Of the many T20 franchise tournaments around the world, and there are clearly too many at present, the Big Bash League is the one where the formbook stands up better than most, and it’s hard to see that changing in the upcoming season.

The action gets underway in Perth on Sunday, 8:15am UK time, when five-time Big Bash winners Perth Scorchers take on Melbourne Stars, the hosts currently heading the betting in the outright market at 4/1.

A fine battalion of homegrown quick bowlers means the Scorchers will undoubtably be title challengers again, particularly if spearhead Jhye Richardson can stay fit, and they will prove especially hard to beat at home.

However, Finn Allen is the pick of their overseas signings which leaves the batting looking very light, something that proved to be the case last year when Laurie Evans departed with a few weeks of the tournament remaining, at which point their season fell apart.

Cool on Heat's chances amid batting concerns

I’d have similar concerns about defending champions Brisbane Heat, who have lost big-hitting Josh Brown to Melbourne Renegades and won’t have the services Nathan McSweeney, Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne until early January at the earliest owing to international commitments.

Brisbane Heat won the 2023/2024 Big Bash

The Heat were able to cover for international commitments last year, McSweeney stepping in for Khawaja and Labuschagne at the end of the season, and captaining with aplomb as they went one better than in the 2023 final to lift the trophy.

With McSweeney now also in the Australia Test ranks, that batting could prove vulnerable early in the competition, and I don’t want to be striking on a bet on them right now, with the possibility they could start badly and drift in the next few weeks.

We were with the Heat at 9/1 last year, so I’m loathe to write them off again, their bowling for my money still the strongest and most well-balanced in the tournament, but they were the double the price 12 months ago with much fewer concerns about the batting.

If a few in either the Heat or Scorchers camp can consistently step up with the bat, the bowling power both teams possess suggests they will take some stopping, and for Big Bash pedigree, each do tick plenty of boxes.

What are the best bets?

But so, too, do SYDNEY SIXERS, three-time winners of the Big Bash and boasting another strong squad which looks very well-rounded, ticks most boxes and gives them the edge over their market rivals.

We always talk about a strong home core in franchise cricket and the Sixers have always had that, starting with a settled batting line-up which will once again be headed by familiar faces Josh Philippe, Daniel Hughes, Jordan Silk and captain Moises Henriques. Steve Smith will return late in the season to beef up that batting even further.

https://m.skybet.com/lp/acq-bet-x-get-40?sba_promo=ACQBXG40FB&aff=681&dcmp=SL_ED_RACING

James Vince once again returns as the overseas batsman, a role he has filled with great success for a number of years now, the elegant right-hander thriving on the true nature of Australian pitches.

This Sixers batting line-up hasn’t changed for almost a decade now, but it continually delivers the goods, carrying them to yet another final last year where they were just outdone by some big-hitting from the aforementioned Brown and Heat’s terrific bowling attack.

With such a stable and reliable top six, the Sixers look rock-solid once again, a team that always delivers in clutch situations and can win matches from improbable positions. They won several close contests last seasons, a real hallmark of a champion team.

The retirement of veteran spinner Steve O’Keefe is a big loss to the bowling, but I have an awful lot of time for Todd Murphy, while Akeal Hossein is an excellent overseas capture.

Sean Abbott will lead the attack again, and keep an eye on promising all-rounder Jack Edwards who I rate highly. Edwards is hot off taking ten wickets in a recent Sheffield Shield match, and his batting has a touch of Shane Watson about it.

NSW have stormed to a thrilling win after a brilliant performance from Jack Edwards #SheffieldShield

Full report: https://t.co/UjO7sipTMN pic.twitter.com/OGIaxHI88A
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 9, 2024

At some stage, one wonders if that priceless experience the Sixers boast will prove a hindrance when the side starts to age and decline, but I’m not sure we’re there yet and in the likes of Philippe, Murphy and Edwards, there is no shortage of young blood.

To my mind, the Sixers are bombproof in a competition which they have been one of the dominant forces of ever since its inception. They seem sure to go close again and 9/2 should at the very least give us a very fair run for a money, and a good chance of trading out when they are sure to trade much shorter heading towards the knockout stages.

CLICK HERE to back Sydney Sixers with Sky Bet

With the case for another bold Sixers bid made, added to the fact they have finished either first or second in the regular season in each of the last five seasons, backing them for another top 2 league finish at 11/5 (Betway) also makes sense.

Renegades beef up batting in signing spree

If there is a potential fly in the ointment, then it will surely be the Renegades who have assembled a batting line-up that on paper, could blow opposition teams apart.

Though not the most consistent, picking up the big-hitting Brown from the Heat is potentially transformative and his opening partnership with the exhilarating Jake Fraser-McGurk certainly takes the eye.

Other new signings include the prize pick-up of Evans from the Scorchers and England’s latest star, Jacob Bethell. Add Will Sutherland to the mix and the batting is very strong, with brilliant openers and a middle order full of finishing power.

The bowling was disappointing last term, quite the surprise when you consider the attack is led by Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson, and I would expect much better this time around.

Whether the Renegades prove to be short of that crucial fifth bowler remains to be seen, and their recent history of underachieving means there is no guarantee the batting will click like it promises it will.

Adam Zampa

Nevertheless, most of the tools are there for a big run, and I can certainly see the argument for them at 10/1.

At a similar price, Adelaide Strikers are generally solid and in Cameron Boyce and Lloyd Hope, they have two wrist-spinners in their side that regularly picked up wickets last season at home where it is notoriously hard work for bowlers.

Expect another solid campaign from the Strikers, if not a title-winning one, I can’t understand why both Hobart Hurricanes and Sydney Thunder are shorter in the outright market.

The Hurricanes have plenty of batting power in their squad, but that was also the case last year when they again disappointed, and they lack balance to their batting and enough quality in their bowling.

The Thunder have been a mess for a while now and though David Warner takes over as captain this season, I’m not sure that will save them, nor Melbourne Stars who have match-winners at their disposal, but just not enough depth to a squad that has continually fallen short.

That is in complete contrast to the Sixers, who have all the tools in their squad to suggest another bold title bid is forthcoming in a tournament that is more predictable in nature than many might think.

Posted at 1100 GMT on 13/12/24