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Big-hitting, plain-speaking West Indies captain Chris Gayle leads the international charge when a star-studded domestic Twenty20 competition begins on Monday.
Gayle has joined forces with WA, while fellow international stars Shahid Afridi and Kieron Pollard (South Australia), Dwayne Bravo (Victoria), Daniel Vettori (Queensland), Sohail Tanvir (Victoria), Dwayne Smith (NSW) and Dimitri Mascarenhas (Tasmania) have also been lured to Australia for the four-week competition.
The vast prize money on offer via the lucrative Champions League in India means the Twenty20 format is no longer a hit-and-giggle business, as it was when the Big Bash first started in Australia five summers ago.
The two finalists from this season’s competition qualify for next year’s $US12million (A$13.70 million) Champions League.
NSW pocketed a cool $US2.5 million by winning this year’s edition, knocking out Victoria in the semi-finals on the way to the title.
Gayle is a master of the Twenty20 format.
The 30-year-old averages 35.6 with the bat and 27.16 with the ball and is the only player to have struck a century in a Twenty20 international.
Despite his outstanding results on the world scene, Gayle is adamant he won’t feel any extra pressure from being the Warriors’ marquee man.
“I try not to think about the pressure situation,” Gayle said.
“I just try to be myself and be natural.”
The Warriors finished fifth last season but Gayle was confident the WA team had the weapons to claim this year’s title.
Victoria should once again start as hot favourites despite NSW’s success on the world stage.
In four completed seasons of Twenty20 cricket in Australia, Victoria have reached every final and clinched the trophy three times.
Bravo will provide fantastic service with both bat and ball and Pakistan left-armer Tanvir is a quality paceman, while proven performers Brad Hodge, David Hussey and Cameron White are renowned big hitters.
The Blues will still be brimming with confidence from their Champions League success but must do without Test players Doug Bollinger, Michael Clarke, Shane Watson, Brad Haddin and Simon Katich plus injured pace pair Stuart Clark and Brett Lee.
However, with Phil Jaques, David Warner, Moises Henriques, Steven Smith and West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Smith in their ranks, the baby Blues still pack plenty of punch.
While Gayle is expected to shine for WA, fellow power hitter Luke Pomersbach looms as a dark horse.
Pomersbach is set to resume with the side in January when his lengthy suspension expires and coach Tom Moody said the 25-year-old was ready to return from “the darkness” and atone for his off-field misdemeanours.
Pakistan star Afridi, who was just 16 when he cracked a 37-ball ton against Sri Lanka, and Champions League standout Pollard will complement underdog South Australia, who will be boosted by the services of lightning-quick Australian paceman Shaun Tait.
New Zealand skipper Vettori has been lured to the Bulls on a two-match guest stint and will add class to a side already boasting former Test player Andrew Symonds and last summer’s Big Bash MVP Lee Carseldine.
Tasmania have a world-class all-rounder in 32-year-old Englishman Mascarenhas, while skipper George Bailey and exciting wicketkeeper Tim Paine are capable of bludgeoning attacks.
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