Big Bash 2022-23 team guide: Adelaide Strikers

The Cricketer's in-depth look at the Strikers ahead of the new campaign, including player analysis, strengths, weaknesses, and full squad and fixtures listings

Coach: Jason Gillespie

Gillespie has a prolonged and fruitful history with the South Australian Cricket Association, first as a player and then as a coach. He has been the head coach of the Adelaide Strikers since 2015 and led the team to its first Big Bash title in BBL07.

Former West Indies captain Carl Hooper will serve as an assistant coach while former allrounder Johan Botha will also support Gillespie this season, with a focus on bowling, fielding, and strategy.

Captain: Travis Head

Game-changing batter Travis Head has committed to the club for another two seasons, extending his 10-year tenure as a Striker. Head's leadership and experience, according to Gillespie, will be crucial for the team in BBL12 and beyond. However, due to Australia's Test schedule, he's likely to be unavailable for a chunk of the campaign, with Peter Siddle the most obvious replacement as skipper.

Overseas stars

Rashid Khan: Adelaide Strikers used their platinum selection to retain the services of the Afghan leg-spinner despite his availability being limited by his involvement in January's SA20 league. One of Adelaide's adopted sons, he scored 365 runs at a strike rate of 155.31 and took 92 wickets with an economy of 6.44 in his first five seasons with the club and has never taken fewer than 16 wickets in a season. He lit up the Adelaide Oval at the recent T20 World Cup, scoring 48 runs off 23 balls against Australia, much to the delight of the crowd.

Colin de Grandhomme: The 36-year-old has a strong record in all formats of cricket, representing New Zealand in all three international codes, but is making his Big Bash debut in BBL12. Capable of batting as high as No.4, he averages 23.56 with a strike rate of 157.92 in T20 cricket and also has 69 wickets. His economy (9.46), however, is less attractive. De Grandhomme has previously earned contracts in The Hundred, T20 Blast, CPL and IPL.

Adam Hose: The 29-year-old, who recently swapped Warwickshire for Worcestershire, has gained significant attention for his white-ball over the past few seasons, impressing for both Birmingham Bears in the T20 Blast and Northern Superchargers in The Hundred. In the former, he has scored over 2,000 runs at a strike rate just a shade under 150. An Isle of Wight native, both he and Strikers captain, Head, have played for Ventnor CC.

^{Travis Head will captain Adelaide Strikers [Mark Brake/Getty Images]}

Changes from 2021/22

Adelaide Strikers have an intriguing lineup going into the BBL12, with Chris Lynn and Cameron Boyce joining de Grandhomme and Hose among the new faces.

Lynn, a long-time Brisbane Heat player, is the all-time leading run-scorer in Big Bash history but will only be available for the first 11 group games before heading to the UAE to represent Gulf Giants in the ILT20.

They have, however, lost a number of important players, including Jon Wells, Matt Renshaw, and Fawad Ahmed.

How did they do in 2021/22?

Having begun the competition with just two victories in eight matches, the Strikers bounced back with five wins from six matches to finish fourth in the regular season table. They continued their strong form with wins over Hobart Hurricanes and Sydney Thunder in the eliminator and knockout, respectively, but missed out on the final after losing to Sydney Sixers by four wickets.

Best finish: Champions (BBL07)

BATTING

Power hitters

Lynn had a disastrous (by his standards) BBL11 season, scoring just 215 runs at an average of 17.91. However, recent T20 Blast performances for Northamptonshire Steelbacks indicate he is back to his best.

In 11 matches, he scored 516 runs at 64.50 and maintained a strike rate of 159.25, including two unbeaten centuries and four half-centuries, 45 fours and 29 sixes.

Hose also enjoyed a prolific T20 Blast campaign, scoring 557 runs - the third-most in the competition - at a rate of 160.98, including 40 fours and 28 sixes. Over the course of his career, around one quarter of his T20 runs have come from sixes.

Anchor

This role was previously held by Wells, who scored over 500 runs at a rate of 128 in BBL11, including four half-centuries.

Matthew Short could be a candidate to step into shoes. With 493 runs at 32.86, including three half-centuries, in BBL11, he was certainly consistent and has continued his solid form with Victoria in this season's Marsh Cup. With a career T20 strike rate around the 130-mark, he'll keep the scoreboard ticking nicely. 

Finisher

Depending on how the top order perform, Hose could certainly do some damage in this department at No.4. After all, the Englishman boasts a strike rate in excess of 145 in the format.

As demonstrated by his T20 World Cup antics against Australia, Rashid is also a powder keg lower down the order.

Problem areas

In the absence of Head and Carey, Gillespie has two sizeable holes in his top order. At his best, Jake Weatherald is such a thrilling player to possess, but sadly, that hasn't happened in a few BBL seasons - last season, he averaged 17.75. Although he occasionally batted lower last season, he ought to move up the order this time.

^{Adam Hose will hope to make an impression with the bat [David Rogers/Getty Images]}

BOWLING

Speed merchants

Siddle will be highly alluring after topping the wicket-taking charts last season with 30 scalps and an 8.33 economy. He finished five clear of Hayden Kerr and AJ Tye and 10 clear of teammate Rashid.

Since BBL09, Wes Agar has established himself as a key member of the attack, claiming 49 wickets in 39 appearances, while Henry Thornton is also an exciting member of the attack. The right-armer has only played nine T20s prior to BBL12 but has 14 wickets, all but one of which came in last season's Big Bash.

Variation

Rashid is the obvious star here, not least on pitches like these where batters are throwing their hands at the ball due to variations in grip, wrist position, and speed through the air. Last season, he picked up 20 wickets and maintained an economy of 6.34 - of players to take more than 10 wickets, no one was more economical than the Afghanistan international.

Short is a talented right-hander who bowls useful off-spin. He chipped in with eight wickets last season and adds depth to the bowling attack. Leg-spinner Cameron Boyce, meanwhile, made a triumphant return to action last season, picking up 10 wickets in four outings for Melbourne Renegades.

Problem areas

Adelaide Strikers risk being over-reliant on Siddle and Rashid, who took a combined 50 wickets last season. Add in the latter's January departure and the attack suddenly starts to look a little light on quality. The pressure will be on the likes of Boyce and fellow new signing Ben Manenti, a right-arm off-spinner, to hit the ground running at their new club.

^{Peter Siddle was the leading wicket-taker in BBL11 [Robert Cianflone/Getty Images]}

Who takes the gloves?

In Carey's absence, Harry Nielsen will likely take the gloves. Prior to BBL12, the 27-year-old had played just 26 T20 matches but did feature for the Strikers on 14 occasions last season. He took 10 catches and completed one stumping.

Squad: Wes Agar, Cameron Boyce, Alex Carey, Harry Conway, Colin de Grandhomme, Ryan Gibson, Travis Head, Adam Hose, Henry Hunt, Thomas Kelly, Rashid Khan, Chris Lynn, Harry Nielsen, Matt Short, Jake Weatherald, Henry Thorton, Peter Siddle, Ben Manenti, Jordan Buckingham (local replacement player)

Fixtures: December 14 - Sydney Sixers (Adelaide Oval, 8.15am GMT), December 16 - Sydney Thunder (Sydney Showground, 9.15am), December 20 - Sydney Thunder (Adelaide Oval, 8.15am), December 23 - Brisbane Heat (The Gabba, 8am), December 26 - Perth Scorchers (Optus Stadium, 10am), December 31 - Melbourne Stars (Adelaide Oval, 8am), January 2 - Hobart Hurricanes (Blundstone Arena, 8.15am), January 5 - Hobart Hurricanes (Adelaide Oval, 8.15am), January 10 - Melbourne Renegades (Adelaide Oval, 8.40am), January 12 - Melbourne Stars (MCG, 8.15am), January 14 - Brisbane Heat (Adelaide Oval, 5am), January 17 - Sydney Sixers (Coffs International Stadium, 8.15am), January 20 - Perth Scorchers (Adelaide Oval, 5.30am), January 24 - Melbourne Renegades (Marvel Stadium, 8.15am)

Possible starting XI: Chris Lynn, Matthew Short, Jake Weatherald, Adam Hose, Thomas Kelly, Harry Nielsen, Rashid Khan, Cameron Boyce, Henry Thornton, Peter Siddle, Harry Conway