When the Big Bash League (BBL) started, no one really expected it to do as well as it has done so far. With the sixth edition of the tournament just around the corner, the Australian crowd will be hoping that the fireworks from past seasons continue. Unlike the Indian Premier League (IPL), where bowlers are mostly mere spectators to the T20 format, the BBL does allow opportunities for bowlers to showcase their talents on assisting pitches Down Under.
Some of the Australian national team bowlers like Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood might not even feature in the tournament due to international commitments. And although Adil Rashid, who finished the previous edition as the best spinner, will miss the tournament owing to England’s tour of India, there is no dearth to the amount of bowling talent that will be on show at BBL 6.
Here we take a look at five key bowlers you should have in your Oye Captain fantasy team:
#5 – Sean Abbott (Sydney Sixers)
On paper, Sydney Sixers have one of the strongest bowling sides in the BBL with the likes of Starc, Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Jackson Bird. However, all of the aforementioned will play very little or no part for the Sixers due to national team commitments. This is why Sean Abbott will be the key bowler for the weakened Sixers side.
During a disappointing campaign for the Sixers during the 2015/16 edition, Abbott came out as a silver lining by finishing as the seventh-highest wicket-taker. In 8 matches, Abbott picked up 11 wickets averaging 19.54. The 24-year-old will be the key weapon for the Sixers in the bowling department. However, he will have to work on his economy rate, which was 10 last season.
#4 – Ben Hilfenhaus (Melbourne Stars)
Despite playing his last international match in 2012, Hilfenhaus has not given up on his cricketing career and kept going, making good use of his vast experience. Even though the 33-year-old has not played a lot of cricket of late, Hilfenhaus will be a valuable addition to any team going by his experience in T20s where he averages just over 22, picking up 97 wickets in 79 matches.
Hilfenhaus picked up 10 wickets in 8 matches at an average of 20.80 and a healthy economy rate of 8.32. With James Faulkner and Adam Zampa most likely set to leave the Stars once the Australia ODI series against Pakistan commences, a lot of responsibility will rest on Hilfenhaus’ shoulders. A knee injury to John Hastings is set to rule him out for a major part of the tournament. This will only add more value to Hilfenhaus and make him an important bowler for the Stars.
#3 – Andrew Tye (Perth Scorchers)
Two-time champions, Perth Scorchers have always maintained a good bowling unit and it is no different this season. The Scorchers are the only team to have won the BBL more than once. Andrew Tye made his international debut for Australia following a brilliant bowling campaign for the Scorchers last season during which they finished third at the end of the league stage.
The 30-year-old picked up 13 wickets in 9 matches at an average of 18.00 and an economy rate of just over 7. These are quite impressive numbers for the T20 format. Tye’s strike rate of 17.4 in T20s suggests that he is a wicket-taking bowler and fantasy team owners can be assured of getting good value from picking him. The Perth-born bowler will also want to prove a point and impress the national team selectors.
#2 – Clint McKay (Sydney Thunder)
In the Thunder’s title-winning campaign last season, Usman Khawaja is probably the one given most credit as he added much-needed firepower at the top of the batting line-up. However, one of the unsung heroes of the Thunder was Clint McKay, who finished BBL 5 as the leading wicket-taker. In the 10 matches he played, he picked up 18 wickets averaging an impressive 15.22 and gave away only just above 8 runs an over.
Even if Pat Cummins might be a key bowler for the Thunder, McKay will be the one to watch out for as Cummins is set to leave the Thunder during Australia’s ODI series against Pakistan. McKay is definitely a bargain and will fetch easy points for fantasy team owners.
#1 – Chris Tremain (Melbourne Renegades)
If there is any team that looks most balanced, it is the Renegades. They have both experience and youth in their bowling line-up. While Peter Siddle and Nathan Rimmington provide the experience, James Pattinson and Chris Tremain are the ones the eyes will really be on. Pattinson, who is making a comeback from a long injury layoff, will be keen to prove himself and be in the reckoning for the national side.
For this very reason, Tremain should be the ones that fantasy team owners need to look at. Although Tremain does not have a lot of experience in T20s, with only 23 matches under his belt, it is his recent performances in the domestic circuit that have made him the #1 bowler to pick in any fantasy team.
In 5 Sheffield Shield matches for Victoria, the 25-year-old picked up 26 wickets at an average of just 17.57. With an ODI debut in the recent Australian tour of South Africa under his belt, Tremain will be pumped up for this season of the BBL and will be keen to carry on his form from domestic cricket.
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