BIG BASH 2018/19 PREVIEW: Can the Adelaide Strikers defend their title?

Ahead of the Big Bash 2018/19, The Cricketer previews defending champions the Adelaide Strikers, and gives you the full rundown on their chances of retaining the BBL title…

Information:

Captain: Travis Head
Coach: Jason Gillespie
Overseas players: Colin Ingram, Rashid Khan
Titles: 1 (2017/18)
17/18 Performance: Second in group, then champions
Best-ever performance: 17/18 title win
In: Matt Short (Renegades), Cameron Valente (Heat)
Out: Jono Dean (unsigned), Daniel Drew (Unsigned)

Form:

The Adelaide Strikers are the current defending Big Bash champions, having beaten the Hobart Hurricanes in the 2017 final. It was their first Big Bash title, and to simply say they ‘won’ the final, would be something of an understatement. Breakout star Jake Weatherald showed he was the man for the big occasion as he scored 115 off 70 balls as the Strikers posted their biggest ever Big Bash total.

It was a fitting end to a fantastic season as they won all but three of their group stage games and finished with a net run rate of an astonishing +0.801 (the next highest was +0.331).

Star Player:

Rashid Khan

T20 Player Index Stats
Position: 4
Points: 795

The Afghan legspinner was the joint leading wicket-taker in the 2017/18 Big Bash and has become one of the closest things to an objectively good signing that a T20 team can make. There is no side in the world he would not improve, and he has steadily risen up the Index over the past year – sitting at No.27 just over a year ago.

Though he is second-highest wicket taker over the past three years in all major T20 cricket, what really sets him apart from his peers is how few runs he concedes. He has an utterly miserly economy rate of 6.05, which is by far in a way the lowest of anyone with over 30 wickets.

^{Rahid Khan was the joint-leading wicket-taker in the 2017/18 Big Bash}

Biggest Loss:

Travis Head

Okay, Head has not actually left. In fact, he has signed a new four-year contract, and the Strikers have a very similar squad to last year, and why not? They won the last tournament with powerful hitting and looked a cut above most other teams.

However, with great success comes international recognition, and their biggest loss could well be Head who made his Test debut after the 2017/18 Big Bash and was one of Australia's stronger performers in the first Test against India at Adelaide.

^{Travis Head's strong form for the Adelaide Strikers saw him picked for Australia}

Something to prove:

Matt Short

Short has joined from the Melbourne Renegades and is a very exciting prospect. He played three games for the Renegades last year and scored 106 runs across three innings at 35.33, including 62 off 48 against Brisbane Heat.

He actually made his Big Bash debut back in 2014 but has only played six matches. With there likely to be an absence in the top three through international selection, Short looks primed to get the chance to make an impact for the Strikers.

^{Matt Short scored 106 runs at 35.33 for the Melbourne Renegades during the 2017/18 Big Bash}

Strengths:

When you see the Strikers top three were the second, third and fourth highest run-scorers in the BBL last year, it is quite easy to see where their strengths lie. Go big early, which Carey, Weathered and Head all had great success doing, seemingly scoring runs for fun.

They are helped however, by the presence of Rashid Khan - who we have already touched on - and he has been ably supported by the likes of Michael Neser, Ben Laughlin and Peter Siddle in the bowling attack.

Weaknesses:

It is not an overstatement to say that Adelaide have one of the strongest teams in the Big Bash, and the fact that they have kept the team which had such great success last season together makes it hard to pinpoint a weakness.

However, their top three performed incredibly last year, and it would not be hugely surprising if they were unable to maintain that form during the upcoming season should they lose players to the national side.

Squad:

Wes Agar, Alex Carey, Michael Cormack, David Grant, Travis Head, Colin Ingram, Rashid Khan, Ben Laughlin, Jake Lehmann, Michael Neser, Liam O'Connor, Peter Siddle, Matt Short, Billy Stanlake, Jake Weatherald, Jon Wells, Nick Winter.

BIG BASH SQUADS

Prediction:

Playoffs

Fixtures:

Dec 19: Brisbane Heat (A)
Dec 23: Melbourne Renegades (H)
Dec 26: Perth Scorchers (A)
Dec 31: Sydney Thunder (H)
Jan 03: Melbourne Renegades (A)
Jan 06: Sydney Sixers (H)
Jan 11: Melbourne Stars (H)
Jan 13: Sydney Thunder (A)
Jan 21: Hobart Hurricanes (H)
Jan 23: Melbourne Stars (A)
Jan 29: Sydney Sixers (A)
Jan 31: Hobart Hurricanes (A)
Feb 03: Brisbane Heat (H)
Feb 09: Perth Scorchers (H)

BIG BASH SCHEDULE