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Cricket tips: Big Bash

2pts Perth Scorchers to win the Big Bash at 5/1 (General)

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When you think of the Big Bash, it doesn’t take long to come round to PERTH SCORCHERS, record five-time winners of this competition and, in my book, the team to beat once again this year.

Pedigree is a huge factor in franchise cricket. By way of example, The Hundred has been won by Oval Invincibles in each of the last three years, and I believe no tournament endorses this argument more than the Big Bash, with the Scorchers and Sydney Sixers, who have won the title on three occasions, the standout sides since the competition's inception in 2011.

We saw a big shake up last year, with Hobart Hurricanes winning for the first time, but the Scorchers were ravaged by injuries in a frustrating campaign and, even when Brisbane Heat won the title in 2024, that was no real surprise given they were runners-up to the Scorchers 12 months earlier.

And if you are prepared to forgive the Scorchers for last season – which I most certainly am – then it’s hard to knock their more recent CV: third in the league table the year before, tournament winners in 2023 and 2022, having finished runner-up to the Sixers in 2021.

Put simply, the men in orange know more than any other club how to win this competition, and very little changes, with former middle-order stalwart Adam Voges now the long-standing head coach of a group of players which is very much the same Scorchers core.

Scorchers batting a class apart

Ashton Turner is a brilliant middle-order batsman and captains well, while the fit-again Jhye Richardson and Ashton Agar will again lead the bowling attack. With the bat, Turner will follow the likes of Mitchell Marsh, Aaron Hardie and Cooper Connolly.

I’m expecting a big year from Connolly who made 351 runs at an at average of 50.14 last term, but it’s the reinforcements to the batting unit that really excites.

Connolly is the coming man, but Marsh will feel like a new signing having only featured once last season, and his form for Australia in the last few months has been nothing short of outstanding. He’ll make plenty of runs, as should Laurie Evans who played for Melbourne Renegades last season, but has been brought back to Perth having blasted 292 runs at a strike-rate of 189.61 the year before.

When you throw Hardie and aggressive opener Finn Allen into the mix, along with crack finisher Nick Hobson, this looks one hell of a batting line-up.

Richardson only played five games last season, but he still took eight wickets to again demonstrate what a weapon he is at this level. Agar is a classy, canny operator, while Brody Couch promises to be a good signing and his recent domestic numbers are encouraging.

The big elephant in the room comes with news that paceman Lance Morris has been ruled out for the season, and that Jason Behrendorff has left for Melbourne Renegades. Both are big losses to the bowling but, essentially, Richardson just steps back in for Morris.

Replacing Behrendorff's new-balls skills will be harder, so Englishman David Payne, who has a bank of Big Bash experience, has been drafted in and, in theory should be a like-for-like replacement, for all a notch lower.

But we’ve been here so many times before with the Scorchers, seemingly harmed by bowling injuries, but somehow able to unearth a cartel of speedsters to fill the void. The next cab off the rank promises to be Mahli Beardman who bowls rockets and has already caught the attention of the Australian selectors.

I think the bowling will be just fine, and any slight doubts are offset by that incredibly strong, power-packed batting line-up which has real depth to it.

Throw in Turner’s shrewd captaincy, and that priceless franchise pedigree, and the Scorchers make plenty of appeal at 5/1.

Ageing Sixers bid for more Bash glory

In terms of pedigree, it’s hard to knock the Sixers who, as always, find themselves towards the head of the betting having once again qualified for the playoffs last year.

Much of the Sixers core remains, familiar names such Josh Philippe, Moises Henriques and Jordan Silk helping form a strong batting line-up. Babar Azam was the marquee signing in the draft, though following in the footsteps of James Vince will be no easy task and I’d say they are weaker for that change.

Kane Richardson ought to prove a shrewd acquisition, and the bowling is always well drilled, but I’ve felt for a couple of years now that this is an ageing side, one we might just have seen the best of.

The counter-argument to that is that Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc are pencilled in to return at the conclusion of the ongoing Ashes series, which would be a huge boost, but Starc in particular has endured a heavy workload already in the first two of five Test matches.

He’s not certain to be fit, fresh and firing by the time the Big Bash calls, and with concerns around Babar in this format, and also Henriques who looks to be coming towards the end, I’m happy to let the Sixers go this year.

Can Hurricanes whip up another storm?

The market favours defending champions Hobart Hurricanes (4/1) and it’s not hard to see why.

They were outstanding last season, finally putting it all together as Mitchell Owen powered them to final glory over Sydney Thunder.

With Owen, Tim David and Ben McDermott all capable of spectacular things, the Hurricanes didn’t really need to add Jake Weatherald and Beau Webster to their roster, but this batting line-up now looks even stronger.

The bowling is led by Nathan Ellis and Riley Meredith, backed up by the vastly-experienced Chris Jordan who has becoming part of the furniture in Tasmania. As with the batting, it’s hard to find many areas of weakness.

On paper, then, the Hurricanes appear fixed to mount a bold title defence, and I do expect there will be times when they blow opposition teams off the park. Big scores in favourable batting conditions look a good bet with this lot.

The nagging doubt I have is whether the likes of Owen – 452 runs and a strike-rate of 203.60 last term – and David can continually repeat their heroics of last year. I fear there is no middle ground with this top seven, and with a number of strong bowling attacks in the competition this year, I do wonder if the Hurricanes will come unstuck along the way.

That’s not to say I don’t have the utmost respect for the champions, I do, but the Scorchers look that bit more solid this year.

Heat bowling points to big year

There are also question marks over the Heat, tournament winners two years ago, but not quite as good last term.

News that seamer Spencer Johnson will miss the entire season is a huge blow but, as ever, the Heat pace attack still stacks up well. Michael Neser is hot from bowling out England in the second Ashes Test at the Gabba, Xavier Bartlett is a terrific new-ball operator firmly in the international mix, while picking up Pakistan quick Shaheen Afridi was a big coup.

The batting is harder to weigh up. Usman Khawaja might end up playing all season if he can’t force his way back into Australia’s plans, but I’m not sure how much of a benefit that will prove with the likes of Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne - when available - and Colin Munro all wanting to bat in the top three.

Munro was poor last year, but is generally very reliable in franchise cricket, so ought to show his true colours this time around, while I have a lot of time for middle-order blaster Max Bryant.

However, spinner Mitch Swepson has moved to Melbourne Stars, meaning Matt Kuhnemann might have to fly solo in the middle overs, and that pair were instrumental in that title-winning campaign two years ago.

I like the Heat, I always have, and another playoff finish appears highly likely, if not anything more.

Beware the big-hitting Strikers

Tim Paine has taken over as head coach at Adelaide Strikers, and with so much power in their top order through Chris Lynn, Matt Short, and then Travis Head and Alex Carey when they become available, this is clearly a dangerous outfit.

But we’ve been saying that for a while now, and I’m not sure to what degree Luke Wood and Hasan Ali will improve the bowling.

Across the city, I’d be surprised were Thunder able to back up last season’s surprise exploits, with the feeling David Warner leads another ageing side.

However, if pushed, Melbourne Stars would be my pick for the wooden spoon at 4/1.

The Stars were indebted to Glenn Maxwell on countless occasions last year, and I’m not sure they’ve done good business in the off-season. In fact, Ben Duckett made a huge impact in his short stay last year, so the top order looks light this time around.

The Stars might well be weaker this year, not so the Scorchers, whose batting in particular looks as good as it has in many a year, packed full of proven, domestic power that has so often been the key to success in the Big Bash.

Posted at 11:05 GMT on 10/12/25

Big Bash match one betting tips

• Richard Mann previews Sunday's opening match of the Big Bash season between old rivals Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers.

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