It’s been more than a month of sell-out crowds, record TV ratings, record betting turnover and most importantly, Twenty 20 cricket of the highest quality. And now we are at the business end.
Three matches remain, no standout side has emerged as a raging favourite, and we are presented with two potentially classic semi finals and three clubs who are every chance to host the decider on their home deck.
ADELAIDE STRIKERS (1st) v SYDNEY THUNDER (4th)
For consecutive seasons, the Adelaide Strikers have defied many pundits to claim the minor premiership with a balanced side who relishes playing in front of a sellout crowds at Adelaide Oval.
And that’s exactly what will present tonight when they tackle the Sydney Thunder who, after four seasons of being the competition whipping boys, have emerged as stable unit capable of taking out the title.
A win for the Strikers and they’ll host the big one on Sunday night.
THE KEY PLAYERS:
ADELAIDE STRIKERS
BRAD HODGE – The Strikers captain, and the coolest head you could ask for leading a team, has showed he is never flustered with bat or in the field. Can keep his side afloat if it suffers an early collapse or swing the key changes if an opposition batsman is getting a hold of his attack.
Sure, he has some handy weapons at his disposal but you have to be smart enough to make the right call at the right time.
TRAVIS HEAD – Has emerged as a genuine future star of Australian cricket. I have little doubt the 23 year old will represent his country in all forms of the game in the coming years but, for now, he has a BBL title to win. A new year’s eve century, a couple of other quick fire 50’s and some handy off break bowling, Head has shown us exactly what he is capable of and a big finals series would only enhance the public opinion of him. A golden duck in the final preliminary game could be the worst thing the Thunder could have hoped for as it might just spur the kid on to bigger and better things.
BEN LAUGHLIN – Twenty 20 might be a batsman’s game but, make no mistake, a team with a strong bowling attack is the hardest to beat. Laughlin is the key bowler in a solid unit. He is the leading wicket taker across the almost five completed seasons of the BBL and is also as good as it gets when it comes to putting the breaks on an opponent. If he is on tonight, the star studded Thunder batting order could find the going tough.
SYDNEY THUNDER
MIKE HUSSEY – Much like the Strikers, the Thunder will be looking to their skipper to lead the way in what could be his final ever competitive game on Australian soil. After yet another outstanding Big Bash it begs the question; Why can’t Mr Cricket play forever?
With the ability to bat wherever is required and with as sharp a cricket mind as you could ever want, Hussey will almost certainly have a major say on which of these sides wins through to the decider.
USMAN KHAWAJA – He’s only played two matches in the tournament but boy, what a two matches they have been. A century against the Stars at the MCG in game five prior to Christmas was as good a knock as you are likely to see. In saying that, his half century against the Renegades 10 days ago was pretty bloody good too. Taking into account what he has done on the international stage in recent times, you could argue a legitimate case that Khawaja is the most in form bat in world cricket. If the Strikers don’t get him early, he could well take the game away.
CLINT McKAY – Was rated as the best short form bowler in the country a couple of years ago, which made it so much more surprising last season when he was so sparingly used by the Melbourne Stars. Alas, he took his bat and ball (but most importantly, his ball) and headed to the Thunder. Yes, the side’s batsmen have been brilliant but as I have previously stated, a good attack will win you games and McKay leads this attack with aplomb.
PREDICTION – THUNDER IN A THRILLER
MELBOURNE STARS (2nd) v PERTH SCORCHERS (3rd)
Does anyone else have a case of deja vu? Yep, that’s right, we are here again. The Stars and Scorchers squaring off in a semi. Just like last year, they do so on the back of a final round clash where the Stars were victorious. Unlike last year, the match is at the MCG and most likely in front of 70 odd thousand Melbournians. Not only is this a cracker on paper, there is that always intriguing side note of, will the Stars choke again?
THE KEY PLAYERS:
MELBOURNE STARS
KEVIN PIETERSEN – His second season of Big Bash has been far better than his first and in my opinion he holds the key to a Stars win. He is a big game player as we have seen in various forms of cricket over the years and, whether or not you like his personality, he is a leader in this team and a very shrewd operator. Missed out on the weekend against Perth and that will burn plus, what better way to celebrate signing on for another two seasons than to carry your side into a maiden final?
PETER HANDSCOMB – Personally I think he should be the national Twenty 20 keeper. Not because he is the best gloveman, because he’s not, but because he is the best all rounder. His work behind the stumps has been more than serviceable and coming in, in the middle order is an absolute bonus for the Stars. If the likes of Wright, Stoinis and KP have done their job, then Handscomb with a licence can be uber entertaining.
BEN HILFENHAUS – He’s no star in this form of the game and most likely wouldn’t be in the side if the Stars were at full strength, but Hilfy having a good game and Hilfy having a bad game could quite possibly be the difference. We have seen the best and worst of the Tasmanian in the past week or so. He was absolutely torn apart by Chris Lynn (5 sixes in a row) and that allowed the Heat to post a massive total. He responded with three wickets and a man of the match performance against the Scorchers a few days later. If the ball doesn’t swing, he can be easy for a good bat to get away and that’s an issue, but if Hilfy is on, it’s a big win for the green machine.
PERTH SCORCHERS
ADAM VOGES – As has been the case with two of the other teams in the semi finals, the captain is a key. Apologies to Dave Hussey on that. Adam Voges was the only shining light for the Scorchers in their abysmal batting effort against the Stars last Saturday and again needs to lead from the front and hope for some teammates to join the party. He’s been making plenty for Australia at test level but with a couple of key Perth batsmen, the Marshes, away on international duty, Voges has to shoulder some extra load.
MICHAEL KLINGER – Missed out a couple of times late in the piece which suggest Maxy is due for some runs in the semi. Mainly because he is too good not to get a few. Held the captaincy while Voges was away on test duties and is a perfect sounding board for the skipper to run a plan of attack by. If he gets going at the top and takes ahold of the Stars attack, they might not be shining overly bright for long.
JASON BEHRENDORFF – This is the last time we will see the big quick for a bit as a reoccurrence of stress fractures in his back set to sideline him for four months as soon as his Big Bash is over. He will play through pain in this match and potentially the final and, while the Scorchers would much rather a fully fit Behrendorff, he can still be effective while injured. Surely the medicos would have ruled him out already if he couldn’t be? Can strangle a side and is a wicket taker but knowing he is below his best, the Stars will surely target him from an early stage.
PREDICTION – STARS TO FINALLY BREAK THE SEMI FINAL CURSE
So, with my prediction of a Melbourne Stars v Sydney Thunder decider, the final would then be at the MCG on Sunday night and there I believe the Green Machine will finally live up to the hype and lift the Big Bash trophy.