, along with the fit-again Ryan Gibson ($57k BAT)

Strikers squad: Carey (c), Agar, Briggs, Conway, Gibson, Nielsen, O’Connor, Johnson, Rashid Khan, Renshaw, Salt, Scott, Short, Siddle, Valente, Weatherald, Wells, Worrall

The Scorchers are confirmed their squad in the evening after Liam Livingstone ($166k BAT/BWL) spoke to the media having finished his 14-day quarantine on Christmas Day along with Jason Roy ($160k BAT).

It remains to be seen if both are declared conditioned and fit to play, but Livingstone said: “It’s obviously not ideal having two weeks sat in a hotel room but we had a treadmill and two weeks of gym sessions so we’re not going in cold.

“Fingers crossed everything goes well today (in training), I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

Joe Clarke ($105k BAT) has made way in the squad due to a surplus of imports but he’ll remain with the Perth team for BBL|10 and may play if the opportunity arises.

Scorchers squad: Ahmed, Bancroft, Behrendorff, Hardie, Inglis, Kelly, Livingstone, Marsh, Munro, Paris, Patterson, Richardson, Rocchiccioli, Roy, Turner, Tye, Whiteman

UPDATES

Melbourne Stars coach David Hussey confirmed that Nathan Coulter-Nile ($187k BWL) had actually suffered a calf strain late in their Saturday night game against the Sixers, hence why he didn’t bowl at the death.

Hussey said: “Nath’s done a calf strain. He said he could try and bowl. But Glenn (Maxwell) rightly said, ‘mate, it’s a 2-3 week injury or if you do more damage by bowling, it might be the rest of the season’.”

Brisbane Heat provided a bunch of players updates, which we’ll work through one by one.

On Joe Denly ($125k BAT), they said: “Will finish quarantine on Wednesday in Perth and fly to Brisbane where he is expected to be available for the Saturday 2 January clash with the Sydney Sixers at the Gabba.”

On Dan Lawrence ($95k BAT): “Will play his last game for the Heat tonight before beginning his preparations as part of the English Test squad to tour Sri Lanka in January.”

On Ben Laughlin ($110k BWL): “Will be available again from January 1 after exiting the team Hub to be with his family at Christmas. He will miss tonight’s game while completing the necessary isolation procedures to re-join the squad in their Brisbane hub.”

On Morne Morkel ($138k BWL): “Morkel, who lives in the northern beaches region of Sydney and qualifies as a local player, has been in two weeks quarantine in northern NSW to comply with COVID-19 lockdown requirements following the outbreak in Sydney ,and will finish that period on New Year’s Day this Friday when he re-joins the Heat.

VIDEOS

TOMORROW

The Strikers and Scorchers will finish off Round 4. But we’ll learn the squads for Round 5’s opening games on Tuesday between the Renegades-Sixers and the Thunder-Stars.