Big Bash rookie Nathan Ellis set to replace an injured Faulkner

Nathan Ellis, one of Tasmanian cricket’s finds of the summer, is set to get an extended intro to Big Bash death bowling as Faulkner faces a lengthy stint on the sidelines.

BIG Bash rookie Nathan Ellis will get no better exposure to Big Bash death bowling than the treatment he copped from the Brisbane Heat as his responsibility grows following James Faulkner’s injury.

One of Tasmanian cricket’s finds of the summer, Ellis has been entrusted with closing out the Hurricanes’ bowling innings at different stages during his first five games of the competition.

And that ask will only magnify with the team’s other late-over specialist Faulkner facing a lengthy stint on the sidelines after tweaking his calf in the loss to the Heat on Friday night.

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Against arguably the most explosive batting unit in the BBL, Ellis finished with figures of 0-49 from his four overs after receiving some early treatment from man of the match Chris Lynn (88 not out from 55 balls) and Max Bryant (65 off 36).

Then after restricting Lynn in the final over with his first three deliveries, Ellis felt the wrath of Ben Cutting, who monstered 14 runs from the last three.

However despite Ellis’ unflattering figures – and he was far from the lone ranger – teammate George Bailey didn’t feel the bowlers missed the mark by too much even after the visitors reached a Blundstone Arena record 3–212.

“The one thing that we forget about, Nathan in particular, is the expectation we now have on him playing his fifth game of Big Bash cricket,” Bailey said.

“He’s had a handful of one day games as well.

“So what a great learning experience, he has come up against one of the best hitters in the world at the death.

“I thought even just his second over from his first right at the death, he looked like he was trying some different things, that’s really good.

“I didn’t think we were that bad to be honest.

“They can be a pretty devastating batting unit. We’ll obviously go through and look at it all… but I didn’t think it was a poor bowling performance.

“There is some power in that lineup that’s pretty extraordinary and hard to stop.”

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All-rounder Tom Rogers has replaced Faulkner in the squad, which starts a three-match, week-long road trip against the Perth Scorchers tonight.

Selectors will decide whether to bring Rogers straight into the starting XI as a like-for-like replacement, or hand Melbourne Stars recruit Scott Boland his Hurricanes debut.

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Boland missed the first three games of the tournament recovering from his own injury but has been in the 13-man squad for the past two matches.

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