Round 9 is upon us, with three sides on doubles in the Stars, Strikers and Scorchers, while the Sixers have the bye. It comes amid a raft of changes with players exiting for the ILT20 and Test players returning.
As a result, the line-ups and roles will change a lot to pay attention closely to the below with our explanations.
For any queries on injuries, view our exclusive BBL Injury List.
Hobart Hurricanes v Melbourne Stars
Monday January 9 7:15pm AEDT, Blundstone Arena
Hurricanes
The Canes continue to struggle so they may want to make changes. Matthew Wade is definitely out for personal reasons, so D’Arcy Short should slot back in. Paddy Dooley’s availability is unclear after suffering a finger injury in the warm-up last game but he was named in the squad, so we assume he’s available. If not Wil Parker or Tom Andrews should play and Joel Paris likely retains his spot at Blundstone.
Ins: D’Arcy Short
Outs: Matthew Wade
Unavailable: Jimmy Neesham (SA-20), Billy Stanlake (hamstring), Shadab Khan (ODIs), Matthew Wade (personal), Paddy Dooley (finger)
1 C.Jewell
2 B.McDermott
3 Z.Crawley
4 D.Short
5 T.David
6 Asif Ali
7 Faheem Ashraf
8 J.Paris
9 P.Dooley
10 N.Ellis
11 R.Meredith
12th M.Owen
Stars
Marcus Stoinis is out with a hamstring injury, which impacts their fifth bowler options and batting line-up. Clint Hinchliffe likely comes into the side and could take up that all-rounder role rather than Beau Webster, or James Seymour is the alternative to add more batting depth.
Trent Boult has exited for the ILT20 so either Liam Hatcher or Brody Couch should come in. Couch was a revelation last season, but hasn’t played at all this campaign, so they may want to give him a shot.
Ins: L.Hatcher, C.Hinchliffe
Outs: T.Boult, M.Stoinis
Unavailable: Glenn Maxwell (broken leg), Joe Burns (hamstring), Trent Boult (ILT20), Marcus Stoinis (hamstring)
1 J.Clarke
2 T.Rogers
3 H.Cartwright
4 B.Webster
5 N.Larkin
6 C.Kellaway
7 C.Hinchliffe
8 L.Wood
9 N.Coulter-Nile
10 L.Hatcher
11 A.Zampa
12th C.Hinchliffe
Adelaide Strikers v Melbourne Renegades
Tuesday January 10 7:10pm ACDT/7:40pm AEDT, Adelaide Oval
Strikers
Travis Head and Alex Carey are unavailable until Round 10. When they do return, expect Alex Carey to open alongside Matt Short as he did late last season, while Travis Head should slot in at 4, also based on last season. When available, they’d take the spots of the opener (Henry Hunt/Jake Weatherald/Ryan Gibson) and Harry Nielsen, which would cause a batting line-up shuffle from Adam Hose down.
Jake Weatherald and Peter Siddle both missed last game due to injury and are not in their 13-man squad. Rashid Khan has finished his stint with Adelaide and exited for the SA-20, with either Cameron Boyce or Ben Manenti to take his spot.
Also to clarify, Chris Lynn is here until their January 14 game which falls in Round 10, before he jets to the ILT20.
Ins: Henry Hunt, Cameron Boyce
Outs: Ryan Gibson, Rashid Khan
Unavailable: Travis Head (Test duty), Alex Carey (Test duty), Peter Siddle (injury), Jake Weatherald (injury), Rashid Khan (SA-20)
1 M.Short
2 H.Hunt
3 C.Lynn
4 A.Hose
5 C.de Grandhomme
6 T.Kelly
7 H.Nielsen
8 H.Thornton
9 C.Boyce
10 W.Agar
11 H.Conway
12th R.Gibson
Renegades
Spinners Akeal Hosein and Mujeeb Ur Rahman have finished their BBL stint so there will be two bowling changes, with David Moody likely to return having impressed in his one game in the side. The Gades will want a spinner and they’ve made a timely signing with leg-spinning all-rounder Matt Critchley, who was excellent in this year’s T20 Blast. He’ll link up with the squad in Adelaide and likely get the nod ahead of Corey Rocchiccioli or Ruwantha Kellapotha while Fawad Ahmed drops out of the squad.
Ins: David Moody, Matt Critchley
Outs: Akeal Hosein, Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Unavailable: Zac Evans (pectoral), Nic Maddinson (knee), Shaun Marsh (leg), Akeal Hosein (ILT20), Mujeeb Ur Rahman (ILT20)
1 M.Guptill
2 M.Harris
3 S.Harper
4 A.Finch
5 J.Wells
6 M.Harvey
7 M.Critchley
8 W.Sutherland
9 T.Rogers
10 K.Richardson
11 D.Moody
12th C.Rocchiccioli
Brisbane Heat v Perth Scorchers
Wednesday January 11 6:40pm AEST/7:40pm AEDT, Gabba
Heat
Brisbane will welcome back three Test players in Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja and Matt Renshaw which is timely with Colin Munro and Sam Billings’ departures for the ILT20. Josh Brown has done enough to hold his spot, with Max Bryant likely to make way. James Bazley could return, squeezing out fellow all-rounder Nathan McSweeney given Bazley’s ability in the middle order, with the Test trio more suited in the top order.
That situation gets a bit more complicated given English batsman Sam Hain is now available to play too, with Munro and Billings gone, although it’s difficult to squeeze him in. Given both Labuschagne and Renshaw can bowl, they may like Hain over Bazley for his run scoring ability alone.
Spinner Mitch Swepson has really struggled all campaign, so the Heat may consider resting him for a quick like Spencer Johnson or Jack Wildermuth. That’s a big call for a T20 international player.
Ins: Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja, Matt Renshaw, James Bazley
Outs: Max Bryant, Colin Munro, Sam Billings, Nathan McSweeney
Unavailable: Colin Munro (ILT20), Sam Billings (ILT20)
1 U.Khawaja
2 J.Brown
3 M.Labuschagne
4 M.Renshaw
5 J.Peirson
6 R.Whiteley
7 J.Bazley
8 M.Neser
9 M.Steketee
10 M.Kuhnemann
11 M.Swepson
12th M.Bryant
Scorchers
Ashton Agar will be available after playing the SCG Test and he’ll likely slot in for Cooper Connolly. Spinner Peter Hatzoglou may be considered for one of the four quicks, but that will depend on conditions. Matt Kelly took 2-28 last game which is enough to hold his spot, while Lance Morris was smashed around early but fought back. Aaron Hardie looks locked in at first drop.
Ins: Ashton Agar
Outs: Cooper Connolly
Unavailable: Cameron Green (finger), Mitch Marsh (ankle), Phil Salt (shoulder), Tymal Mills (personal), Jhye Richardson (hamstring), Faf du Plessis (SA-20), Adam Lyth (ILT20)
1 S.Eskinazi
2 C.Bancroft
3 A.Hardie
4 J.Inglis
5 A.Turner
6 N.Hobson
7 A.Agar
8 M.Kelly
9 A.Tye
10 J.Behrendorff
11 L.Morris
12th P.Hatzoglou
Melbourne Stars v Adelaide Strikers
Thursday January 12 7:15pm AEDT, MCG
Stars
Selection depends on performance in earlier game in round, with the Stars bowlers doing well, along with James Seymour with his late-overs batting. Stoinis is definitely out. Clint Hinchliffe was solid as their fifth bowler in Hobart which may impact Beau Webster’s role, but they do like his bowling at the larger MCG.
No changes
Unavailable: Glenn Maxwell (broken leg), Joe Burns (hamstring), Trent Boult (ILT20), Marcus Stoinis (hamstring)
1 J.Clarke
2 T.Rogers
3 H.Cartwright
4 B.Webster
5 N.Larkin
6 J.Seymour
7 C.Hinchliffe
8 L.Wood
9 N.Coulter-Nile
10 L.Hatcher
11 A.Zampa
12th C.Kellaway
Strikers
Travis Head and Alex Carey will definitely miss this one. All-rounder Colin de Grandhomme is out with a hamstring injury.
Peter Siddle looks locked in to return, with Harry Conway likely to make way after only one wicket in three games. Henry Thornton was stiff to miss the last game, so should be in contention to return for one of their spinners, given de Grandhomme’s absence means part-time spinners Matt Short and Ryan Gibson will make up the fifth-bowler overs.
The messaging from the Strikers suggests Cameron Boyce will be preferred to Ben Manenti despite the latter taking two wickets in Tuesday’s game. We’re expecting Henry Hunt to come in for de Grandhomme to add some batting depth, with Gibson shuffled down to the middle order where he’s previously had some success.
Ins: Peter Siddle, Henry Thornton, Henry Hunt
Outs: Ben Manenti, Harry Conway, Colin de Grandhomme (inj)
Unavailable: Travis Head (Test duty), Alex Carey (Test duty), Jake Weatherald (injury), Rashid Khan (SA-20), Colin de Grandhomme (injury)
1 M.Short
2 H.Hunt
3 C.Lynn
4 A.Hose
5 T.Kelly
6 R.Gibson
7 H.Nielsen
8 H.Thornton
9 C.Boyce
10 W.Agar
11 P.Siddle
12th B.Manenti
Sydney Thunder v Perth Scorchers
Friday January 13 6:30pm AEDT, Sydney Showground
Thunder
David Warner is available for a blockbuster BBL return, which is timely with Alex Hales flying out for the ILT20 in a like-for-like swap. Sam Whiteman did enough in the Sydney Smash to hold his spot at first drop, even if it felt like Joel Davies was unlucky to miss out.
Ins: David Warner
Outs: Alex Hales
Unavailable: Tanveer Sangha (back), Jason Sangha (collarbone) Fazalhaq Farooqi (contract terminated), Gurinder Sandhu (calf), Rilee Rossouw (SA-20), Alex Hales (ILT20)
1 D.Warner
2 M.Gilkes
3 S.Whiteman
4 O.Davies
5 A.Ross
6 D.Sams
7 B.Cutting
8 N.McAndrew
9 C.Green
10 B.Doggett
11 Usman Qadir
12th J.Davies
Scorchers
Perth are top of the table and have managed back-to-back wins so there’s little need for change. There’s little room to manoeuvre in the batting line-up anyway.
But the bowlers are intriguing, particularly on a three-game road trip within five days, as there is scope for rotation. It is worth noting, this game and the following game with the Sydney Sixers are ‘four-pointers’ which will arguably determine top-two placings so there’s a bit to play for, so they’ll be reluctant to get too funky. Historically, finishing top two has gone a long way to succeeding in the BBL five-team finals format.
The surface will likely determine if they pick spinner Peter Hatzoglou or a fourth fast bowler in Lance Morris. Matt Kelly also only bowled two overs last game, but had an excellent 20th over so may hold his spot. English import bowler David Payne is also waiting in the wings, to add another layer of uncertainty. Spinners certainly didn’t do any better than quicks in the only game at the Showgrounds this season, the Sydney Smash on Sunday.
Amid all that, Cooper Connolly is unlikely to play, unless there’s an unforeseen injury to one of the batsmen.
Ins: Lance Morris
Outs: Peter Hatzoglou
Unavailable: Cameron Green (finger), Mitch Marsh (ankle), Phil Salt (shoulder), Tymal Mills (personal), Jhye Richardson (hamstring), Faf du Plessis (SA-20), Adam Lyth (ILT20)
1 S.Eskinazi
2 C.Bancroft
3 A.Hardie
4 J.Inglis
5 A.Turner
6 N.Hobson
7 A.Agar
8 M.Kelly
9 A.Tye
10 J.Behrendorff
11 L.Morris
12th P.Hatzoglou
