Alex Carey predicts Adelaide Strikers can clinch back-to-back BBL titles
AUSTRALIAN Twenty20 keeper-batsman Alex Carey predicts Adelaide Strikers can clinch back-to-back BBL titles with help from an Afghan marvel.
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AUSTRALIAN Twenty20 keeper-batsman Alex Carey predicts the Adelaide Strikers can clinch back-to-back BBL titles armed with match-winners headlined by Afghan spin wonder Rashid Khan.
Skipper Travis Head and coach Jason Gillespie steered Adelaide to an inaugural BBL title with Jake Weatherald blasting 115 from 70 balls in a decisive final knock against Hobart Hurricanes at Adelaide Oval last February.
Adelaide will defend its silverware with the same squad that dominated BBL 07. Carey (443 runs at 49), opener Weatherald (383 at 31) and Head (374 at 53) filled the top four BBL run aggregate behind Hobart’s D’Arcy Short who cracked 572 at 57.
“We know we have the blokes to do it, did it last season. We just need to hit the ground running,” Carey said.
“We want to improve on last year and nail teams again. We think we have the squad to do it, definitely.
“We have a group of guys who are very professional in how they prepare.
“Travis Head has shown good form for Australia and led us to victory. We saw how well Jake Weatherald did in the final.”
Leg-spinner Rashid proved BBL’s most inspired and destructive recruit with a peerless 18 wickets at 13. Seamer Ben Laughlin (16), Michael Neser (13), Peter Siddle and Billy Stanlake (11) made the top 10 wicket tally.
“It is a really exciting feel and we are still buzzing from the final,” said Carey.
“We are really excited to have guys like Rashid Khan, Colin Ingram, Billy Stanlake, Peter Siddle and Michael Neser back and for the Big Bash to come round again.
“We saw how damaging Billy (4/8) can be in that first T20 against Pakistan in Zimbabwe this month.”
Adelaide must wait until December 23 to parade its 2017-18 title at home.
An expanded BBL sees each team playing 14 games with the Strikers hosting six at Adelaide Oval including the traditional New Years Eve clash against Sydney Thunder.
Adelaide hosts consecutive games on January 6 and 11 against glamour rivals the Sixers and Melbourne Stars. Adelaide starts its title defence against Brisbane Heat away on December 19 while travelling for games in regional Victoria against the Renegades and Stars on January 3 and January 23. Adelaide faces Hobart Hurricanes in Launceston on January 31.
The Strikers host perennial title threat Perth Scorchers in their seventh ‘home’ game at Alice Springs’ Traeger Park on February 9.
ADELAIDE STRIKERS BBL FIXTURES
December 19
v Brisbane Heat
Gabba
December 23
v Melbourne Renegades
Adelaide Oval
December 26
v Perth Scorchers
Perth Stadium
December 31
v Sydney Thunder
Adelaide Oval
January 3
v Melbourne Renegades
TBC
January 6
v Sydney Sixers
Adelaide Oval
January 11
v Melbourne Stars
Adelaide Oval
January 13
v Sydney Thunder
Spotless Stadium
January 21
v Hobart Hurricanes
Adelaide Oval
January 23
v Melbourne Stars TBC
January 29
v Sydney Sixers SCG
January 31
v Hobart Hurricanes
UTAS Stadium
February 3
v Brisbane Heat Adelaide Oval
February 9
v Perth Scorchers Traeger Park
Originally published as Alex Carey predicts Adelaide Strikers can clinch back-to-back BBL titles
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