The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

BBL07: Are the Strikers changing the ‘bowl first’ Twenty20 instinct?

Billy Stanlake of the Strikers (centre) celebrates with his teammates after Daniel Hughes of the Sixers was caught out from one of his balls during the Big Bash League (BBL) cricket match between the Sydney Sixers and Adelaide Strikers at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in Sydney, Thursday, December 28, 2017. (AAP Image/David Moir)
Expert
8th January, 2018
12

In 35 Big Bash League games last summer, the team winning the toss batted first only seven times. And on all seven occasions did said team winning the toss and batting lose.

On Monday night at the Sydney Showground, the Adelaide Strikers won the toss and batted for the third straight time in BBL07. Their 25-run win made it three-from-three batting first this summer.

It was the fifth time this summer the team winning the toss batted first; Hobart beat Adelaide – coincidentally – last Thursday night after batting first in Hobart, while the Thunder lost to the Heat in Brisbane on December 27 after electing to bat first.

Hobart followed this up with a batting-first win over the Sydney Sixers in the first of Monday’s double header, taking their tally to two-from-two.

For the removal of all doubt, teams electing to bowl first are no certainty to win; so far in 22 games in 2017-18, 16 teams have sent the opposition in, but only ten of them went on and won the game. Perth have done it four times themselves, and it mightn’t surprise you to learn the Melbourne Stars and Sydney Sixers have lost three games between them after electing to field.

There has been a decent history of teams preferring to know what target they’re chasing, however. Last summer, 28 teams bowled first in 35 games; the summer before, it was 19 of 35 bowling first. In 2014-15 it was 18 of 35, and you have to go all the way back to BBL03 in 2013-14 to find a clear preference to set the total – only ten teams bowled first in the 35 games.

It’s in this context that Hobart’s and especially Adelaide’s change of approach stand out. Strikers captain Travis Head said his team now prefers batting first during their win over the Thunder on Sunday night, and with a batting lineout that includes Jake Lehmann at seven and a death-bowling attack comprising Rashid Khan, Ben Laughlin, Michael Neser, and the surprisingly effective Peter Siddle, it’s no great surprise.

Peter Siddle

(Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

Advertisement

If you know you can stop runs in the finals overs, run made at the start of the match become twice as valuable.

There’s no doubt the super-talented Jofra Archer is spearheading the Hurricanes’ sudden preference to defend a total, too.

At the rough halfway point of the season, it will be interesting to see not just how many more times Head can win the toss, but to see how many other teams start agreeing that runs on the board are actually important again.

BBL07 table

After the Scorchers beat the Renegades on Monday night in Perth to complete the double header, the Big Bash League table looks this way.

PERTH 10, ADELAIDE 8, MELBOURNE RENEGADES 8, BRISBANE 8; Hobart 6, Sydney Thunder 4, Sydney Sixers 0, Melbourne Stars 0.

Upcoming games

Advertisement

TUESDAY – GAME 23: Adelaide Strikers v Melbourne Stars, Adelaide Oval: The Strikers are edging closer to confirming a semi-final berth with a win over the fading Stars, who even with six games to play, look like sending Kevin Pietersen out on something of a high is about their only motivation left in BBL07.

The Strikers on the other hand, are playing like a team determined to prove that they are indeed a top four team. A big win in front of the home crowd should silence what remaining critics there are.

Tip – Strikers have too much to play for.

Michael Neser

(AAP Image/David Mariuz)

WEDNESDAY – GAME 24: Brisbane Heat v Hobart Hurricanes, the ‘Gabba: The Heat come into this game down a bash brother with Chris Lynn’s national call-up, only for him to be ruled out for three or four weeks with a calf injury anyway. The Heat are playing well at the moment, even if it is a bit ugly-but-effective at times. But Hobart are on a roll now after a slow start to the season, and could even push for the top four with a win at the ‘Gabba. Stranger things have happened – especially between these teams at this ground!

Tip – Brisbane at home, but games between these two are always tight.

THURSDAY – GAME 25: Sydney Thunder v Perth Scorchers, Sydney Showground: The Scorchers have one foot in the semi-finals already, and are playing like they’re in tune-up mode already. This game will be a test though, with the first chance to see how they cope without their newest Australian reps.

Advertisement

The Thunder can still force the BBL top four issue by stringing wins together, but it’s still not clear they have the bowling to do that (yet Clint McKay still hasn’t played a game). What’s more, now they have to find runs without Jos Buttler at the top.

Tip – Scorchers shouldn’t be troubled.

close