Big Bash League 2015/16

[from_the_stands]

So we're about 300 odd sleeps from this great competition kicking off once more. This will be the fifth edition for the best T20 league outside the IPL. Perth will be looking to make their fifth finals in a row, with the two Melbourne franchises looking to break Victoria's duck. The trading period started on Monday, he's a few of moves announced thus far;

Around 80 players are coming off contracts, with the salary cap increasing by $A100k to stand at $A800k in total.
Yuvraj Singh won't be playing in the BBL any time soon.
Cameron White is a free agent and is yet to be resigned by the Stars.
Stephen Fleming will be the new coach for the Melbourne Stars.
Melbourne Renegades are also in the market for a new coach. They could snap up Greg Shippard, or their director of cricket, Tom Moody could be a chance.
Clint McKay was released by the Melbourne Stars and has signed with the Sydney Thunder.
Jackson Bird has also left the Stars and looks set to join the Sydney Sixers.
To cover the loss of McKay and Bird, the Stars are chasing Ben Hilfenhaus.
Melbourne Renegades are chasing Xavier Doherty, in addition to four other unnamed players, with Cameron White rumoured to be one of those.
Ben Rohrer has left the Renegades and joined Sydney Thunder.
Sydney Thunder have retained Usman Khawaja, Pat Cumins and Gurinder Sandhu.
Freddie Flintoff looks certain to get the chop from the Brisbane Heat.
KP will almost certainly be retained by the Stars.
I'm expecting Luke Wright to get the chop from the Stars, who must surely be looking at bowlers.

Stay tuned for more updates.


A women's league looks set for lift-off next summer with eight franchises aligned with the men's teams.

[from_the_stands]

The nuts and bolts of how the trade period works;

http://www.brisbaneheat.com.au/news/2015/02/20/bbl-trade-period-approches

[from_the_stands]

From a Melbourne Stars point of view, King Eddie will be pulling out all the stops to get the men in green into their first BBL final. I'm not surprised that they cut Clint MaKay loose, given that he barely featured in BB4. Jackson Bird is a big loss, but would be compensated by the arrival of Ben Hilfenhaus. Signing Stephen Fleming as head coach, might prove to be the signing of the year. Hopefully his first move will be to resign Cameron White. I'd imagine that KP will return, but not Luke Wright. I thought our bowling attack was short a quick, when Lasith Malinga wasn't resigned. I doubt we'll see him in green again, but a fast quick is definitely what is required for that second import spot. Tim Southee would do. One player we didn't see a lot of was Marcus Stoinus. I'm not sure of his status, but I reckon he's worth hanging on to, along with David Hussey, who missed much of the campaign through injury. If I were Stephen Fleming, I'd be sniffing around the Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers to see who was coming out of contract there. Both teams have loads of talent in their squads. Some fringe players might fancy a bit more action. If Jason Behrendoff was available, I'd definitely be having a crack at him, although I'd say that he was banging on the door to a call-up to the ODI squad, so that might not work, especially with James 'the finisher" Faulkner a nailed on certainly for ODI action next summer.

My Stars XI for BBL5

Cameron White (c)
Peter Handscomb
Kevin Pieterson
Glenn Maxwell
David Hussey (vc)
Marcus Stoinus
James Faulkner
John Hastings
Tim Southee
Ben Hilfenhaus
Michael Beer

[GarlicJam]

Good posts, FTS.

It looks like the Thunder will do well to retain those three (hopefully Khawaja has better luck with injuries next season), adn even though he had a terrible season for the Renegades, I think Rohrer is a great (re)aquisition.

Hurricanes need to do some good work in this trade period.

[from_the_stands]

Alex Doolan, Aaron O'Brian and peter Neville have all been released by the Renegades. I reckon Neville will end up at the Sydney Thunder, with Doolan going to the Hurricanes probably.

[GarlicJam]

I got the impression towards the end of the last season that Doug the Rug might be looking for a new club for next season. After looking pretty unenthusiastic in his last over in the final, he made a blunder that led to a couple of free-hits and many free runs for the Scorchers - which proved the difference between winning and losing the final. A couple of fielding errors tossed in compounded my view here.

[andy]

some side that FTS...as usual for the stars!!! Just choke when it gets near the big games..

[from_the_stands]

Johan Botha has signed a three year deal with the Sydney Sixers.

[GarlicJam]

Johan Botha has signed a three year deal with the Sydney Sixers.

Yeah, I read that this morning, and was surprised. I thought that he was a rusted on Redback (and therefore Striker).

A lot of spin in Sixerland (or slow bowling at least) - Botha, Lyons and O'Keefe.

[from_the_stands]

Shaun Tait has signed for Slowbart.

[GarlicJam]

You're quick, fts. No sooner do I read it elsewhere, than you've posted about it here.

[from_the_stands]

You're quick, fts. No sooner do I read it elsewhere, than you've posted about it here.

Yeah, my ex-girlfriend used to say that to me a lot.

[braveneutral]

Poor Yuvi!

[GarlicJam]

Right thread, BN? Is he coming to The Thunder, or something?

[braveneutral]

Right thread, BN? Is he coming to The Thunder, or something?

A response to the OP, but most of the time it is the wrong thread.

I think I had read another comment about Yuvi just before.

He is signing for Hobart though.