The Perth Scorchers are the most successful Big Bash team in history securing their record extending fifth title in the BBL|12 The Final over the Brisbane Heat in February of 2023. The Brisbane Heat then went on to win the BBL|13 Final in January of 2024 defeating the Sydney Sixers by 54 runs in an upset at the SCG.
The annual Big Bash League (BBL) cricket tournament is one of Australia’s most attended and bet on sporting events each summer and there are eight BBL teams that fight for the Twenty20 title each season.
Running over December – late January / early February of the following year during an entertaining group round, the Big Bash Finals Playoffs and the BBL Final, the BBL fixtures attract the best cricketers from around Australia as well as big-name international signings.
The eight current Big Bash League teams are all based in Australia’s capital cities with two hailing from Sydney, two from Melbourne and one each for Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart and Perth. The KFC-sponsored BBL Twenty20 competition was inaugurated in 2011-12 and in that time there have been six BBL teams to take out the title including the Perth Scorchers who went back-to-back in 2013-14 and 2014-15 before taking out a third BBL championship in 2016-17.
The Perth Scorchers are the most successful Big Bash team in history after defeating fellow three-time champions the Sydney Sixers for a record fourth title in the 2021-22 BBL Final before taking out their fifth with a five wicket win over the Brisbane Heat in the 2022-23 BBL Final match.
The Scorchers also made the Big Bash finals every year up until their disappointing 8th in the 2018-19 season and 6th for the 2019-20 season, making them the most successful team in the popular Australian domestic cricket tournament.
The other Big Bash teams to win the competition are the Brisbane Heat (2012-13 and 2023-24), the Sydney Thunder (2015-16) who won by three wickets to defeat the Melbourne Stars at the MCG in the final that season, the Adelaide Strikers (2017-18) who beat the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash Final, and the Melbourne Renegades (2018-19) who beat the Melbourne Stars in a local Derby Grand Final.
Some of the Big Bash League team restrictions include each franchise having a maximum of 18 contracted players, at least two rookie contracts and a maximum of two foreign players in the line-up.
BBL odds on each team to win the Twenty20 Big Bash are open from mid-way through the year with futures cricket betting markets open on the outright winner.
Below is a comprehensive look at all eight of the Big Bash League teams (alphabetically) in the tournament complete with founding years, BBL team colours, and current coaches and captains.
Adelaide Strikers
The Adelaide Strikers finished top of the BBL Ladder in both 2014-15 and 2015-16 before taking out their first Big Bash Championship with a victory over the Hobart Hurricanes in the 2018 BBL Grand Final.
- City/State: Adelaide, South Australia
- Founded: 2011
- Home Ground (Capacity): Adelaide Oval (53,583)
- Mascots: Smash and Summer
- Captains: Matt Short
- Coach: Jason Gillespie
- Colours: Cornflower Blue
- BBL Wins: 1 (2017-18)
- Runners Up: 0
- Minor Premiers: 2 (2014-15, 2015-16)
- Wooden Spoons: 0
Brisbane Heat
The Brisbane Heat enjoyed a Big Bash League Championship title in 2012-13. They then secured their second title in 2023-24 beating the Sydney Sixers in the BBL|13 final by 54 runs in an upset at the SCG after finishing top of that season’s ladder.
- City/State: Brisbane, Queensland
- Founded: 2011
- Home Grounds (Capacity): The Gabba (36,000)
- Mascot: Heater
- Captain: Usman Khawaja
- Coach: Wade Seccombe
- Colours: Teal
- BBL Wins: 2 (2012-13, 2023-24)
- Runners Up: 1 (2022-23 to the Perth Scorchers)
- Minor Premiers: 1 (2023-24)
- Wooden Spoons: 1 (2014-15)
Hobart Hurricanes
The Hobart Hurricanes, as of January 2020, hold the second-highest team score in the BBL’s history with 8/223 against the Melbourne Renegades in January 2017. While yet to win a BBL competition, the Hurricanes finished runner-up to the Perth Scorchers in the 2013-14 season at the WACA Ground and again in 2017-18 when losing the Big Bash Final to the Adelaide Strikers. The Hurricanes enjoyed their first Minor Premiership sitting top of the 2018-19 BBL Ladder at the end of the regular season.
- City/State: Hobart, Tasmania
- Founded: 2011
- Home Grounds (Capacity): Bellerive Oval (20,000)
- Mascot: Captain Hurricane
- Captain: Nathan Ellis
- Coach: Jeff Vaughan
- Colours: Purple
- BBL Wins: 0
- Runners Up: 2 (2013-14, 2017-18)
- Minor Premiers: 1 (2018-19)
- Wooden Spoons: 0
Melbourne Renegades
The Renegades BBL team are one of two from the city of Melbourne competing in the competition and matches played between them and the Stars are known as Melbourne Derbies, attracting massive crowds. The Melbourne Renegades attracted their highest home game attendance of 42,837 in their third season during one of these derbies. The team’s official mascot is Sledge, a futuristic cricket player. The Renegades became the sixth team in the BBL to win a Grand Final defeating their local rivals the Stars by 13 runs in the 2019 BBL Final. They suffered three consecutive season worst performances in 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 finishing with the ‘Wooden Spoon’ thrice.
- City/State: Melbourne, Victoria
- Founded: 2011
- Home Grounds (Capacity): Docklands Stadium (48,003)
- Mascot: Sledge
- Captain: Nic Maddinson
- Coach: David Saker
- Colours: Red and Black
- BBL Wins: 1 (2018-19)
- Runners Up: 0
- Minor Premiers: 1 (2012-13)
- Wooden Spoons: 3 (2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22)
Melbourne Stars
The Melbourne Stars are the second Melbourne-based Big Bash team in the tournament and play the Renegades in highly-anticipated Melbourne derbies each season. Their primary home ground of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is the world’s largest cricket stadium with a capacity of over 100,000. English import Luke Wright played for the Stars from 2011-2018 and with the club set a number of BBL records including the most runs (1479) as of the end of the 2018-19 BBL season.
- City/State: Melbourne, Victoria
- Founded: 2011
- Home Grounds (Capacity): Melbourne Cricket Ground (100,024)
- Mascots: Starman and Scarlet
- Captain: Glenn Maxwell
- Coach: Peter Moores
- Colours: Green, Lime, Black, Silver and White
- BBL Wins: 0
- Runners Up: 3 (2015-16, 2018-19, 2019-20)
- Minor Premiers: 2 (2013-14, 2019-20)
- Wooden Spoons: 1 (2017-18)
Perth Scorchers
The Perth Scorchers are to date the most successful Big Bash team scoring their record fifth BBL Championship victory over the Brisbane Heat in the 2022-23 Final having also taken out that season’s Minor Premiership. They went back-to-back in 2013-14 and 2014-15 then secured their third in the 2016-17 BBL season before beating the dual defending champions, the Sydney Sixers, in the 2021-22 decider having finished runners-up to the same club the season prior. They made the finals in all seven opening seasons before missing out with their Wooden Spoon (8th) finish in the 2018-19 season and then missing the finals again when sixth in the 2019-20 Big Bash League season.
- City/State: Perth, Western Australia
- Founded: 2011
- Home Ground (Capacity): Perth Stadium (60,000)
- Mascot: Blaze
- Captain: Ashton Turner
- Coach: Adam Voges
- Colours: Orange and Black
- BBL Wins: 5 (2013-14, 2014-15, 2016-17, 2021-22, 2022-23)
- Runners Up: 3 (2011-12, 2012-13, 2020-21)
- Minor Premiers: 5 (2011-12, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2021-22, 2022-23)
- Wooden Spoons: 1 (2018-19)
Sydney Sixers
The Sydney Sixers are one of two BBL teams from NSW’s capital city and matches played against the Sydney Thunder are known as Sydney derbies. Their other major BBL rivalry is with the Perth Scorchers who they defeated when claiming their then record equalling third championship victory in the 2020-21 decider. The Sydney Sixers went on to finish second to the Perth Scorchers in the 2021-22 BBL Final making them the second most successful team in the tournament’s history. The team colour of pink is related to the McGrath Foundation. Moises Henriques holds the club record for most runs (1986) as of December 2021, while the team’s bowling record of most wickets is held by Sean Abbott with 53 wickets in 40 matches as of the end of the 2020-21 season. The Sixers are first two Big Bash championship wins came in 2011-12 and 2019-20 seasons. They were runners-up in BBL|13 going down in an upset in the 2023-24 final to the Brisbane Heat at home at the SCG.
- City/State: Sydney, NSW
- Founded: 2011
- Home Grounds (Capacity): Sydney Cricket Ground (48,000)
- Mascot: Sid
- Captain: Moises Henriques
- Coach: Greg Shipperd
- Colours: Magenta
- BBL Wins: 3 (2011-12, 2019-20, 2020-21)
- Runners Up: 4 (2013-14, 2016-17, 2021-22, 2023-24)
- Minor Premiers: 1 (2020-21)
- Wooden Spoons: 1 (2015-16)
Sydney Thunder
The Thunder are the second Sydney-based Big Bash team and matches played against their rivals the Sixers are known as Sydney derbies. They and the Sydney Sixers are successors of the New South Wales Blues. Over BBL history the Thunder have been one of the worst performed teams, but atoned in the 2015-16 season taking out the championship in their maiden Big Bash finals appearance.
- City/State: Sydney, NSW
- Founded: 2011
- Home Grounds (Capacity): Sydney Showground Stadium (22,000)
- Mascot: Thor
- Captain: Chris Green
- Coach: Trevor Bayliss
- Colours: Lime Green and Black
- BBL Wins: 1 (2015-16)
- Runners Up: 0
- Minor Premiers: 0
- Wooden Spoons: 5 (2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2016-17, 2023-24)