Inside Perth’s Big Bash League ‘fixture from hell’

They Perth Scorchers are picking up some serious frequent flyer miles this BBL season, with the club spending 60 hours in the air or the equivalent of almost three Melbourne to London long haul flights.

The Perth Scorchers are not happy with their BBL fixture. Picture: Getty Images

Perth Scorchers will lobby Cricket Australia for a fairer Big Bash schedule next summer after the franchise was left furious at receiving the most brutal travel itinerary in Australian sport.

While every other BBL club is able to knock over multiple away games on the one journey, Scorchers must return to Perth for a home game after every leg.

They will spend around 60 hours in the air as they cross the Nullarbor 14 times in a 39-day campaign.

Coach Adam Voges couldn’t believe the exhausting fixture that will see his team clock up almost as many miles as West Coast or Fremantle do across a five-month AFL season.

English import Chris Jordan only got to bed at 2am after Sunday night’s home game and was then woken by a 6.30am alarm to catch the team’s 9.15am WST flight to Melbourne.

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Perth’s Liam Livingstone is bowled against Hobart. Picture: AAP Images

Players arrived at 3.45pm AEDST and then filed on to a bus for another 90-minute commute to Geelong ahead of Tuesday’s clash against Melbourne Renegades.

“It’s not ideal, but it is what it is,” Jordan told the Herald Sun.

“It comes with the territory. It’s something that we’ve spoken about and what we need to do as players is make sure that we’re mentally fresh and we recover well and just get on with it, really.

“I actually don’t (know where Geelong is). This is my first time, but I’ve heard it’s pretty far.”

It would make sense for Perth to also play Melbourne Stars while in town or fly home via a game at Adelaide Oval against the Strikers.

But instead the Scorchers must return travel back to Perth for Saturday’s clash against Brisbane and then come back to Melbourne for next Wednesday’s MCG game against Stars.

BBL players fly economy on Qantas flights and Andrew Symonds said the taxing schedule would hurt Perth’s chances of recruiting players.

Renegades joined their away fixtures in Perth and Hobart last month and will jet straight from Adelaide to Canberra for next week’s back-to-back games on the road.

They will spend just 21 hours in the air and travel about 12,500km this season. Perth’s 60 hours and 42,000km is the equivalent of almost three Melbourne-London long hauls.

Scorchers could travel the perimeter of Australia 1.5 times for their five-week schedule.

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Jordan – who played for Sydney Thunder last season and rarely sees an airport while playing in England – said he spent the flights watching movies and TV series until he falls asleep.

“It can (drain you) … it depends on your mentality and frame of mind,” he said.

“But it is what it is and we’re doing what we love.”

BBL clubs received multiple draft versions of the fixture and early copies were much kinder to Perth.

But it is understood that broadcasters made late changes that delivered Perth the fixture from hell.

WHY MARSH LEFT SCORCHERS

Shaun Marsh walked out on Perth Scorchers for a long-term deal that is paying off for Melbourne Renegades with the veteran batsman’s international career almost certainly over.

The proud West Australian shifted east on a three-year contract after Perth only offered a one-summer extension and, with Australia moving on from the reliable left-hander, Marsh is suddenly available to play every Big Bash game.

While Renegades (0-6) are anchored to the bottom, the 36-year-old has been a rock at No.3, posting scores of 42, 55, 37, 16, 40 and 43.

Marsh won WA the one-day cup with an unbeaten century in November’s final against Queensland and is the Sheffield Shield’s leading run-scorer, averaging 66.7 with a double-century to his name.

“Shaun is 36, he got offered a three-year contract and he’s got a beautiful family to look after,” brother Mitchell Marsh told the Herald Sun.

“As a brother, it’s a no-brainer. As captain of the Scorchers, when we lose one of our best players, it’s very disappointing.”

Shaun Marsh has been a brilliant pick-up for the Renegades. Picture: Getty Images

Renegades are set for a change in gameplan after signing English all-rounder Samit Patel and with Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi set to replace paceman Richard Gleeson for Sunday’s game at Adelaide Oval.

Patel and Nabi will partner Cameron Boyce in a spin-heavy attack when they all play together against Strikers.

Patel, 35, was due to land in Melbourne late Monday night and will make his Big Bash debut against Perth Scorchers in Geelong if he is not too jet-lagged.

Renegades contacted Morne Morkel’s management but when a deal couldn’t be struck they contracted Patel as an injury replacement for Harry Gurney (hamstring).

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Patel – who played six Tests, 36 ODIs and 18 T20s for England – is Nottingham teammates with Gurney and Dan Christian and has played 258 T20s across the world.

Last month Patel played in Dubai’s T10 tournament and, in his second game, knocked over Deccan Gladiators’ top three including openers Shane Watson and Afghan cult hero Mohammad Shahzad.

Andrew Fekete has replaced Mackenzie Harvey (under-19 World Cup) in Renegades’ squad after training with the team lately.

Originally published as Inside Perth’s Big Bash League ‘fixture from hell’