BBL|15 is coming with clubs finalising their squads plus availability and injury timelines becoming clearer, enabling us to start predicting Round 1 line-ups.
Ins/Outs
Ins: Rehan Ahmed, Beau Webster (Melbourne Stars), Jake Weatherald (Adelaide Strikers), Tim Ward (Tasmania), Jackson Bird (Sydney Sixers)
Outs: Waqar Salamkheil, Shai Hope, Caleb Jewell (Melbourne Renegades), Peter Hatzoglou, Paddy Dooley
Draft Insights
Upon the BBL Draft, Hobart captain Nathan Ellis said: “We wanted to strengthen our wicket-taking options through the middle (overs).” Rishad Hossain and Rehan Ahmed will offer that in spades with their leg-spin, while Chris Jordan will play his usual role.
Squad (18)
Batsmen: Tim David, Ben McDermott (wk), Jake Weatherald, Mac Wright, Matthew Wade (wk), Tim Ward
All-rounders: Rehan Ahmed*, Nikhil Chaudhary, Chris Jordan*, Mitch Owen, Beau Webster
Bowlers: Marcus Bean, Jackson Bird, Iain Carlisle, Nathan Ellis, Rishad Hossain, Riley Meredith, Billy Stanlake
Hobart Hurricanes Round 1 XI
For the Hurricanes’ top order, a lot depends on the Test availability of Beau Webster and Jake Weatherald. With Weatherald entrenched in the Test side, he’ll miss, but Webster hasn’t played yet this Ashes and could be released. That seems unlikely for their first game on Tuesday, which will be played one day before the third Test starts. Monitor that, but if Webster is available, we’ll have him at no.3, instead of Mac Wright.
Mitch Owen will open the batting, although a minor hamstring strain leading into BBL|15 means we’re not expecting him to bowl much. Weatherald’s absence creates an opening slot which anyone of Mac Wright, Ben McDermott, Tim Ward or Matthew Wade could fill.
The Hurricanes have been talking up the middle-order hitting of Wade and McDermott, like they opted for late last season, so we’re anticipating they’ll start down the order. Tim David has been used slightly higher up the batting order for Australia in T20 cricket recently along with the ILT20 and Abu Dhabi T10 League and could be used effectively at 4 or 5. Keep an eye on that. All this, could see Nikhil Chaudhary elevated up to 3, like he did in last season’s Final. If he also bowls, he’s an attractive option, although he may bowl less with Rehan and Rishad in the side.
The Canes’ middle order is stacked with all-rounders, which will impact who gets overs. Relatively unknown in Australia, England international leggie Rehan Ahmed looms as a gun all-rounder option if he’s batting 7 and bowling 4, but recently picked up a leg strain on England Lions duty so keep an eye on his status. Rishad Hossain can hold a stick too, but likely comes in after Chris Jordan.
Billy Stanlake is extremely unlucky to miss out on this XI, but could come into the side to bowl up front, especially if the pitch isn’t overly spin friendly. Riley Meredith enjoyed some career-best form in the English summer, so could be a great pick while Nathan Ellis will bowl the death overs, likely alongside Jordan. Jackson Bird will come in and out at times, while Marcus Bean and Iain Carlisle are back-up quicks.
- M.Owen
- M.Wright/T.Ward
- N.Chaudhary
- T.David
- M.Wade (wk)
- B.McDermott
- Rehan Ahmed
- C.Jordan
- Rishad Hossain
- N.Ellis (c)
- R.Meredith
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