Seven BBL stars who could still earn a spot in Australia’s T20 World Cup squad
They may have missed the cut for Australia’s T20 tour of South Africa, but some stand out performances in this year’s BBL have given national selectors options for the home tournament later this year.
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Australia’s T20 squad will travel this month to South Africa without the leading wicket taker and top run scorer from this year’s BBL.
Yet the domestic competition has proved a showcase for a number of players who may yet force their way in to selection reckoning when the time comes to pick a side to try and win Australia’s first T20 World Cup, on home soil at the end of the year.
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From Test stars who fancy they have something to offer in the shortest form of the game, to domestic batsmen ‘knocking down the door’ via weight of runs, here are seven players national selectors should keep a close eye on ...
JOSH PHILIPPE
The Steve Smith clone has been earning massive raves since he made his BBL debut last season and has no shortage of big-name supporters tipping him to be a future international - including Smith himself.
In just two seasons, the wicketkeeper batsman has belted six half-centuries at a strike-rate of 136.
He has made three of the top seven individual scores by a Sixers’ player in BBL - including the highest, an eye popping 86 not out off 49 balls last season.
With 16 catches and seven stumpings, his glovework has been solid enough to put himself in the frame as Alex Carey’s back up and although he didn’t make the squad for South Africa, he’s got another big chance to push for selection.
He’s just secured his first IPL contract, with the Royal Challengers Bangalore, where his teammates will include Aussie skipper Aaron Finch and Indian captain Virat Kohli.
NATHAN ELLIS
An unknown entity at the start of the summer, Ellis has bolted into T20 world cup calculations.
Was a revelation in his first taste of BBL, finishing with 12 wickets from 15 matches and an economy rate of 7.94.
But beyond the raw stats was Ellis’ nerves of steel to execute at the death under immense pressure. His ability to consistently land his yorker is a skill not many bowlers possess.
JON WELLS
Jason Gillespie believes Jon Wells is an Australian World Cup candidate through weight of runs and consistency as BBL’s master finisher.
Adelaide Strikers batsman Wells, 31, is entrenched in BBL’s all-time top-six run scorers while displaying an ability to score under pressure with minimum risk.
Wells finished behind Melbourne Stars gold cap Marcus Stoinis and Sydney Thunder’s Alex Hales on the BBL 2019-20 run aggregate but topped the competition average with 478 runs at 68.28.
Wells went at the third highest strike rate - 135 - in the top 10 run scorers despite coming in as a middle-order fixer.
Gillespie says Wells selection for Australia would depend on the roles selectors’ prioritised.
“The top three is set. I think it will come down to the roles, if they want specific players in those positions.
“Do they want an accumulator like Wellsy who can finish with a flourish or do they want someone who can give them an option with the ball or go in and start bombing fours and sixes from the get go?” said Gillespie.
“He has given himself every chance to be picked. If he does get an opportunity it would be well deserved.”
Ben McDermott and Ashton Turner filled the T20 middle order against Pakistan this summer but were axed from the squad travelling to South Africa after averaging 26.5 for Hobart and 12.78 for Perth respectively this BBL summer.
CAMERON BOYCE
The leg-spinner has bounced back to live in two seasons at the Renegades.
Unwanted by Queensland, it seems Australian selectors are still watching closely after his selection in the CA XI. Shane Warne a known fan and picked Boyce in both of his white-ball teams before the summer.
Appeared to be approaching allrounder status last year, too. Remember that match-winning 51 not-out (22) against Thunder?
MARCUS STOINIS
Australia captain Aaron Finch told News Corp in October that the Aussies would pick role-specific players for the T20 World Cup, and the top order was locked with Warner, himself, Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell.
Well, he wasn’t joking, with Stoinis’s record summer of runs going unrewarded. Stoinis’s best shot was to audition in the middle order, but that’s not where the Stars needed him.
A mountain of runs as a finisher for Delhi in the IPL would please selectors, who remain frustrated with his 2019 World Cup.
D’ARCY SHORT
Forever seems to be on the fringes of the national white ball teams without ever securing a spot.
The competition for spots at the top of the order always works against Short, who topped the run tally in BBL|07 and 08 and was Hobart’s leading run scorer this season despite missing six matches.
Is determined to prove he can plug a middle order role if required, while his left arm leg spin is another handy addition.
JOSH HAZLEWOOD
The Hoff hasn’t played T20 for Australia since the 2016 World Cup but with Australia hosting the tournament later this year, he’s making a late bid to get himself back in the side.
He rejoined the Big Bash in January and was an instant hit for the Sydney Sixers, bagging four wickets in four matches at a tight economy rate of 6.26 runs an over to book his team a spot in Saturday’s final.
That wasn’t enough to earn him a spot in the Australian T20 squad for the tour of South Africa but he is in the ODI side and was purchased by the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League, so will get more chances to push his claims.
Originally published as Seven BBL stars who could still earn a spot in Australia’s T20 World Cup squad
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