Something Old, Something New - Big Bash Review

Dave Warner celebrates a T20 Century, the highlight of the first weekend. Courtesy Getty Images

Casualties, disappointing crowds, a letdown of a legend and old dogs taming the new tricks have been the story of the first round of the newly franchised and up marketed domestic T20 competition.

An under anticipated crowd of 12,000 ventured to the Sydney Cricket ground to watch an injury depleted “Man”genta Sydney Sixers team take on the aqua blue Brisbane Heat. The “Warne show” took to the MCG to face the electric green Sydney Thunder led by T20 dynamo Dave Warner. The Pollard-less Adelaide Strikers took on the Redback Melbourne Renegades at the Adelaide Oval headlined with the best squad in the competition, And finally out in the West in the “Scorching Heat” the veteran Perth team took on the Dark Horse Hobart Hurricanes with their test-match-esque opening pair in Ricky Ponting and Phil Jacques.

Despite the very disappointing crowd for the first game of the revamped T20 Big Bash, the game saw an eventful beginning when Brett Lee roughened up Brendon McCullum through the grill at 140KPH breaking his nose. The revival of the 40 year old grey haired Stuart MacGill saw a brilliant bowling performance that included clean bowling 40 year old Matty Hayden around the legs; the Old Dogs were taming the young man’s game. Chasing down 139 for the Sixers would prove fairly easy with Captain Brad Haddin adding a handy 72 off 59 that ensured the victory. The Sixers won this battle, but with the casualty ward they already hold. Loosing Starc and Haddin to International Duty will hurt. On the other hand the Brisbane Heat Should be gaining Daniel Vettori but at the possible expense of Brendon McCullum and Daniel Christian which could hurt an already struggling team after round 1.

The Warne Show took its first stop at his spiritual home, the MCG. A solid bowling performance from the under-rated bowling team was a main highlight of the Star’s innings where David Hussey and Luke Wright from England make vital cameos in setting up a 153 run chase for the Thunder. Then it began, the two most destructive openers in world T20 joined forces for the Thunder, but their partnership was very short lived with Gayle dismissed for 4 in the first over. This set the most explosive batsman in Australia on a mission for the Thunder, The captain Warner smashed 102* off just 51 balls which included destroying Shane Warne for 2 big sixes over the back of the legendary leg spinners head and numerous lives including being caught over the rope and run-out when nobody on the ground noticed. With Warner staring down the barrel of International duty, it worked out great that he pulled out his best performance when he could. Next week for the Thunder could be D-Day without Warner where Gayle has to perform for the Thunder to get home. For the Stars, well they have to work out what is going on, they need Warne to take wickets and need to win games to get a crowd with such an explosive line-up. Only 23,000 made it to the MCG when it was expected that 50,000-60,000 screaming cricket fans were going to see the great Leg Spinner weave some magic with that bacon burned hand.

Second Slip, 

As Second Slip pointed out in his Big Bash preview, the Strikers are really the only team only with Hobart who have a solid bunch of domestic players that you wouldn’t think would be required for national duties:

“One of the only teams not to be overwhelmed with Injury and International duty can be seen as a bonus to their solid Domestic player line-up.”

I was more a less in the same boat, and I always thought guys like Klinger, Harris, Ferguson, Afridi have played with each other before and do the job. They did last night against the underwhelming Renegades. The boys in Red who will live under the roof at Etihad Stadium, seemed to play with the cohesion of a bunch of park cricketers who had been at the pub until 4:30. The ever reliable opening partnership of Captain Klinger and Daniel ‘Doc’ Harris got them to 86 without loss. Some strong late order hitting from two ex Victorians, Adam Crosthwaite and Aiden Blizzard, and some improvisation from Cam Borgas got the Strikers to 5/189. In truth, the Renegades never looked in it, although the ever impressive all-rounder Glenn Maxwell made 46, and Andrew McDonald 30-odd, 189 was always a bridge too far. 67 runs was the end margin, and the Strikers showed some very ominous form early.

  

Before ‘batting camp’ to focus on Test match batting, Ricky Ponting had to don the purple of the Hobart Hurricanes and play a T20. Well done Cricket Australia! Anyway, Ponting played a glorious flick off his toes before he awfully miss-hit a lofted on drive, and spooned it to mid off for 17 off 19. Adopted West Australian Travis Brit smashed around 40, while Englishman Owais Shah made a fool of himself, slipping over and being run out. It’s funny seeing other fail. Michael Beer bowled very well for the Scorchers, while Ben Edmondson took 4-40. But the highlight of the night was when Paul Collingwood came onto bowl, the Collingwood AFL theme song was played around the WACA! They made some enemy’s out of it for sure. In the Scorchers innings, Ben Hilfenhaus showed us why he is a good bowler and should never be forgotten, bowling at a lively pace taking 2-10 off 4, the 5^th best figures in Big Bash history. Mitchell Marsh and Nathan Rimmington had some fun hitting down wind, but like the Renegades in the earlier match, the Scorchers were always behind the eight-ball in their 31 run loss.

The Globe Trotter,

So far, the T20 Big Bash has seen some amazing feats, but the real story is that the crowds have been lacking for such a well marketed campaign involving key figures such as Shane Warne. Domestic allegiance is one idea that has been floated around in the media that suggests that having one year contracts and different colours for the franchises creates now fan to team allegiance that the marketing campaign of the BBL has tried to pounce on. I guess time will tell with this competition. Second Slip ventures to ANZ to watch the Thunder take on the destructive Adelaide Strikes on the 23^rd of December, stay tuned for a whole match review with a voice from inside the crowd.

Second Slip and the Globe Trotter,