Jos Buttler, Joe Root and Joe Denly fly home from the Big Bash this week having made mixed contributions to the tournament. Here, The Cricketer evaluates the performances of the England stars taking part...
Sydney Sixers
Matches: 7
Runs: 111 @ 37.00
Wickets: 10
Economy: 6.92
The Surrey allrounder has made an instant impression at the Sixers, in all disciplines of the game.
With bat in hand, Curran showed just how destructive he can be with 62 in the Sydney derby in late December - his approach to batting in the Big Bash has, in his own words, been “hitting bombs” - and he’s been equally as useful with the ball.
Figures of 3-25 against Brisbane Heat followed an even more miserly spell of 3-18 to defuse Melbourne Renegades, as Curran firmly established himself as a Sydneyside crowd pleaser.
He still has a little time left in the tournament, too. With the white-ball leg of England’s tour of West Indies not getting under way until well into February, Curran has the chance to keep his fine form going Down Under.
"That's been a nice little thing to keep trying to improve: working on my batting," he said. "It obviously adds another string to the bow."
A
Tom Curran has been in superb form for Sydney Sixers
Matches: 7
Runs: 273 @ 39
Perhaps the most consistently destructive batsman in global T20 right now, Buttler has not disappointed in the Big Bash.
His overall strike rate in the competition might, at 137.44, be a shade lower than its career equivalent (144.17) but England’s destroyer in chief has routinely gone about dismantling attacks.
Only in two knocks - against Brisbane Heat on Tuesday and Adelaide Strikers on New Year's Eve - did the mild-mannered wicketkeeper fail to deliver at least a start. Three half-centuries in eight days over Christmas, including a brutal 89 from 53 balls against Hobart Hurricanes, established Buttler as a firm fans' favourite and took him to the top of the tournament's runscorer's list.
It's a massive year for the 28-year-old, and he has begun it pretty well.
A
Melbourne Stars
Matches: 1
Runs: 0
Wickets: 1
Economy: 7.67
Just the one appearance so far for Plunkett. Let's give the lad a bit of time beforee judging too harshly.
B
Jos Buttler has continued his fine form in Australia
Matches: 6
Runs: 0
Wickets: 7
Economy: 7.92
Barring an unexpected summons to the national squad for the 50-over World Cup this summer, which comes less than three months after he formally becomes eligible for selection, Archer’s first major tournament in England colours is very likely to be the T20 World Cup in Australia in 2020.
And he’s been busy showing just how useful an addition he will be during another impressive stint Down Under.
Hobart Hurricanes trust the allrounder implicitly with the ball - he has bowled his full allocation in each of his team’s six matches so far in this competition - and an economy of 7.92 is bang on the tournament average.
Seven wickets have come at 27.14 apiece, but he’s yet to have a chance to wield a bat in anger.
B
Sydney Sixers
Matches: 7
Runs: 137 @ 19.57
Wickets: 1
Economy: 8.62
A stellar 2018 ended on something of a dull note for newly-redefined allrounder Denly.
Having performed so impressively in the previous edition of the Big Bash, as well as catching the eye in the Pakistan Super League and T20 Blast, perhaps the burden of expectation was a little much going into the current campaign.
With the exception of 76 in his final innings before leaving for the England Test squad - against Adelaide Strikers - his form has been a series of fits and starts (13, 1, 14, 12, 11, 10).
On the bowling front, his eight overs have gone for 69 runs, with just a solitary victim, giving him a strike rate of 48, compared to 12.95 in the summer for Kent Spitfires.
"It's been disappointing not to contribute [earlier this campaign], but to leave with a not out and see the boys home, I will take lot of confidence out of that,” he said prior to leaving Sydney.
C+
Joe Denly struggled for runs for most of his time in this season's Big Bash
Matches: 7
Runs: 93
Not the Australian adventure Root had hoped for on his first foray into the Big Bash.
A top score of 26 and a modest strike rate of 114.81 will leave many wondering whether, ahead of one of the most important seasons of his career, the England skipper might have been best served resting up at home.
D
Perth Scorchers
Matches: 5
Runs: 29 @ 7.25
Wickets: 1
Economy: 6.57
The allrounder is well liked in Western Australia but 2018-19 has simply not been his season.
Though relatively frugal with the ball his 6.57 economy covers just seven overs, spread across five matches, and the story has been much worse with the bat.
A streak of failures led to the England international losing his place when Mitch Marsh was dropped from the Australia Test team and, although he will hang around a little while longer, Willey is unlikely to win back his spot before he heads off to the Caribbean for the white-ball games against West Indies.
D
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