We examined all off-season moves to determine which players each club would select in the first BBL Draft on Sunday, know the 2022-23 teams squad
Before Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Stars open the season at Manuka Oval on Tuesday, December 13, the KFC BBL|12 Draft will start at 6.30 p.m. on Sunday and will be aired live on Foxtel and Kayo Sports.
Here is a comprehensive overview of each club’s preparation for the season and how they may plan to bolster their draught lists.
Big Bash League (BBL) 2022-23 Teams Squad Players List Ahead Of Draft Pick
Adelaide Strikers
- BBL|12 squad (so far): Wes Agar, Cameron Boyce, Alex Carey, Harry Conway, Ryan Gibson, Travis Head, Henry Hunt, Thomas Kelly, Chris Lynn, Harry Nielsen, Matt Short, Jake Weatherald, Henry Thorton
- Ins: Cameron Boyce, Chris Lynn, Henry Hunt
- Outs: Matthew Renshaw, Jon Wells, Daniel Worrall
- BBL|11 squad members off-contract: Fawad Ahmed, Peter Siddle, Spencer Johnson, Liam O’Connor, Liam Scott
- Eligible retention picks: Rashid Khan, George Garton, Ian Cockbain, Daniel Worrall.
The addition of young fast bowler Henry Thornton and Chris Lynn, the all-time highest run scorer in the BBL, has made this week a big one for the Strikers. When Lynn joins the Gulf Giants in the International League T20 competition in the UAE, he is anticipated to be available until mid-January. The 32-year-old is anticipated to start at the top of the order alongside Matt Short in what appears to be a dangerous opening partnership.
With choice number five in the BBL|12 Draft and the probable re-signing of seasoned seamer Peter Siddle in addition to the acquisition of Cameron Boyce, the Strikers have made no secret of their desire to keep Afghanistan’s star batsman Rashid Khan. Expect the Strikers to strengthen their middle-order batting in the draught given the departures of Matthew Renshaw (Brisbane Heat) and Jon Wells (Melbourne Renegades), as well as the absence of Travis Head and Alex Carey for the first half of the season due to Test commitments.
Brisbane Heat
- BBL|12 squad (so far): Xavier Bartlett, James Bazley, Max Bryant, Sam Heazlett, Usman Khawaja, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, Jack Wildermuth
- Ins: Usman Khawaja, Matthew Renshaw
- Outs: Chris Lynn
- BBL|11 squad members off-contract: Tom Cooper, Connor Sully, Matthew Willams
- Eligible retention picks: Mujeeb ur Rahman, Tom Abell, Fakhar Zaman.
The Heat’s top-order batting is still formidable despite losing Lynn during the off-season thanks to the presence of Test talents Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, and Renshaw. Mitch Swepson, a leg-spinner, is anticipated to be available for the full season as a result of the anticipated relaxation of COVID bubbles surrounding the national team.
Look for the Heat to improve their power-hitting on draught night. Xavier Bartlett, James Bazley, Matt Kuhnemann, Michael Neser, Mark Steketee, and Jack Wildermuth can all contribute with the ball. Mujeeb ur Rahman, an Afghan finger spinner who was selected in the second round, could possibly be retained to help Swepson.
Hobart Hurricanes
- BBL|12 squad (so far): Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Caleb Jewell, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Mitch Owen, Joel Paris, Wil Parker, D’Arcy Short, Matthew Wade
- Ins: TBC
- Outs: Tom Rogers
- BBL|11 squad members off-contract: Scott Boland, Peter Handscomb, Josh Kann, Mac Wright
- Eligible retention picks: Jordan Cox, Tom Lammonby, Sandeep Lamichhane.
Ricky Ponting, the high-profile new director of strategy for the Hurricanes, has had a quiet few months. The only newcomers to the team from the previous season are new head coach Jeff Vaughan and coaches James Hopes and Darren Berry. Having said that, the ‘Canes have a strong batting lineup with players like Tim David, Ben McDermott, D’Arcy Short, and Matthew Wade signed up for BBL|12 once more.
And they have plenty of pace bowling options if Joel Paris, Nathan Ellis, and Riley Meredith can maintain their fitness. Expect them to keep Sandeep Lamichhane in order to improve their spin stocks and to look for a power-hitting all-around player.
Melbourne Renegades
- BBL|12 squad (so far): Zak Evans, Aaron Finch, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sam Harper, Mackenzie Harvey, Nic Maddinson (c), Shaun Marsh, Kane Richardson, Tom Rogers, Jon Wells
- Ins: Tom Rogers, Jon Wells
- Outs: Cameron Boyce, James Pattinson
- BBL|11 squad members off-contract: Marcus Harris, Jack Prestwidge, Will Sutherland, Mitch Perry, Josh Lalor
- Eligible retention picks: Unmukt Chand, Zahir Khan, Reece Topley.
The Renegades have been working hard off-season to avoid a fourth straight wooden spoon. The loss of seasoned quick James Pattinson, who wants to spend more time with his family during the Christmas season and keep his body fresh for first-class cricket, will be disappointing to them.
Their middle order and death bowling, which have been weakness areas in recent seasons, will be strengthened by the addition of Jon Wells and former Hurricanes quick Tom Rogers, and their batting output will be increased by having Aaron Finch, Shaun Marsh, and Nic Maddinson available for the entire season. The Renegades stated that they will use their coveted first pick to select the top player in the talent pool and that they will also search for a front-line spinner in the BBL|12 Draft on Sunday.
Melbourne Stars
- BBL|12 squad (so far): Joe Burns, Hilton Cartwright, Brody Couch, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Liam Hatcher, Clint Hinchliffe, Nick Larkin, Glenn Maxwell (c), Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Beau Webster, Adam Zampa
- Ins: TBC
- Outs: Seb Gotch
- BBL|11 squad members off-contract: Tom O’Connell, Sam Elliott, Sam Rainbird
- Eligible retention picks: Qais Ahmad, Andre Russell, Ahmad Daniyal Latif, Joe Clarke, Syed Faridoun Mahmood.
Since Adam Zampa, Marcus Stoinis, and Glenn Maxwell are all of the Stars’ top international players and are all locked up for another season, there hasn’t been much movement there either throughout the winter. Additionally, because South Africa withdrew from the ODI series in January, the trio will be available for the full BBL season.
Trent Boult may be on the board for the No. 2 pick in the draught, while the Stars may decide to keep big-hitting all-arounder Andre Russell. Historically, the Stars have chosen fast bowlers and the greatest names as their foreign players. Following Seb Gotch’s retirement due to a persistent finger injury, the Stars still need to fill a wicketkeeping hole, and Joe Clarke appears to be a likely candidate for retention.
Perth Scorchers
- BBL|12 squad (so far): Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Cooper Connolly, Aaron Hardie, Peter Hatzoglou, Nick Hobson, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kelly, Mitch Marsh, Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye
- Ins: TBC
- Outs: Kurtis Patterson
- BBL|11 squad members off-contract: None
- Eligible retention picks: Laurie Evans, Colin Munro, Tymal Mills.
The Scorchers had the most of their championship-winning roster secured before they won last season’s record-breaking championship, with Kurtis Patterson’s departure, who chose to return to Sydney after a breakout season, being the sole blemish. Local players Nick Hobson or Cameron Bancroft should step up to fill that hole, while Australian stars Josh Inglis, Mitch Marsh, Jhye Richardson, and Ashton Agar appear to be available for the entire season.
The Scorchers still need a local player to fill one of their roster spots, so they’re hopeful Australian all-rounder Cameron Green will be interested in playing in the Big Bash after the Sydney Test against South Africa. David Willey, a former Scorcher, could be selected by the Scorchers in the first round of the draught on Sunday because the English left-armer has not yet been signed by a team in another T20 league and is the most readily available of the platinum-level players.
Sydney Sixers
- BBL|12 squad (so far): Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Dan Christian, Ben Dwarshuis, Moises Henriques, (c), Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Nathan Lyon, Steve O’Keefe, Kurtis Patterson, Josh Philippe, Jordan Silk
- Ins: Kurtis Patterson
- Outs: TBC
- BBL|11 squad members off-contract: Todd Murphy, Jack Edwards, Mickey Edwards, Ben Manenti, Lloyd Pope
- Eligible retention picks: Tom Curran, Chris Jordan, James Vince, Shadab Khan.’
The runners-up from the previous season have retained the core of their roster and will once again be a factor in BBL|12. If they decide not to keep James Vince at the draught, the acquisition of Patterson to maybe partner Josh Philippe at the top of the order would assist bolster the batting since the English right-hander is only available for the first half of the tournament before he joins the UAE league.
To fill a gap until Nathan Lyon becomes available in early January after the Test series against South Africa, the Sixers may be looking to select a spinner in the draught.
Sydney Thunder
- BBL|12 squad (so far): Oliver Davies, Brendan Doggett, Matthew Gilkes, Chris Green, Baxter Holt, Nathan McAndrew, Alex Ross, Daniel Sams, Jason Sangha, Tanveer Sangha, David Warner
- Ins: David Warner
- Outs: Usman Khawaja
- BBL|11 squad members off-contract: Gurinder Sandhu, Ben Cutting
- Eligible retention picks: Sam Billings, Alex Hales, Muhammad Hasnain.
The Thunder pulled off the off-biggest season’s coup by enticing Australian legend David Warner back to the BBL after a nine-year absence. The loss of Khawaja to the Heat is more than made up for by Warner, one of the most destructive T20 bats in the world and the fourth-highest run scorer in the format’s history (10,870 runs).
Keep an eye out for a Sam Billings retention pick as the Thunder may be looking for a wicketkeeper-batter in the draught. The Thunder also need an opener until David Warner joins the team after the New Year’s Test, so Alex Hales might be back for a fourth consecutive season.