BBL Archives

WATCH: Neser takes unbelievable boundary catch in BBL

BRISBANE: Brisbane Heat’s Micahel Neser left everyone awestruck when he made an extraordinary fielding effort to take a juggling catch at the boundary.

In a BigBash League match between Brisbane Heat and Sydney Sixers on Monday, Nesser took a stunning catch to dismiss Jordan Silk, that too at the crucial stage of the game.

On the second ball of the 19th over, Silk hit fast bowler Mark Steketee over extra cover, where Neser was patrolling the boundary. He took a running catch and tried to flick the ball back as he was going over the fence. He chipped it again and jumped to the other side of the rope to complete the catch.

When the catch was reviewed by the TV umpire, it was clear from the replay that the player had his feet up in the air when he flicked the ball while standing outside the ropes.

This is fascinating.

Out? Six? What's your call? #BBL12 pic.twitter.com/v22rzdgfVz

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 1, 2023

Following Silk’s dismissal, Sixers failed to chase 26 runs from 10 balls and lost the game by 15 runs.

READ: ‘Historic moment’: Saudis flock to buy Ronaldo shirts after Al Nassr deal

Sydney Thunder terminate Fazalhaq Farooqi after ‘behaviour incident’

SYDNEY: Sydney Thunder on Friday terminated Afghanistan pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi’s Big Bash League contract with immediate effect following an investigation by Cricket Australia.

According to a statement issued by the Thunder, the club received a complaint about the behaviour of Farooqi following an incident last Thursday and referred the matter to Cricket Australia’s Integrity Unit for investigation.

However a CA statement said the details of the incident were confidential, and neither CA nor the Thunder would add any further comment.

“The behaviours displayed by Fazalhaq Farooqi sit outside our values and it was determined that his contract be terminated,” said Cricket NSW CEO Lee Germon as quoted by the Thunders.

Farooqi has been part of Thunder’s playing XI in all four games, the club has played so far ongoing season of the BBL. He made an impressive debut for the club when he took 2 for 20 against Melbourne Stars, while he returned remarkable figures of 3/20 against Adelaide Strikers in the next game.

The left-arm pacer was signed by the franchise in November as a replacement after England’s David Willey announced his withdrawal from the tournament.

READ: Sethi-led PCB Management Committee to hold first meeting today

BBL: Sydney Thunder record lowest-ever T20 total

SYDNEY: The Big Bash League (BBL) franchise Sydney Thunder bagged an unwanted record as the team bundled out for the lowest-ever total in the history of T20 cricket.

The Thunder, in their BBL fixture against Adelaide Strikers, saw their batting lineup crumble as the side bundled out for just 15 runs.

Set to chase 140, none of the Thunder batters could amass a double-figure mark despite having the likes of Rilee Rossouw and Alex Hales in their lineup.

The Thunder’s dismal total of 15 is now the lowest-ever total in T20 cricket, dethroning Turkey’s 21 against the Czech Republic in the unwanted list.

The Strikers’ pacers Henry Thornton and Wes Agar played the key role in the Thunder’s misery as they bagged nine wickets combined for just nine runs.

Thornton returned with astounding bowling figures of 5/3, while Agar picked four wickets for just six runs.

Following their dismal batting performance, the Thunder endured a crushing 124-run defeat.

READ: England squad carries out six-hitting practice for Karachi Test

Warner to revive BBL career with Sydney Thunder

SYDNEY: Big-hitting Australian batsman David Warner Sunday signed a two-year deal with Sydney Thunder, ending a nine-year absence from the Big Bash League.

The 35-year-old opener has not played in the domestic Twenty20 competition since 2013 and said he wanted to get involved again to help support the next generation.

“I’m really excited to get back to the Big Bash with the club where I started,” said Warner, a veteran of 96 Tests, 133 ODIs and 91 T20 games for Australia.

“I care deeply about the game, and I am conscious that the conditions that I enjoy as a professional cricketer have largely come from other senior players who have come before me.

“That is how the game is structured and I understand that my contribution to the future of the BBL will hopefully benefit the next generation of players long after I am retired.”

Warner has not represented Thunder since the third BBL season, where he played just one game. He also played a single game for them in the inaugural season, and has appeared once for the Sydney Sixers.

He will join the team after his international commitments end in January and could be available for as many as five regular season matches.

“The club has a tremendous group of young talented batters and leaders, with the likes of Jason Sangha, Ollie Davies, Matt Gilkes and Baxter Holt,” said Thunder head coach Trevor Bayliss.

“They will all benefit greatly from Davey’s experience and guidance.”

The BBL season starts on December 13 when Thunder face the Melbourne Stars.

READ: Cricket Australia likely to lift lifetime captaincy ban from Warner: Reports

Big Bash League introduces draft system to attract overseas T20 stars

MELBOURNE: Cricket Australia (CA) has announced the introduction of a draft system for the upcoming Big Bash League, permitting the franchises to select up to three overseas players.

The BBL confirmed the introduction of a four-tier draft structure after facing two years delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic in order to attract T20’s megastars to Australia for the 2022-23 edition.

BBL teams will pick their international stars for BBL|12 in a brand new Draft!
Here's how it's all gonna work ➡️

The date of the Draft will be announced soon 👀 head to https://t.co/m11ahuhv5F to stay up to date!#BBL12Draft

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) June 22, 2022

CA has stated that the draft will take place in the coming months while the nominations have opened worldwide, promising global competitive rates for the nominated players.

Explaining the working of the newly introduced draft system, BBL announced via its official Twitter handle that players will nominate themselves online for either part or the entire tournament. They can nominate for three salary categories: Gold, Silver, and Bronze. The BBL will then elevate the biggest names to Platinum status.

Clubs will choose players in an order decided via a weighted lottery. The first weighted lottery to determine selections one, two, and three will include the three clubs that did not advance to the KFC BBL|11 Finals. The five finalists from the previous season will then be chosen for choices four through eight.

There will be four rounds in the draft, with one pick for each Club, which are permitted to skip some rounds, but by the end of round four, each club must choose a minimum of two and a maximum of three participants.

Each team is allowed one Retention Pick, which can be used in any round of the Draft. If a player has been part of the Club the previous season, they are eligible for retention.

Each Club’s BBL squad will consist of 18 players, with two or three overseas players selected from the Draft while the rest must be domestic players. Clubs will be able to sign up to five replacement overseas players after the conclusion of the Draft. To be an eligible replacement overseas, a player must have been nominated for the Draft, unless approved by the League.

READ: ‘Instead of Twitter, focus on performing’ Smith advises Rahul Tewatia

Evans, Tye drive Scorchers to the fourth BBL title

MELBOURNE: Perth Scorchers thumped Sydney Sixers by 79 runs in the Big Bash League (BBL) final; lifting their fourth title, here on Friday.

Batting first, the Scorchers posted a commendable 172-runs target despite starting poorly. The side was off to an unlikely start; losing four wickets for just 25 runs. The skipper – Ashton Turner and Laurie Evans, however, fought hard and steered the sinking ship to the coast.

The pair recorded a magnificent 104-runs partnership for the fifth wicket as both the batters scored valiant half-centuries. Turner fell short after scoring 54, while Evans remained unbeaten and kept the scoreboard ticking till the end.

Evans scored an astonishing 76 off just 41 deliveries, laced with four boundaries and as many sixes, while Turner too, smashed four boundaries and a massive six.

For the Sixers, Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe claimed two wickets each, while Hayden Kerr and Jackson Bird shared one wicket apiece.

Set to chase 172, the Sixers’ batting line-up failed completely and could only manage to score a paltry before being bowled out in the 17th over.

Daniel Hughes fought hard for the side but remained unlucky as the batter departed after scoring a valiant 42. His fighting innings ended by Mitchell Marsh, who ran out the batter with little assistance from the wicketkeeper Josh Inglis. The rest of the batters failed to contribute significantly and were dismissed cheaply.

For the Scorchers, Andrew Tye bagged three wickets while, Jhye Richardson took two, Jason Behrendorff, Turner, Peter Hatzoglou, and Ashton Agar struck out a batter each.

With this title victory, the Scorchers have now become the most successful BBL franchise; claiming four titles.

READ: Mohammad Abbas joins Hampshire for 2022 County Championship

Strikers thump Thunder, advance to the BBL Challenger

MELBOURNE: In the knock-out match of the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL), Adelaide Strikers sealed a thrilling victory over Sydney Thunder by six runs, and advanced to BBL Challenger.

Strikers’ bowler – Harry Conway held his nerve calm to defend 14 runs in the final over; leaking only seven runs and picking two wickets to knock Thunder out of the title hunt.

Set to chase 185, the Thunder had a poor start to their innings; losing their first wicket for a mere 15. Alex Ross and Jason Sangha, however, anchored the innings with their half-centuries when the side was two down for 56 in the seventh over.

Ross scored 56 off 39 deliveries including four boundaries and a six before falling short to Conway. Sangha, on the other hand, held on for a little long and top-scored with his magnificent 61 off just 43 deliveries, laced with six boundaries and a six.

The duo appeared in top-notch but could not guide their side to the victory, while the rest of the Thunder batter failed to contribute significantly, resulting in the side losing the match by six runs in the end.

For the Strikers, Conway and Peter Siddle bagged two wickets each, while Matthew Short, Henry Thornton struck out a batter each.

Batting first, the Strikers managed to post a commendable total of 184/6 in the allotted 20 overs, thanks to the astonishing knock of Ian Cockbain, who top-scored for the side with his quickfire 65 off just 38 balls; smashing six boundaries and three sixes.

Short too, was impressive as the right-handed batter chipped in up the order to provide a solid foundation to the side. The 26-years-old scored a sensible 39 off 28 deliveries, laced with two boundaries and as many sixes.

With the valuable contribution from the rest of the Strikers batters, the side finished at 184/6 in 20 overs.

For Thunder, Gurinder Sandhu and Tanveer Sangha claimed two wickets each, while Jason Sangha and Nathan McAndrew struck out a batter each.

Following this victory, the Strikers have advanced to the Challenger of the BBL and will lock horns with Sydney Sixers for the final spot.

READ: Michael Owen to unveil Pakistan’s first ever Soccer City Stadium

Scorchers crush Sixers, advance to the BBL Final

MELBOURNE: Perth Scorchers’ opener Josh Inglis scored a magnificent 79 before the bowlers crushed Sydney Sixers’ batting line-up; defeating the latter by 48 runs to advance to the final of the Big Bash League (BBL), here on Saturday.

The Scorchers’ bowlers wreaked havoc over the Sixers batting line-up and despite the late onslaught from Ben Dwarshuis, the side could only manage to score 141, in response to the Scorchers’ 189.

Set to chase 190, the Sixers’ top-order failed completely as the side lost half of their batters for a mere 33. Moises Henriques showed resistance with his 17 but, he too could not pull the Sixers out of the trouble.

Dwarshuis, down the order, put on a fight and scored a valiant 66 off just 28 deliveries, smacking seven boundaries and four sixes. However, with his departure in the last over, the Sixers bowled out for a mere 141; losing the qualifier by 48 runs.

For the Scorchers, Jhye Richardson, Jason Behrendorff, Ashton Agar, and Andrew Tye bagged two wickets each, while Peter Hatzoglou made one scalp each.

Batting first, the Scorchers openers provided a solid start to the side; putting on a terrific 120-runs partnership. The duo anchored the innings; scoring half-centuries. Kurtis Patterson, however, fell short after scoring a brilliant half-century, he scored a quick 64 off 41 deliveries, including five boundaries and three sixes.

Inglis, on the other hand, held on for quite long and top-scored with his astonishing 79. He faced 49 balls; smashing nine boundaries and a six.

With valuable contributions from the middle-order, the Scorchers finished at 189/3 in the allotted 20 overs.

For the Sixers, Hayden Kerr picked two wickets, while Steev O’Keefe struck out a batter.

READ: ‘Indian cricketers Bhy Apnai Hain’ says Rizwan

Strikers knock Hurricanes out of BBL with 22-run win

MELBOURNE: Adelaide Strikers defeated Hobart Hurricanes by 22 runs in the first eliminator of the ongoing edition of the Big Bash League (BBL); knocking the latter out of the tournament, here on Friday.

Strikers’ bowlers, led by Peter Siddle, displayed combined effort to bowl out the Hurricanes on 166; providing a comfortable victory to the side.

Set to chase 189, the Hurricanes batting line-up struggled throughout the innings and kept losing the wickets at a consistent rate; resulting in the side falling short off 22 runs, in the end. D’Arcy Short tried to turn things around with his gritty 56 off 34 balls, but, could not drive his side to the victory.

Apart from Short, only Caleb Jewell (35) made a valuable contribution as the rest of the batters scored cheaply.

Following this flop batting show, the Strikers’ bowlers bundled out the Hurricanes on 166. Siddle bagged four wickets, while Harr Conway and Henry Thornton claimed two wickets each. Fawad Ahmed and Matthew Short, on the other hand, made one scalp each.

Batting first, the Strikers had a brilliant start to their innings as the openers – Alex Carey and Short provided a solid 145-runs foundation. The duo batted brilliantly up the order, both scoring half-centuries; putting the Strikers into the commanding position.

Hurricanes’ bowler – Scott Boland, however, managed to break the partnership, dismissing Carey for 67 in the 15th over. The batter faced 45 deliveries and smashed eight boundaries before walking back to the pavilion.

Soon after, Short also departed in the next over as Wil Parker forced the batter to nick the ball straight into the gloves of Ben McDermott. Short top-scored with his berserk 89, facing only deliveries, laced with four boundaries and six sixes.

Following their departure, the Strikers’ middle-order collapsed and could only add 24 runs in the last four overs, losing four wickets.

READ: Strict health and safety guidelines for PSL 7

Maxwell’s record-breaking 154* guides Stars to a thumping victory in BBL

MELBOURNE: Glenn Maxwell – Melbourne Stars skipper went berserk to smash the highest individual score in Big Bash League (BBL) history to guide the Stars to a crushing victory over Hobart Hurricanes, here on Wednesday.

Batting first, the Stars recorded the highest-ever BBL score; by amassing 273/2 in the quota of 20 overs, thanks to Maxwell’s record-breaking 154*. The 33-years-old faced just 64 deliveries; smoking 22 boundaries and four sixes.

Marcus Stoinis too scored an unbeaten 75 to pile on the misery for the Hurricanes. He faced just 31 balls and smashed 10 boundaries including six sixes.

Following this remarkable feat by Maxwell and Stoinis, the Stars finished at the highest BBL score, that is 273/2 in 20 overs; setting a massive target for the Hurricanes.

For the Hurricanes, Josh Kann and Jordan Thompson managed to take one wicket apiece.

Set to chase 274 in 20 overs, the Hurricanes could only score 167/6 in the allotted overs. Despite Ben McDermott’s quick 55 and D’Arcy Short’s 41, the Hurricanes fell way short in the run chase; losing the match by a massive margin of 106 runs.

For the Stars, Brody Couch starred with the ball; taking three wickets, while Beau Webster, Tom O’Connell, and Clint Hinchliffe struck out a batter each.

READ: ICC name Babar, Rizwan, Shaheen in T20I Team of the Year