BBL week ahead: Regular programming to resume

Never mind controversial notions about playing Big Bash League games on Christmas Day in the future, there is a much bigger and much more immediate BBL issue at hand right now.

No. Game. Tonight.

I can’t understate how big a crisis this is. Have you seen the TV guide for tonight? I mean, really looked at what we’re going to watch in this sudden cricket-free vacuum? Miss Fisher, Destination Flavour Christmas, the movie Frozen for goodness’ sakes, Shrek the Halls, and bloody Mrs Doubtfire shape as your non-BBL options. The time to panic is here.

Despite this bombshell, here’s a few things to talk about over the second week of the tournament.

Twenty20 D-oesn’t R-equire S-toppages, thanks
There’s been a bit of talk in the first week of the BBL about a few dud umpiring decisions, and there’s no doubting that there has been several given out that shouldn’t have been. Have they been so bad that we need to bring DRS in, though?

Personally, I don’t think it’s a major problem. If batsmen can benefit from thick edges carrying the rope, and even the ropes being shorter than they should be, then they can probably put up with copping the odd rough LBW against them.

The whole point of Twenty20 cricket is brevity, and getting a full competitive game completed in a short timeframe. One twenty over innings is supposed to be done in 90 minutes, plus or minus, and even if only one DRS usage were permitted, it would put that timeframe in doubt. The game needs to move quickly, and if that means umpires under increased pressure are going to get the odd one wrong, so be it. Players get the odd shot or the odd delivery wrong, too, after all.

One point though, the Travis Head caught behind the other night should definitely have been sent upstairs, unless – by the letter of the BBL playing conditions – both umpires thought the ball had clearly carried.

And if that is correct, then they shouldn’t umpire again this season!

Cameron White’s cricketing crossroads
He’s the former Victorian captain who should’ve played more international cricket than he did, but who by the end of last season found himself out of the Victorian team he seemingly captained since primary school. He who became the scapegoat for the Melbourne Stars losing a fourth consecutive BBL semi-final.

Snapped up by cross-town rivals, the Melbourne Renegades, White immediately repaid the faith shown in him, knocking up 55 in their season-opening win over Brisbane last weekend. He didn’t quite get away last night against the Sydney Sixers in Melbourne, but it’s clear he’s an important piece in the Renegades’ top order puzzle.

Still only 32 and with a first class average just over 40 and a career Twenty20 strike rate around 130 runs per 100 balls faced, this season’s BBL quite possibly – surprisingly – represents White’s last chance to show he still has plenty to offer the game in Australia.

Victoria seem to have made up their mind, but a strong BBL might convince another state of White’s worth. By the same token, a strong BBL might convince White that the T20 circuit is where his future lies, where he could play for another ten years and make a fortune.

It’s a big week ahead for the Perth Scorchers
We’ll find out just how good the Scorchers are going to be in the next seven days. After showing some promise but then losing their way against Adelaide on Monday, Perth now hosts Brisbane in the Boxing Day match, and then head to Melbourne to face the Renegades next week.

They’ll have to do this without their star Test bats though, and now also without key bowler, Nathan Coulter-Nile, who is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after dislocating his shoulder.

The Scorchers have played in four consecutive BBL Finals, but if they were to drop these two games this week and go to 0 and 3, even just making the semis will become quite the task.

There’s some promising young kids in the west who will now get their chance in the sun (see what I’ve done there), but they can’t just gain experience, they have to fire from the outset on Saturday.

Who is this week’s premiership favourite™?
Hobart very nearly proved in their capitulation at the hands of Nathan Lyon and the Sydney Sixers last Sunday that this will indeed be the kiss of death this season, but their demolition job of Brisbane on Tuesday night confirmed that they will indeed be one of the teams to beat.

But I also mentioned the Adelaide Strikers as another genuine smokey last week, and their unbeaten start to BBL05 means they deserve elevation into this exalted WTWPF company. In beating the highly fancied, but I feel overrated Melbourne Stars, and then knocking off the Perth Scorchers in the west, the Strikers will have made people take notice.

Jason Gillespie seems to have struck a nice balance within his quality side, Brad Hodge is leading them very well, and though this might change in a fortnight, they remain unaffected by national selection. Deserving competition leaders

Tip of the week: Sydney Thunder to beat Adelaide Strikers in Sydney, Monday night.
That all said about Adelaide, the Thunder are the only other unbeaten side after the opening week, and their cellar-to-penthouse turnaround is fast becoming the story of BBL05.

And I reckon they can continue their run, too, and bring the Strikers’ run to an end. Even though they’ll likely be without Usman Khawaja, having Mike Hussey at 5, Andre Russell at 6, and Ben Rohrer – who is not my stunt double, thank you, Ryan O’Connell – at 7 last week against the Stars on Sunday night was a bit of a luxury. Even if they all slide up one spot, the Thunder will still have a strong line-up. They’re beginning to turn Spotless Stadium into a bit of a fortress, too.