Forget the Ashes, that’s old hat and any England supporter still clinging to the belief that Joe Root and his team can dig themselves out of a hole are probably delusional. There is a one-day series still to contest once Steve Smith’s men have regained the urn but those cricket-mad Aussies are already looking forward to the KFC Big Bash.
The Big Bash is just about to begin its seventh year and organisers Cricket Australia are promising this edition is going to be bigger and better than the previous six. There will be 43 regional T20 matches, eight more than last year, in 47 days starting on December 19 with the Sydney derby between the Thunder and the Sixers. The final is scheduled for February 4 and this year’s competition will be visiting new venues like Launceston, Tasmania’s second city.
There are no shortage of England players, past and present, playing in the Big Bash this winter. Kevin Pietersen and Luke Wright will be lining up for the Melbourne Stars and Ian Bell and Tim Bresnan are set to play for the Perth Scorchers alongside Yorkshire’s David Willey. Jason Roy, Michael Lumb and Sam Billings are signed up with Sydney Sixers while Tymal Mills’ globe-trotting T20 schedule sees him arrives in Hobart to team up with the Hurricanes.
The Perth Scorchers won the Big Bash for the third time in four years last winter but the odds are stacked against them this season. Cameron Bancroft, Shaun Marsh and Mitch Marsh are all in the Australia squad so are unlikely to play much of a part. Joel Paris has fitness issues and that could put a lot of strain on 36-year-old Mitchell Johnson so the general 4/1 may not be much value this time around.
Brisbane Heat, 6/1 with bwin, are heavily reliant on big-hitting Chris Lynn but Aaron Finch and the Melbourne Renegades (a general 5/1) look to have a strong, well-balanced squad who have the experience to last the course.
SYDNEY SIXERS have the best record in the Big Bash after the Perth Scorchers. They won the inaugural event in 2012 and have been the beaten finalists twice in the last three years. Moises Henriques’ side are 11/2 with a couple of online betting firms, including Boylesports, and probably a little overpriced in a competition in which you can probably put a line through a few of the eight-strong field.
Big Bash League 07 Best Odds
Perth Scorchers 4/1, Melbourne Renegades, Melbourne Stars and Sydney Sixers 11/2, Brisbane Heat 6/1, Adelaide Strikers 8/1, Sydney Thunder 10/1, Hobart Hurricanes 12/1
