The big questions ahead of the opening games of the 2022-23 Big Bash League season for SuperCoaches is around the likely line-ups and likely roles of several key players.
So Honeyball has done our best to come up with our predicted line-ups for Round 1, keeping in mind form, availability, team balance and information gathered via press conferences and interviews.
We’ve tried to explain any debatable selections below each predicted XI, along with listing those are unavailable.
And make sure you purchase our Honeyball SuperCoach BBL digital magazine for $9.95 before the season starts (80 pages full of crucial info, expert Q&As, T20 form guide, player profiles etc (Perfect for last-minute study)
Adelaide Strikers
1 M.Short
2 J.Weatherald
3 C.Lynn
4 A.Hose
5 C.de Grandhomme
6 T.Kelly
7 H.Nielsen
8 Rashid Khan
9 H.Thornton
10 W.Agar
11 P.Siddle
12th J.Buckingham
Unavailable: Travis Head (Test duty), Alex Carey (Test duty), Cameron Boyce (calf)
There’s a few points up for debate in this side, namely if Colin de Grandhomme or Matt Short plays the role as fifth bowler or they share overs. That’ll be critical to both’s SC value.
Secondly, which four bowlers get the nod. Peter Siddle and Rashid Khan are locks and Henry Thornton’s recent form has backed up his breakout second half of BBL|11 so he should play, leaving Wes Agar, Jordan Buckingham, Harry Conway, and Ben Manenti jostling for one spot. We’ve backed in Agar, simply due to his proven wicket-taking record in the BBL. But they may use a spinner if conditions are friendly too. Spinner Cameron Boyce will miss several games due to a calf strain.
You could potentially argue Jake Weatherald isn’t secure, but there’s not huge competition with Travis Head and Alex Carey out. Henry Hunt is an option and should be available after playing in the CA XI game against South Africa which ends on Monday December 11, with the Strikers’ first game on Wednesday December 13, but wasn’t named in the squad.
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Brisbane Heat
1 M.Bryant
2 J.Brown
3 C.Munro
4 S.Billings
5 R.Whiteley
6 J.Peirson
7 J.Bazley
8 X.Bartlett
9 M.Steketee
10 M.Kuhnemann
11 M.Swepson
12th N.McSweeney
Unavailable: Marnus Labuschagne (Test duty), Usman Khawaja (Test duty), Michael Neser (Test duty), M. Renshaw (personal)
Given the Heat’s ins and outs, this side is tough to pick. Their batting line-up especially is hugely unpredictable. Four of the top five listed above are new players, so those roles could change. Even Jimmy Peirson – who they’ve declared will take the gloves, not Sam Billings, shoring up his spot – could be elevated to an opener role. Max Bryant has been batting at five for Queensland this season, so may not open like previous years either.
Matt Renshaw’s wife is heavily pregnant and hasn’t travelled to Cairns, so Josh Brown may get a shot after good intra-squad form, scoring 64 from 28 balls in Friday’s intra-squad game. Nathan McSweeney (1-52 and 51 from 30 on Friday) may come into calculations too, with James Bazley no lock to be fifth bowler.
Michael Neser’s availability is crucial to their bowling line-up, given he’s currently in the Test squad, so it all depends on how selection goes for the first Test against South Africa. With the XI above, we’ve assumed he’s unavailable. If he is available, you’d drop out either Matt Kuhnemann (who should be available by their first game after playing for the CA XI) or Xavier Bartlett.
Hobart Hurricanes
1 B.McDermott
2 M.Wade
3 D.Short
4 C.Jewell
5 J.Neesham
6 T.David
7 Asif Ali
8 Shadab Khan
9 N.Ellis
10 J.Paris
11 R.Meredith
12th P.Dooley
Unavailable: Zak Crawley (Test duty), Faheem Ashraf (Test duty)
The big discussion point for the Canes is where Shadab Khan bats. To be honest, batting line-ups are often fluid in BBL, with players sent in based on circumstances, such as the score, what over it is, if the other batsman is a right/left hander, if spinners are on, etc. But we all want certainty, so with Jimmy Neesham coming in at 5 after his late addition to the squad and the Canes playing Caleb Jewell for most of last season, we’re expecting Shadab to get shuffled down the order. Asif Ali and Tim David are your pure middle-order/late overs finishers, whereas Shadab is very capable at that, but firstly been signed as a leg-spinner.
Billy Stanlake took 0-29 from four overs on his return from a long-term back issue in a Tasmanian club cricket T20 on Saturday but Round 1 feels like it may come too soon. Mac Wright also just came back from a hamstring injury but is fit now and may be considered in Jewell’s spot.
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Melbourne Renegades
1 S.Harper
2 N.Maddinson
3 A.Finch
4 J.Wells
5 P.Handscomb
6 A.Russell
7 W.Sutherland
8 T.Rogers
9 K.Richardson
10 A.Hosein
11 Mujeeb Ur Rahman
12th J.Prestwidge
Unavailable: Marcus Harris (Test duty), Shaun Marsh (calf), Zac Evans (pectoral)
The Gades projected their line-up in Friday’s practice game where they successfully chased down 220 only losing two wickets, with Aaron Finch coming in at 3, followed by new recruit Jonathon Wells. Injury-prone veteran Shaun Marsh injured his calf last month and we expect the Gades to be cautious with his return, so Jake Fraser-McGurk and Mackenzie Harvey come into calculations for the fifth batsman role, along with new signing Peter Handscomb.
All-rounder Andre Russell’s presence for the first four games, means Will Sutherland could be shuffled out as fifth bowler but there’s a lot of love for him right now, so likely gets first crack. The bowling attack picks itself.
Melbourne Stars
1 J.Clarke
2 J.Burns
3 N.Larkin
4 M.Stoinis
5 H.Cartwright
6 B.Webster
7 N.Coulter-Nile
8 B.Couch
9 L.Wood
10 T.Boult
11 A.Zampa
12th C.Hinchliffe
Unavailable: Glenn Maxwell (broken leg), Campbell Kellaway (CA XI), Liam Hatcher (CA XI)
Like the Gades, we got a look at the Stars’ line-up in Friday’s practice game, with Marcus Stoinis coming in at 5. Joe Clarke looks a locked-in opener but his partner isn’t clear, with Tom Rogers taking up that role on Friday, while Hilton Cartwright, Stoinis or Nick Larkin could do it. Joe Burns missed that game and had a quad issue recently, so his selection may depend on fitness, potentially opening up a spot for Rogers.
We’re backing the Stars to pick five out-and-out bowlers, with Nathan Coulter-Nile coming in at seven. That impacts the overs the likes of Stoinis and Beau Webster may get. Clint Hinchliffe could also be used at seven instead of Brody Couch to add more batting depth.
Liam Hatcher and Campbell Kellaway are unlikely to be available, given they’re involved with the CA XI game against South Africa which finishes on Monday December 12, with the Stars’ first game the next day.
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Perth Scorchers
1 A.Lyth
2 F.du Plessis
3 C.Bancroft
4 J.Inglis
5 A.Turner
6 A.Hardie
7 A.Agar
8 A.Tye
9 J.Behrendorff
10 T.Mills
11 P.Hatzoglou
12th N.Hobson
Unavailable: Cameron Green (Test duty), Jhye Richardson (heel), Mitch Marsh (ankle), Phil Salt (shoulder)
There’s been uncertainty around Perth, having lost Laurie Evans, Mitch Marsh and Phil Salt late in the piece, but their line-up looks clearer after some late signings and two intra-squad practice games. Adam Lyth should slot in as an opener, while Cameron Bancroft’s form means he’s likely to get first crack at Mitch Marsh’s slot at 3, ahead of Aaron Hardie who may be relegated to a middle-order role. The Scorchers like Josh Inglis’ flexibility and ability to play spin in the middle overs so he’s likely in at 4. The addition of Lyth looks to have squeezed out Nick Hobson, for now.
Ashton Agar should be Perth’s fifth bowler, which doesn’t bode well for Hardie bowling. The four Scorchers bowlers are quality, with the likes of Lance Morris (assuming he’s released from the Test squad) and Matt Kelly missing out, while Jhye Richardson is still troubled by his heel problem and didn’t play in either of their practice games.
Sydney Sixers
1 J.Philippe
2 J.Vince
3 K.Patterson
4 M.Henriques
5 J.Silk
6 H.Kerr
7 D.Christian
8 S.Abbott
9 B.Dwarshuis
10 J.Bird
11 S.O’Keefe
12th D.Hughes
Unavailable: Nathan Lyon (Test duty), Chris Jordan (not arrived)
The Sixers’ line-up looks pretty straight forward, given there’s been little change there this off-season. Afghan spinner Izhalrulhaq Naveed probably misses out.
Chris Jordan is yet to arrive from overseas, so Jackson Bird should play. There’s injury clouds on Todd Murphy and Kurtis Patterson.
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Sydney Thunder
1 A.Hales
2 M.Gilkes
3 R.Rossouw
4 J.Sangha
5 A.Ross
6 D.Sams
7 B.Cutting
8 N.McAndrew
9 C.Green
10 G.Sandhu
11 F.Farooqi
12th O.Davies
Unavailable: David Warner (Test duty), Tanveer Sangha (back)
There’s loads of interest in the Thunder given they’ve back-to-back doubles to start the season, although four games in seven days in four different cities (Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide) screams rotation, so be very careful on who you pick.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Gilkes should get the nod to open in David Warner’s absence, although keep an eye on the order at the coin toss, as Ben Cutting could also do that or Rilee Rossouw. Ollie Davies sneaking into the XI isn’t impossible either, while they’re set to add his brother Joel Davies to their squad.
The bowling attack is interesting too, with Fazalhaq Farooqi looming as good value but potentially rotated with fellow import Usman Qadir, who is a spinner, if conditions suit spin. Of course, you can only play three overseas players in any one game, so that creates some doubt for Farooqi’s job security, with the Thunder likely to play their other imports Alex Hales and Rossouw. But Qadir is yet to arrive in Australia and not named in Tuesday’s squad.
