Daniel Sams leads the news ahead of Tuesday’s BBL|12 opener with clarification on his injury status after doubts, while Fazalhaq Farooqi looks like he’s got the all-clear and Marcus Stoinis’ role has been clarified.
TEAM NEWS
The big news was the inclusion of Daniel Sams ($179k BAT/BWL) in the Sydney Thunder squad for Tuesday’s season opener against the Melbourne Stars. He had missed NSW’s final Marsh Cup with an undisclosed injury, but Honeyball understands he has trained as per normal and played in Friday’s practice game against the Sixers.
NSW 21-year-old off-spinner Toby Gray (BWL) is also named by the Thunder, likely as a local replacement player for Tanveer Singha ($130k BWL), although that isn’t confirmed.
PURCHASE HONEYBALL’S SC MAGAZINE NOW FOR ONLY $9.95 (the most efficient last-minute study)
Fazalhaq Farooqi ($105k BWL) was named in the Thunder and not their fourth overseas player Usman Qadir ($105k BWL), who actually played in a Pakistan Cup game on Saturday, winning the Player of the Match after a 5fa, so it’s unclear when he’s due to arrive in Australia. That may allow Farooqi to play regularly given restrictions on the number of overseas players per game.
There were no surprises in the Stars squad.
Thunder: Cutting, Davies, Doggett, Farooqi, Gilkes, Gray, Green (vc), Hales, Holt, McAndrew, Ross, Rossouw, Sams, Sandhu, J.Sangha (c)
Players to miss out: Nikitaras, Qadir, T.Sangha, Warner, Whiteman
Stars: Zampa (c), Boult, Burns, Cartwright, Clarke, Couch, Coulter-Nile, Hinchliffe, Larkin, Rogers, Stoinis, Webster, Wood
Players to miss out: Hatcher, Kellaway, Elliott, McClure, Maxwell
SIGNING NEWS
The Sixers announced that Steve Smith ($180k BAT) will join them as a replacement player after Test duty, approximately around Round 9-10.
The Thunder also confirmed the addition of 22-year-old left-handed batsman Blake Nikitaras (BAT) who has played for NSW, but likely a long-term prospect, rather than someone who’ll break into their BBL|12 side.
PRICES CONFIRMATION
Steve Smith ($180k BAT)
Steve Eskinazi ($105k BAT)
Adam Lyth ($105k BAT)
Tom Rogers ($62k BAT)
David Moody ($62k BWL)
Iain Carlisle ($42k BWL)
Hamish McKenzie ($42k BWL)
Scorchers import Lyth looks like someone of interest, having scoring 916 SC points in this year’s T20 Blast, averaging 57.25 per game across 16 games. He managed three 100+ scores, seven 50-99 score and six 0-49 scores.
UPDATES
Michael Neser ($107k BAT/BWL) and Lance Morris ($62k BWL) were both retained in the Australia’s squad for the first Test against South Africa which starts on Saturday at the Gabba, meaning they’ll likely both miss their early BBL games.
Neser’s Heat play their first games on Thursday in Cairns and Wednesday next week in Geelong (the first of their Round 3 double). Morris’ Scorches first game is on Saturday in Perth (the first of their Round 2 double).
Thunder spinner Chris Green talked up the probable role of Fazalhaq Farooqi ($105k BWL). Green told ABC Sport: “He shone at the World Cup. He’s a really skillful bowler up front with the new ball. What impressed me the most, and I think the role he’ll play for us, is his death bowling skill. He’s got great changes of pace.”
Green also clarified that Matt Gilkes ($97k WKP/BAT) will open the batting. Green said: “I think he showed glimpses last year with a 90, took the game away. I think he’s got the freedom now to have a good run as opener with the departure of Ussie (Khawaja).”
Tanveer Sangha ($130k BWL) spoke about his progress on a back injury which will keep him out of BBL|12 early on. Sangha said: “Rehab has been really good. I’m progressing along really nicely. I have a game in mind but I’m trying to stay in the present and get myself fit and right to come back as soon as possible.”
Injured Stars skipper Glenn Maxwell spoke about the likely middle-order batting role of Marcus Stoinis ($83k BAT/BWL). Maxwell told ABC Sport: “Since moving away from the opening position his game has gone to a whole new level. He’s adapted and he’s become more of a three-dimensional player and is so much harder to bowl to. He trusts his strength.”
Maxwell also talked up English left-arm quick Luke Wood ($105k BAT/BWL). He said: “I think he’s going to surprise a lot of people this year. We were lucky to get him as our third pick in the draft.”
The Strikers confirmed the loss of spinner Cameron Boyce ($171k BWL) to a calf injury on Sunday. Strikers Sports Science and Sports Medicine Manager John Porter: “Cameron sustained a right calf strain at training and has commenced rehab, including low intensity running. His return to play time frame will become clearer as he progresses this week.” He’ll definitely miss the early part of the BBL.
PURCHASE HONEYBALL’S SC MAGAZINE NOW FOR ONLY $9.95 (the most efficient last-minute study)
PRACTICE GAMES
The Adelaide Strikers played an intra-squad centre-wicket game on the weekend, with Matt Short ($197k BAT/BWL) among their best with 77 with the bat, while Harry Conway ($70k BWL) took three wickets.
The Melbourne Renegades and Stars played an academy practice game on Sunday, where Mackenzie Harvey ($92k BAT) batted 3 and made 51 from 44 balls, while all-rounder Jack Prestwidge ($80k BAT/BWL) spanked 42* from 27 balls.
Billy Stanlake ($68k BWL) returned for his first game in 18 months after a back issue, playing a Tasmania club cricket T20, taking 0-29 from four overs with a maiden.
Hurricanes coach Jeff Vaughan told cricket.com.au: “We’re very hopeful that by the second or third BBL match he will be ready and on the selection table. It may even be next week in our first game, we may have the opportunity or decide to throw him in.”
Mac Wright ($62k BAT) made 105 from 50 balls and 54 from 45 balls in Saturday’s Tasmania T20s coming back from a hamstring injury, while Caleb Jewell ($91k BAT) was solid with 35 from 40 deliveries and 58* from 57.
