KFC T20 Big Bash Review

Posted on February 7, 2010 | Category: Domestic, Twenty20

South Australia Redbacks

Runs: 48, HS: 27, Avg: 9.60, S/R: 145.45
Wkts: 7, BB: 4/19, Econ: 6.16, S/R: 15.4

The good thing about being an all-rounder is that generally when one aspect of your game sucks the other one normally justifies your place. Afridi played in every game in the group stage before his appetite got the better of him and national duty called. His batting performance isn’t worth mentioning to be honest but his leg spin managed to keep the batsmen at bay.

Runs: 190, HS: 52, Avg: 31.66, S/R: 145.03
Wkts: 5, BB: 2/8, Econ: 7.75, S/R: 9.6

The breakout star of the Champions League, the other KP impressed New South Wales so much with his performance in the CLT20 that they planned on signing him… until South Australia swooped in and kept him wearing red and black. Pollard’s T20 record was rightly well worth the hype with breakout performances in both the Stanford 20/20 for 20 and the Champions League. His crucial partnership with Mark Cosgrove in the Big Bash final gave the Redbacks some hope of winning but we know how that ended. A close contender for Import Of The Tournament

Queensland Bulls

Wkts: 1, BB: 1/6, Econ: 5.16, S/R: 36.0

With New Zealand’s domestic tournament in full swing parallel to the Big Bash, the signings of anyone for New Zealand was pretty much in the Brendon McCullum fly in for the game then go home. Vettori only played two games for Queensland (primarily because he was opening the batting for his home side Northern Districts) but his Big Bash debut did have him score an unbeaten 3*, three catches and one wicket at the expense of six runs. Sadly (for the Bulls) his second appaearance in the preliminary was ultimately worthless. Still I hope he had those flights across the Tasman paid for by Queensland Cricket.

Victoria Bushrangers

Runs: 77, HS: 36, Avg: 25.66, S/R: 157.14
Wkts: 4, BB: 3/32, Econ: 9.94, S/R: 25.5

Dwayne Bravo has to go down as the SWC Import Of The Tournament edging out his Trinidad & Tobago teamate Pollard for the simple reason that he was winning games for Victoria when the stalwarts like Hodge, Wade and White failed. Sure his bowling is nothing to write home about but we don’t look at little things like that when you’re winning. Victoria’s campaign started off shakily with a lot of the top order under performing from the first match but luckily Bravo stepped up to the plate, especially in that thrilling Champions League revenge game against New South Wales where his 18* off 8 pretty much won the game for the Bushrangers.

Runs: 62, HS: 58, Avg: 31.00, S/R: 151.21

Like Vettori, Ross Taylor was another New Zealand fly in who only played two games for the Bushrangers. The first game of the tournament had him playing the role of a Victorian Daniel Vettori rescuing the Bushrangers from a precarious 3/5 and contributing 58 runs to the eventual match winning total of 157. However its fairly pointless writing any more about him since he wont be representing the Bushrangers in the CLT20 after his 80 for Central Districts booked them their spot in the Champions League.

Western Australia Warriors

Runs: 61, HS: 44, Avg: 30.50, S/R: 184.84
Wkts: 1, BB: 1/26, Econ: 6.50, S/R: 24.0

After injuring himself in his first match for the Warriors, Gayle sat on the sidelines for the majority of the tournament returning in their last match only to be dismissed for 17 by hitting his wicket in a fashion that would even make Inzamam Ul-Haq blush. Unless KKR makes the CLT20 or Jamaica wins the non existant Twenty20 competition in the West Indies it seems that we wont be seeing Chris Gayle in the CLT20.

New South Wales Blues

Runs: 31, HS: 25, Avg: 7.75, S/R: 119.23
Wkts: 6, BB: 2/4, Econ: 7.68, S/R: 13.6

Poor New South Wales, they miss out on Pollard so have to settle with Sussex’s dead weight. I completely forgot he was signed to play in the Big Bash until I wrote this article to be honest. DUD.

Tasmania Tigers

Runs: 79, HS: 47, Avg: 15.80, S/R: 123.43
Wkts: 9, BB: 3/15, Econ: 7.69, S/R: 12.5

I’ll admit I initially looked at Tassie’s signing of Rana as a waste considering his form in the ICL. But in hindsight that’s like saying Brian Lara was a shit batsman because he was bowled by Zoe Goss. Rana was the Tigers leading wicket taker and his Man Of The Match performance against Western Australia in the group stage which he added a valuable 48 runs and took three wickets and two amazing run outs really cemented him as one of Tasmania’s key players. It’s just a shame that the only other people on that list were Tim Paine, Travis Birt and Brett Geeves. Good thing Rana plays for Pakistan where key players are few and far between.

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