BBL7 - Strikers v Thunder Recap - 5 Takes
1. Strikers Brush Aside Thunder
The Adelaide Strikers got their BBL7 campaign off to the perfect start with a comfortable 53-run victory over the Sydney Thunder at Adelaide Oval last night. Defending 6/163, the Strikers new look bowling attack feasted on a brittle Thunder batting line up, bowling them out for 110 in the 18th over. Ben Laughlin (2/26-4), Peter Siddle (2/6-3) and Rashid Khan (2/22-4) all made big impacts, with only Kurtis Patterson (48) scoring more than 25 for the visitors. Earlier in the night, surprise opening batsman Alex Carey (44 -26 balls) top scored for the Strikers, with skipper Travis Head (36) also looking in good touch.
2. New Look Strikers Show Potential
Whilst the Strikers new look side will face much stiffer tests than the Sydney Thunder, this year their bowling attack looks one of the best balanced in the competition, and they delivered on that last night. New recruits Peter Siddle and Rashid Khan bring experience and quality to the side, with Siddle looking fresh and focused after a couple of injury interrupted BBL campaigns. Billy Stanlake is a real handful with his pace, whilst the guile of Ben Laughlin and the canny off breaks of Travis Head give the Strikers several weapons with the ball. Their batting performance was only moderate, and they do look a little skinny there, particularly when Travis Head joins the Australian ODI side. However, the Scorchers have proven over the years that bowling can win championships and the Strikers, to me, look to have a Top 3 bowling line up.
3. Carey Surprise Comes Off
There was a bit of hype around, early in the summer, that Alex Carey could be the bolter in the Australian Test team. The bolter ended up being the far more experienced Tim Paine who has done a magnificent job, whilst Carey continues to develop his game at State level. Whilst I have not seen much of Carey, the wrap is his glovework is as good as anyone in the country, however his batting needs time to improve. First glance at his record suggests a moderate start, averaging 28 from 23 First Class games; however, that appears on the rise after some good early season Shield Form. Last night, Carey was a surprise choice as opening batsman and showcased a range of different attacking options in scoring 44 from 26 balls. The BBL might be really good for his confidence and development, because his strike rate of 52 in First Class cricket is on the low side and, if he can take down a few attacks here, he will return to Shield cricket a more confident and aggressive player.
4. Thunder In Trouble With Th Bat
I said after they beat the Sixers that I was still concerned about the Thunder's list and those fears came true last night. It was another meek performance with the bat, with the only difference being Shane Watson wasn't able to pull the rabbit out of the hat for the second game running. Once the Thunder lose a couple of wickets, there is simply no one in this side that can scare opponents. Callum Ferguson is desperately required back from injury, however even he is not an explosive type who is likely to win you a game off his own bat. Whether it’s through bad luck or bad management, I don’t believe whoever put this list together has done the greatest job.
5. Khan Another Import To Fire
When I was scanning through the list of BBL imports this year, at first glance I was underwhelmed - owlers win you championships, and spinners with proven track record are like gold dust. Nineteen year old Rashid Khan is a typical modern T20 leg spinner for the sub-continent in that they bowl fast and flat and can spin the ball both ways. This makes them a nightmare to face, as they are difficult to read and hard to get underneath as they skid the ball through at the stumps. Khan has an outstanding T20 record going for under 6 runs per over through 79 games, so I expect him to continue to have a big impact for the Strikers this year.