Howie, Isa And Gilly's Comprehensive Big Bash League Preview

The seventh edition of the Big Bash League is upon us.

So a timely rain delay in the cricket led Triple M's Mark Howard, Isa Guha and Adam Gilchrist to preview the season ahead. 

Gilly noted some of the best inclusions and exclusions, Isa had some brilliant insight into some of the international recruits and Howie had a couple of great stories about Nathan Lyon and Andre Russell.

At the end all three tipped a winner...and all three picked differently.

Listen to the audio:

Adelaide Strikers

Howie: “If you’re going to go to one Big Bash game, I advise you to go to the Adelaide Oval…they pack them in there. It’s always the most-one sided crowd, you’ll hear the opposition hit a six and it’s dead silence."

Gilly: “They have picked up Rashid Khan.”

Howie: “The Afghani with the world’s best wrong-un?"

Gilly: “He played in the victorious IPL team for the Sunrisers Hyderabad under Tom Moody. Very tough to pick (his wrong-un)."

Isa: "I think Rashid Khan is quite similar to Imran Tahir in that his stock delivery is the wrong-un. He just has the ability to out-fox batsmen. I think certainly in the shorter format."

Gilly: "The last point on Adelaide, I’ve tipped as the young bolter of the year to be Jake Weatherald. I like him, he’s had a couple of hundreds out here in a Shield game at the WACA…left-hander, good aggressive opening bat. Keep an eye on him as the season progresses."

Brisbane Heat

Howie: “You’ve got the Bash Brothers. Apparently (Chris) Lynn is fit and right to go for the first game alongside (Brendon) McCullum. They make a lot of runs, don’t often take a lot of wickets."

Gilly: "It’s been bowling that’s let them down before. They’ve posted, regularly, totals in the vicinity of 200, 210 and been chased down, so that’s their biggest issue."

Isa: "(They have) Shadab Khan from Pakistan. (He) played in the ICC Champions Trophy and was very effective. He’s played in a few different T20 tournaments around the world now."

Hobart Hurricanes

Howie: “I was asking Tim Paine about the Hurricanes and Nathan Lyon walked past and he said ‘no Paine, no Canes’, to which Tim Paine said ‘yeah, you might be right!’"

Gil: “They’ve signed the bloke he replaced, Matt Wade. Either way either Paine or Wade will be keeping for either Austrlaia or the Hurricanes."

Isa: "Tymal Mills and Jofra Archer. (Archer) is quick, as is Tymal Mills. Both play down at Sussex.

Isa: "I think the West Indies actually want to steal (Archer) back. The word on the street is he wants to maybe try and make a go for England. (He’s got) raw pace, and obviously when you think about what’s happened in this Test series England will be searching for those quick, quick bowlers."

Melbourne Renegades

Isa: “Bats and bowls. The Prince of Afghanistan, is that what they call him? Howie: “Doesn’t sound like a name that really flows off the tongue!"

Isa: "He’s just someone who makes things happen out in the middle. They’ve got Kieron Pollard as well, who’s been with the Strikers before. He’s like a gladiator out in the middle, he can hit those big, big shots."

Gilly: "They look really good. They’ve got the Hogg-man back, he’s about 58. Brad Hodge is about 59, so they’ve gone the youth policy!"

Gilly: "I think the biggest inclusion for them is Kane Richardson...That’s a big blow, a big loss for the Adelaide Strikers."

Melbourne Stars

Gilly: “They’ll be very competitive again. I like John Hastings as captain, he’s such a passionate guy about that particular team. It’s the only cricket he’s playing now, he’ll be revved up."

Gilly: "Their biggest inclusion is Ben Dunk, I think they’ve done well to lure him away from Adelaide…that’s a big get for them."

Gilly: "They’ll be in and around the set up again.”

Howie: “They'll always struggle when the internationals come. I’ve already read today they’re not sure if Handscomb will be available, but they potentially lose Maxwell, they potentially lose Stoinis, in the past they’ve lost Faulkner. So that sometimes hurts the Melbourne Stars at the business end of the comp."

Perth Scorchers

Howie: “Every year I look at the Scorchers, as do a lot of the experts, and think ‘ah, they’re a bit weak this year.’ Already I’ve fallen into it thinking no Mitch Marsh, no Shaun Marsh, they’ve got injuries. But they play this game and this ground like no other team. They’re very, very hard to beat."

Isa: "Good that David Willey’s back with them again. If he’s getting that ball swinging…good that he’s able to be out here."

Gilly: I think I was talking to Adam Voges yesterday and he may well open the innings. He’s done that for England in short-version cricket. Maybe not here at the WACA where it’s bouncing a bit more, but certainly in the eastern states games…a lot of teams open up with spin He could be sent in there to go after it."

Isa: "He scored 100 domestically in a T20 game, maybe a couple of times. He is someone who can have a go."

Gilly: “Chock full of talent, stability plus, they all love and want to play for Justin Langer. So that’s why I, not just because I’m number one ticket holder, that’s why I see them as the most favoured team.

Sydney Sixers

Gilly: "They’ll be competitive, they get Nevill (back), Haddin retires. Joe Mennie goes to the Renegades, Ryan Carters is out."

Gilly: "Sam Billings and Jason Roy, two Englishmen who are really suited to this kind of cricketer. Billings is almost a replica of (Jos) Buttler, he’s a wicketkeeper who bats up the order, can bat down the order if needed and get inventive."

Isa: "(Billings is) perhaps a little bit more on the fringes of the England team now, so wanting to prove a point."

isa: "Jason Roy as well has just found his way back into the English side at the top of the order when Alex Hales wasn’t able to play, he wasn’t made available, and did well towards the back end of the English season. So again, (he’s) another one who wants to prove a point."

Sydney Thunder

Gilly: "Callum Ferguson, they’ve managed to lure him from the Renegades, Andrew Fekete from the Heat, Chris Hartley retires and Andre Russell, we won’t be seeing him - that’s a shame. He adds a lot to the Big Bash, doesn’t he?"

Howie: "The last time I saw Dre Russ he was dancing on a boat on Mordrge Island off the coast of Jamaica. I tell you what, the man can dance, he’s a DJ and a half."

Gilly: "Their imports, Jos Buttler, he’s a versatile cricketer. He can bat up the top of the order. He’ll be inventive and creative."

Gilly: "Mitch McClenaghan, played a lot in Mumbai in the IPL he’s a very useful short version cricketer."

Isa: "So Jos opens the batting there and Mitch opens the bowling, and they’ve both been very effective."

Isa: “Jos, actually, I almost feel like he’s better and more of an asset when you can have him at the end of the innings. If you’ve got five fielders out, he hits it in unusual areas. He likes to work on up the top because he has that freedom to just hit it anywhere."

Everyone's winner

Gilly: “Scorchers.”

Isa: “Let’s go for the Stars this year, shall we?”

Howie: “I’ll jump on the Renegades and we’ll see what happens. But the ‘Canes will come on really strong though, I reckon."