The uncapped trio of Daniel Sams, Jono Wells and Josh Philippe are using the BBL to push for a spot in Australia’s T20 World Cup squad.
Australia have been in fine form in T20s, with a win-loss record of 19-9 across their past 30 matches, and the core of their side appears to be locked in.
There are eight players – David Warner, Aaron Finch, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar – who seem to have firm positions in the line-up. That leaves three spots that appear most up for grabs: the final middle-order berth, the wicketkeeper role and the third quick.
Australia will play ten T20s in the next five months as they seek to bed down their starting XI and expected 15-man squad for the World Cup.
That run of T20s begins next month with a three-match series in South Africa followed by three T20s in New Zealand in late March and then one T20 against Scotland and three against England in the UK from late June.
Here are three dark horses, uncapped at international level, who are making a run at World Cup selection in the BBL
Daniel Sams, 27 years old
Fast bowling all-rounder, 47 wickets at 18 with an economy rate of 8.16 in T20s
In the past two years Australia have churned through a big number of fast bowlers in T20s. Starc, Cummins, Andrew Tye, Billy Stanlake, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff and Jack Wildermuth all have had opportunities.
I get the sense Starc and Cummins are seen as the first two quicks picked in Australia’s T20 XI alongside spinners Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar. Because Agar can bat at No. 7, that leaves room for a third specialist quick in the XI.
Outside of the starting line-up Australia could potentially pick two back-up quicks in their World Cup squad for a total of five fast bowlers. Starc, Cummins and the two Richardsons are the front runners, but beyond that quartet there is no standout candidate, which is why Sams’ dominant form could yet vault him into the squad.
Across the past two BBL seasons Sam has hoarded 40 wickets at 17 to be the best-performed Aussie paceman in the competition. He can swing the new ball, uses his changeups well through the middle overs, bowls well at the death and has the advantage of being a left-armer. The Aussie selectors could also be swayed by his value with the bat.
Although he’s rarely been needed to make runs in T20 cricket, Sams has a lot of ability with the blade, having made four 50s from just 19 innings across his Sheffield Shield and domestic one-day career. A powerful hitter he is well suited to the lower order in T20s.
Jono Wells, 31 years old
Middle-order batsman, 1915 runs at 35 with a strike rate of 124 in T20s
Lots of domestic cricketers have purple patches, but far fewer are able to put together impressive seasons back to back, whether in the BBL, one-day Cup or Sheffield Shield. Wells has managed to do just that, underlining that he is not just on a hot streak but is actually a quality T20 batsman.
In the previous BBL he made 359 runs at 45 (strike rate 125) and so far this season he has piled up 444 runs at 74 (strike rate 136).
Wells has been a revelation for Adelaide since moving from the Hobart Hurricanes. The right-hander has turned himself into a specialist middle-order batsman, which makes him more appealing to Australia, who have a glut of top-order options but not many players making strong cases to bat at five or six.
(Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
Josh Philippe, 22 years old
Wicketkeeper-batsman, 712 runs at 32 with a strike rate of 137 in T20s
Alex Carey has been outstanding in the middle order in ODIs, with 616 runs at 44 across his past 20 innings with a strike rate of 100. Yet he remains unproven with the blade in T20s, having averaged 14 from his 13 knocks.
While I expect Carey to be picked for Australia’s T20 series in South Africa next month, if he continues to underwhelm in this format, Australia may be forced to look elsewhere.
Although he hasn’t been keeping of late, the in-form Matt Wade would be one alternative. Josh Inglis from the Perth Scorchers has also earned lots of fans this BBL season, with the likes of Tim Paine, Ricky Ponting, Shane Warne and Brad Haddin all heaping praise on him.
Then there’s 22-year-old Sydney Sixers gloveman Philippe, who has a similar number of high-profile admirers. While Philippe’s glovework is adequate at best, he is outrageously talented with the blade.
A modern 360-degree batsman, Philippe is hyper-aggressive against pace and nimble and destructive against spin.
The West Australian’s main drawback is that he’s played mostly as an opener and Australia want to bat their wicketkeeper at five or six.
Imike
Guest
I also think young Ellis from the Hurricanes could do a job with the ball, My squad would be. Finch (c), Warner, Wade (wc), Smith, Wells, Phillipi, Stark, Cummins, Ellis, Zampa, Maxwell, Tye, Sams, Carey and either M. Marsh or Short. Some will disagree with this squad but this is what making a comment is about, to spark debate. People in high places will altimatly decide. That said, I would be OK with this squad representing us in the yellow and green... Either way. GO AUSTRALIA.
Rick Badock
Guest
I've seen enough ofJosh Inglis to believe he's a very special talent with bat and gloves.
Big Daddy
Guest
Has anyone factored in the Langer influence. Anything can happen.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
You can give up on all that. Faulkner's best was 7 years ago and it's state, then grade cricket from here on. One or two levels below now. Gary Gilmour was good once, too.
TheGeneral
Roar Rookie
Abbott F/C batting 18, bowling 35. SOK batting 26, bowling 24. Siddle batting 16, bowling 27. FAULKNER batting 31, bowling 24. I think I know who is the better batsman (and bowler). Faulner probably should have played more tests than the only one he was in. Made 23 off 21 balls in the first innings, and 22 off 22 balls when promoted to number 3 in the second (chasing quick runs to set up a target against England). His bowling was 4/51 and 2/47 @ an average of 16. That is an all round performance.
TheGeneral
Roar Rookie
Injury kept Faulkner out for just over two years, as he played his last ODI's in Oct 2017 against India. In those two games he made 32no @ 128 (2nd highest score) and 12, against the best side in the world. He is an all rounder in every sense of the word. His ODI batting average is 34.40 ( as an example Maxwell 32) and bowling average of 30 (Maxwell 50). His T20 bowling average is 19 (Maxwell 50). Yes Maxwell has a far better batting average of 35 in T20 to Faulkner's 14.5. Maxwell has batted most of those innings at 4 or 5 whereas Faulkner bats at 7 or 8. He was MOTM when we won the the 2015 ODI world cup for his bowling. Oh and by the way get back to me when Steketee, Meredith, Bird, Kelly, Wes Agar and Mennie have played a white ball game for Australia. Even the others have played only a handful of games except Siddle. Even Peter Siddle only has a batting average in ODI's of 10 and a bowling average of 43. He has only played two T20 games.
Tom
As if he going to come out say it's worse. It's pretty clear by watching both you can see the quality of the BBL is noticeably worse than the IPL
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
His Shield batting is even more impressive. To keep out Whiteman and to deny the gloves to Philippe and Bancroft is an indicator, not just of his quality keeping, but of the resilience and reliability of his batting.
AREH
Roar Guru
Work in progress Inglis on the other hand has been seriously impressive this tournament up the top. Didn't know he had such a dynamic side to his batting, it's been refreshing to see
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
He's not in the conversation as a bowler alone. 2 Richos, Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood, Steketee, Meredith, Bird, Abbott, Kelly, Siddle, Tremain, Wes Agar, Boland, Conway, Mennie all ahead of him.
Simon
Guest
Turner's main field is batting, Faulkner's is bowling. I'd probably have him behind both Richos for that 3rd seamer spot but his death bowling has been really good, don't care if he bats 11
DingoGray
Roar Guru
Interesting reading AB De villers comments recently making a positive comparison between the Big Bash to the IPL in terms of Quality and standards. I think he was slightly surprised. Wells is a must for the Squad. Surely he's passed Turner on recent performances?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Whatever a WIP is.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Probably isn't helped by the fact he isn't keeping in the BBL at the moment, and hasn't had a particularly great BBL either. He's still someone who is probably at his best opening up, but is trying to work out how to bat in the middle in T20's, at this point I still think is very much a WIP in that.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
The last part is sort of my point above. Nobody is displacing Finch and Warner from the top. So basically looking at keepers who open the batting in the BBL isn't necessarily helpful.
AREH
Roar Guru
In years to come, Philippe may earn a place as a pure bat anyway. I agree they will likely stick with Carey regardless.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
As with Turner, after injury, it's necessary to show form with the bat. It's close to 5 years since he last showed any significant batting form. We don't need him as a bowler. We have 15 to 20 better bowlers than him. He is no longer an all rounder. He's in the same batting class as Abbott, SOK, Siddle.
Tom
All 3 will be eaten alive at international level in my opinion. Phillipe will be a walking LBW to international bowlers, no chance he displaces Finch and Warner at the top of the order.
TheGeneral
Roar Rookie
Has not been needed with the bat. Scores of 1, 2no, 0no. Who cares if he is #10. His bowling has been superb - 9 wickets @ 13.5 - 3rd best in the competition. After about 3 years plus out with injuries is back in similar form to when he played ODI's and T20's regularly.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Not with the bat. He's been sliding down to #10.