Twenty20 Big Bash Round 1: Western Australia v Tasmania @ Perth (Thu)

[Russian]

vs

WACA Ground, Perth
5:30pm Thursday December 30​

After wasting the last four days of the holiday period (and the next two), Cricket Australia decides this is the day to kick off the latest version of the Big Bash. 6 games each this year, which is less than half the number in the IPL but it still takes around the same time to complete - 38 days.

With six of the Test sides playing internationals, the West Indian contracted players required to play their domestic tournament, Sri Lanka banning their players from playing anything that may disrupt their World Cup preparations, it's not a great pool to choose from for imports, with the nine selections made up of the West Indian rebels and a bunch of Poms who aren't wanted for the national limited overs sides, while Tassie have gone with and an out-of-favour Pakistani and a Dutchman.

WA have dropped Liam Davis and David Bandy to make room for the internationals, with Michael Swart preferred in this format after being dropped from both the other sides recently. He's most likely there as cover for Tom Beaton, who was hit in the nets today by the other inclusion - Mick Lewis, yes that Mick Lewis, 0/113 Mick Lewis, who hasn't played at this level in more than three years. Given Ashley Noffke was told he'd retired after one game of each format earlier this year, it's a strange decision to say the least. Brett Dorey is the fast bowler from their expanded squad who misses out.

One of the others was Rana Naved-ul-Hasan who returns for Tassie, and is joined by Dutch allrounder Ryan ten Doeschate because Tassie don't have enough allrounders already. Matthew Day makes way for one and Jon Wells is the obvious omission to fit in Tim Paine, probably Cowan to make room for the other import. Paine had a great tournament as an opener last year, but he may have to bat further down this year with Cosgrove and Lockyear the likely openers.

Western Australia XIV:
Chris Gayle
Shaun Marsh
Luke Pomersbach
*Marcus North
Adam Voges
Tom Beaton (T20 debut)
Michael Swart (T20 debut)
+Luke Ronchi
Nathan Coulter-Nile
Aaron Heal
Saj Mahmood (WA debut)
Mick Lewis (WA debut)
Michael Hogan
In: (to last ODD side)
Gayle
Swart
Mahmood
Lewis
Out:
Liam Davis
David Bandy
Brett Dorey

Tasmania XIV:
Rhett Lockyear
Mark Cosgrove
+Tim Paine
*George Bailey
Travis Birt
Ryan ten Doeschate (Tas debut)
Ed Cowan
Jon Wells (T20 debut)
James Faulkner
Rana Naved-ul-Hasan
Jason Krejza
Luke Butterworth
Xavier Doherty
Brendan Drew
In: (to last ODD side)
Paine
ten Doeschate
Rana
Out:
Matthew Day

Weather:
Sunny, 31 degrees.

Session Times
First innings: 5:30-6:50pm
Second session: 7:05-8:25pm

Coverage:

from 8pm AEDT

from some time before 8:30pm AEDT
Cricket Australia's scorecard

Tickets:
Adults - from $20
Concession - from $15
Children - from $10
Family - from $45

 

[jefffff34]

Match Winner
Western Australia $1.73
Tasmania $2.10

First 6 Overs
Western Australia $1.90
Tasmania $1.90

Most 6's
Western Australia $2.00
Tasmania $2.25
Tie $6.25

 

[Slammin Sammy Says]

Mick Lewis!!

There's a blast from the past. Very surpirsed at this move after Mickey Arthurs moved Noffke on after he quit four day cricket. Interesting decision

 

[jefffff34]

As is generally the case here, the team that bats first will generally win.

The team batting first at the WACA Ground is averaging 176 for their 20 overs, with an average of 6 6's in their inning. The team batting first also holds a 9-5 record over the team batting second, with 188 being the highest total chased down for victory. Six times has the team batting first hit over 188, and the closest the chasers have got is 26 behind. So that seems to be the key number for the team batting first.

I am leaning towards tipping Tasmania for this match, but will be waiting to see the toss and the line ups. A lot of the talk will be about Chris Gayle and his influence tonight, and that is fair enough as he is world class, however, Tassie have the players that get the job done effectively with the bat. Lockyear is a key player, he hits and hits hard. He only averages 21 in this form of cricket, however he averages a 6 every 13 balls he faces (the same as Gayle). If he can get going, and stay in (3 50s in 16 innings with a strike rate of 161 shows he can - a better strike rate and ratio of making 50 than Gayle!) I will be backing Tasmania to do enough easily with the bowlers they have.

If Tasmania win the toss and bat first, I believe they are almost sure things with Doherty and Krejza taking the pace off the ball, and early too.

Put a live bet on at half time if the team batting first makes more than 188

 

[Doodlesweaver]

Mick Lewis!!

There's a blast from the past. Very surpirsed at this move after Mickey Arthurs moved Noffke on after he quit four day cricket. Interesting decision

They have had a lot of injuries with bowlers this year, can hardly keep the same attack on the park 2 matches running. But it is an odd choice. Still you never know.

Arthur is getting to learn how tough a nut the Warriors are to crack. He may be driven mad by the end of his contract.

 

[HSSB]

Pumped for the Twenty20 comp

 

[magic_johnson!]

6.25 for a tie??? Surely not...

 

[Jolldo87]

6.25 for a tie??? Surely not...

That's for a tie in the amount of 6's.

 

[magic_johnson!]

That's for a tie in the amount of 6's.

Oh right...should learn to read

 

[gloryandfame]

North and Hogan both out.

Really looking forward to the Big Bash this year.

 

[legend166]

Ridiculous pitch position.

 

[peternorth]

can someone explain what is on the front of the WA shirt? just looks like a random stripe?

 

[The Master88]

cricket.com.au says Ryan ten Doeschate is 12th man

 

[jefffff34]

Tasmania bat.

Lockyear and Pomersbach for hi bat.

 

[legend166]

The idea of a specialist death bowler doesn't make sense to me. The skill of bowling at the death should be applicable to all overs in a T20 game.

 

[The Master88]

looks like cricket.com.au is wrong with who the 12th men are

 

[mattys123]

Woot, Tassie bat first, glad to get on them @ 2.10.

Gayle the only thing standing between Tassie and a win you would think, Cosgrove, Bailey, Lockyear, Birt, Paine and the 2 spinners, all love this form of the game.

 

[Cousin Jed]

Lucky old bastards

 

[mattys123]

Ahh, gotta love Fox Sports and it's "eye candy" reporters.

 

[djrossie16]

Chris Gayle is cool

 

[Damon_3388]

Good to see Rana Naved's mullet back on Australian soil

 

[eddiesmith]

Mick Lewis? Lol, couldnt believe it when I saw him on the IPL list as assumed he was long gone and now he is playing for WA? Getting desperate over there

 

[djrossie16]

Good to see Rana Naved's mullet back on Australian soil

Another cool guy


Anyone know whether the dutch bloke is cool too?

 

[The Fonz]

I'm fascinated to see how X does.

 

[djrossie16]

Go Lewis