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The inaugural edition of the Big Bash League commences with the Sydney Sixers playing Brisbane Heat at the Sydney Cricket Ground. We’ll bring you live scores and commentary of the action throughout the opening game, with the match starting at 7.00 pm ADST tonight.
Injuries to a clutch of Sixers superstars could take the sheen away from the game but the organisers are supremely confident of their package.
The hosts, Sixers, start on the wrong foot with fitness problems to Shane Watson (hamstring, calf), Patrick Cummins (foot), Ben Rohrer (side strain) and Stephen O’Keefe (hand).
Watson and Cummins run the risk of missing the entire Big Bash League season while the Sixers will hope that Rohrer and O’Keefe recover quickly.
Injuries aside, a plethora of former and current national cricketers will grace the occasion. The hosts will be led by Brad Haddin and he will be joined by Mitchell Starc, his teammate from that ill-fated Hobart Test match against New Zealand.
The news that made waves, however, was of the selection of Ed Cowan.
Cowan was slated to lead the CA Chairman’s XI in their warm-up game against India. Instead, he was called up for this game after his string of centuries in the Australian domestic circuit. Australian Test match fans weren’t the happiest at the turn of these events.
Michael Lumb, one of the two foreigners in the team, should open the innings with Cowan.
Brett Lee will lead the pace bowling attack while Starc will hope to regain some of his confidence after a poor showing at Hobart.
The list of injured contains only one name for the Heat. Kiwi all-rounder Daniel Vettori continues to sit out after missing the Hobart Test match with a hamstring trouble.
It will be the other Kiwi player in the Brisbane squad, Brendon McCullum, who could trouble the Sixers. This is a format he enjoys and he had once lit the IPL up with a bulldozing 73-ball 158.
McCullum could walk out to open the Heat innings with a former great, Matthew Hayden. At 40, he may struggle to recapture those days of glory but one can never discount out a champion.
The side has two similar all-rounders in Dan Christian and captain James Hopes. Christian’s T20 tryst with the IPL and Hopes’ international exposure will come in handy for the side.
We will bring you the coverage throughout the game at the Sydney Cricket Ground and hope to receive your opinions as the action unfolds.
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