Big Bash League predicted teams: Selection news, changes and possible line-ups for round 2 of BBL13
Boom quick Lance Morris has been released to Perth Scorchers to provide added star power to the BBL. Check out the key injuries and selection notes for every club here ahead of round 2.
The Sixers and Heat are off to a flyer in BBL13, while the Scorchers made a statement with a commanding victory over Melbourne Stars.
There has already been no shortage of drama, with Colin Munro stranded on 99 not out, a match abandoned due to a dangerous pitch in Geelong and 12 players cracking the ton in KFC SuperCoach BBL.
Big Bash League teams have close to a week to weigh up any changes to their sides, with the Stars not in action again until December 23.
The BBL has taken a few days off as the first Test takes centre stage, allowing coaches and selectors ample time to decide how they line up in round 2.
Before making your SuperCoach trades for the next round, check out how we think every team will look below.
ADELAIDE STRIKERS
IN: David Payne
OUT: Unavailable
No Strikers team for round 1 to compare to, but expect English seamer David Payne to come straight into the squad after arriving in Australia. James Bazley proved his fitness for round 1 after an interrupted pre-season, so the big selection call for Jason Gillespie will be whether the Strikers go in with five seamers. They could unleash Henry Thornton, Wes Agar, Jamie Overton, Payne and Bazley, which would likely mean no specialist spinner. Those overs would come from new skipper Matt Short or D’Arcy Short. If Ben Manenti plays, he could bat anywhere from 5-8 and feature as the spinner. Brendan Doggett is the other quick in the mix who continues to be mentioned by teammates as a potential death bowler.
POSSIBLE TEAM
1. Matt Short
2. D’Arcy Short
3. Chris Lynn
4. Adam Hose
5. Jake Weatherald
6. Jamie Overton
7. James Bazley
8. Harry Nielsen
9. Wes Agar
10. David Payne
11. Henry Thornton
KEY SELECTION CALL — Specialist spinner or not? The final team likely comes down whether both Bazley and Overton play and whether Manenti or Henry Thornton misses out. The round 1 squad showed Jake Weatherald is ahead of Thomas Kelly for the last batting spot.
BRISBANE HEAT
The Heat are sweating on the fitness of Josh Brown and Matthew Renshaw, who both didn’t field as a precaution against Sydney Thunder. Renshaw has been pictured in promo videos in recent days, which would suggest his hamstring tightness isn’t as bad as first feared. Brown, who had a foot issue, is likely to feature in round 2. Jimmy Peirson would be the likely replacement if either player missed, but after two wins to start BBL13 the Heat may go in unchanged.
UNCHANGED
POSSIBLE TEAM
1. Colin Munro
2. Josh Brown
3. Nathan McSweeney
4. Matthew Renshaw
5. Sam Billings
6. Paul Walter
7. Michael Neser
8. Xavier Bartlett
9. Spencer Johnson
10. Matt Kuhnemann
11. Mitch Swepson
KEY SELECTION CALL — If Renshaw misses, does Jimmy Peirson or Max Bryant come into the team? Paul Walter is probably the most expendable of the Heat players but bowled well in Canberra so will hold his spot.
Hobart Hurricanes
Riley Meredith played in a Tasmanian grade match on Saturday and got through four overs after suffering a side strain in Hobart’s loss to Sydney Sixers. The Hurricanes could have looked to bolster their batting had Meredith been ruled out, with Chris Jordan probably batting one spot too high at No.7. Mac Wright or Sam Heazlett would have been logical inclusions to bolster the middle-order. But with Meredith appearing to be fit, Paddy Dooley or Peter Hatzoglou might have to make way if coach Jeff Vaughan wants to bolster his side’s batting line-up.
UNCHANGED
POSSIBLE TEAM
1. Matthew Wade
2. Caleb Jewell
3. Ben McDermott
4. Sam Hain
5. Tim David
6. Corey Anderson
7. Chris Jordan
8. Paddy Dooley
9. Nathan Ellis
10. Riley Meredith
11. Peter Hatzoglou
KEY SELECTION CALL — Do the Hurricanes go with the extra batter or continue with a long tail and bring in a direct replacement if Meredith is ruled out? Liam Guthrie or Billy Stanlake are next in line if they want another quick. But with four frontline bowlers (Ellis, Jordan, Hatzoglou, Dooley) and Corey Anderson or Tim David, they have enough options to bolster their batting instead. They want Wade and Jewell at the top, so Wright could come in and bat No. 5 to ensure Tim David is in at the back end of the innings when he does the most damage.
Melbourne Renegades
How does Shaun Marsh find a way into the Renegades team when he’s fit? David Saker can’t leave out Jake Fraser-McGurk, while Aaron Finch, skipper Nic Maddinson and the internationals are safe. That leaves Jon Wells as the batter to make way, which would cause a reshuffle. Marsh needs to bat in the top-four, if not top-three, so Fraser-McGurk is going to need to slide. It’s just a matter of how much. The way he’s been hitting the ball, he might be a better option at No. 6 than Finch or Maddinson. The Renegades are stacked for bowling experience which could give them the luxury to manage a player like Kane Richardson, who came into the BBL with an injury niggle. Although it’s possible that would be round 3 after the Renegades effectively had a match off after playing 41 balls in Geelong.
IN: Adam Zampa, Shaun Marsh
OUT: Peter Siddle/Kane Richardson (possibly managed), Jon Wells
POSSIBLE TEAM
1. Quinton de Kock
2. Joe Clarke
3. Jake Fraser-McGurk
4. Shaun Marsh
5. Aaron Finch
6. Nic Maddinson
7. Will Sutherland
8. Tom Rogers
9. Kane Richardson
10. Adam Zampa
11. Mujeeb ur Rahman
KEY SELECTION CALL — Does Marsh get an immediate re-call? He’s BBL royalty but Fraser-McGurk performed so well at No.3. Pushing him to No. 5 or No. 6 likely isn’t the answer and if he bats at No. 4, Aaron Finch could be left to hit out late in the innings. Finch struck at 106 against the Sixers and has been more of an accumulator than a power hitter since moving into the middle-order.
Perth Scorchers
The Scorchers steamrolled Melbourne Stars in their second game after their season opener against the Renegades was abandoned. Ashton Agar was managed for those matches as he works his way back from injury, but should be in the mix to feature against Hobart on December 20 — especially being a home fixture. Zak Crawley has arrived in Australia and will play in round 2 after his involvement in England’s tour of the West Indies. The wildcard for Perth is whether they throw Lance Morris straight in after he was released from the Test squad. If Morris plays, Agar will bat at seven and it will come down to whether Adam Voges wants the experienced Steve Eskinazi or young gun Cooper Connolly as Crawley’s partner. One of Eskinazi and Connolly is likely to miss out if Morris plays in a four-pronged pace attack. The other option would be resting one of the quicks for Morris.
IN: Ashton Agar, Zak Crawley, Lance Morris
OUT: Hamish McKenzie, Nick Hobson, Cooper Connolly
🤔 Hamish McKenzie ($56k BWL)@ScorchersBBL spinner McKenzie: "I think with Coop bowling the way he did tonight and with Aggers coming back, it might be tough for me to play at home but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it."#SuperCoach#BBL#BBL13
— Honeyball BBL ðŸ (@HoneyballBBL) December 14, 2023
POSSIBLE TEAM
1. Zak Crawley
2. Steve Eskinazi
3. Aaron Hardie
4. Josh Inglis
5. Ashton Turner
6. Laurie Evans
7. Ashton Agar
8. Jhye Richardson
9. Andrew Tye
10. Jason Behrendorff
11. Lance Morris
KEY SELECTION CALL — Do the Scorchers want five bowlers? Hamish McKenzie would be unlucky to miss out after taking 2-12 from four overs against Melbourne Stars. Perth could have a look at him and Agar in the same side and leave out a batter such as Hobson, promoting Agar to seven. The other option is going in with four quicks and unleashing Morris as well. That would have flow-on effects for Aaron Hardie, who would be less chance of bowling, and even mean a call between Eskinazi and Connolly would have to be made for the last spot in the XI. They’ve also got to decide whether Eskinazi or Connolly partners Crawley. Connolly is more flexible and could bat in the middle order, but won’t be needed there if Perth plays four quicks.
Sydney Sixers
The Sixers are known for managing players, but after 11 days between matches, they should go in close to full strength against the Strikers on December 22. Had the games been closer together, they may have considered a rest for veteran spinner Stephen O’Keefe. But it seems more likely Todd Murphy, who only bowled one over in Launceston, is the player to make way for Sean Abbott’s return. If all-rounder Hayden Kerr has overcome an injury, he could take Jackson Bird’s role. But Bird and Jack Edwards have been bowling well, so Kerr may have to bide his time.
IN: Sean Abbott
Out: Todd Murphy
POSSIBLE TEAM
1. Josh Philippe
2. James Vince
3. Daniel Hughes
4. Moises Henriques
5. Jordan Silk
6. Tom Curran
7. Jack Edwards
8. Ben Dwarshuis
9. Sean Abbott
10. Jackson Bird
11. Stephen O’Keefe
KEY SELECTION CALL — Who needs a rest? The Sixers are in a strong position after opening the season with two wins and realistically could let any of their bowlers put their feet up for a game. Izharulhaq Naveed is a talent the Sixers may want to reintegrate into the side after he was a late signing, but it’s hard to see how he gets in. Do they manage O’Keefe through the festive period?
Sydney Thunder
The Thunder faltered with the bat in Canberra, but it seems unlikely any of their batters would be left out after one match. Alex Hales is going nowhere and Matthew Gilkes will hold his place as wicketkeeper. And besides Daniel Sams, who went for 25 off two overs, the bowlers did their jobs well. If there was to be a change in the batting, it could be that Blake Nikitaris comes into the middle order. There was talk before round 1 he was close to being picked. In the bowling ranks, Gurinder Sandhu is the likely replacement if a player such as Nathan McAndrew is managed after getting through 25 overs for the PM’s XI and backing up in a BBL game.
UNCHANGED
POSSIBLE TEAM
1. Cameron Bancroft
2. Alex Hales
3. Matthew Gilkes
4. Ollie Davies
5. Alex Ross
6. Daniel Sams
7. Chris Green
8. Nathan McAndrew
9. Liam Hatcher
10. Zaman Khan
11. Tanveer Sangha
KEY SELECTION CALL — Do any of the batters feel the heat after Ollie Davies was the only top-six batter to pass 25 against the Heat?
BYE: Melbourne Stars
Early mail: The Stars will be hoping Glenn Maxwell shakes off an elbow injury to return against Sydney Thunder on December 23. Maxwell said on Wednesday night he was confident of being fit. The Stars’ next game is due to be Liam Dawson’s last before he’s replaced by Pakistan left-arm spinner Imad Wasim.
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