While there are questions to answer, Scorchers remain the team to beat as they target a record-breaking sixth title in 13 seasons. Indeed, if they can quell concerns around the spin attack, chances are they'll be celebrating again
With five titles in 12 editions, Perth Scorchers are the most successful side in Big Bash history and in 2023/24, they're bidding to complete an historic three-peat after lifting the trophy in BBL11 and BBL12.
While there has been a couple of big departures, notably Cameron Bancroft and Peter Hatzoglou, they've retained the majority of last season's title-winning team and are boosted by the return of BBL11 winner Laurie Evans.
Led once again by Adam Voges (head coach) and Ashton Turner (captain), a fourth successive trip to the final is far from unlikely. A top-four finish should be the minimum expectation.
Coach: Adam Voges
The 44-year-old former Australia international replaced Justin Langer ahead of the 2018/19 Big Bash and after a rocky start – Scorchers finished eighth and sixth in his first two seasons in charge – he has overseen three consecutive runs to the final, winning twice. Voges is a five-time Big Bash winner, having also won three titles with the Scorchers (two as captain) during his playing career.
Captain: Ashton Turner
Turner was appointed captain ahead of BBL11 having spent the previous campaign deputising for Mitchell Marsh. The additional responsibility has had a positive impact on his performances, with the middle-order batter – and occasional spinner – scoring at least 350 runs in his past two Big Bash campaigns. In his first two seasons as full-time skipper, the Scorchers have not only won two titles but have also only been beaten six times in 32 matches.
How strong is the batting?
Last season, Aaron Hardie (460 runs), Josh Inglis (431 runs) and Turner (381 runs) were among the competition's top six run-scorers. All three players maintained a strike rate above 140, averaged over 35, and shared 12 half-centuries.
Inglis is a highly reliable source of runs, scoring at least 400 in three of his past four campaigns. Turner, meanwhile, has a knack for showing up in the big moments, scoring half-centuries in the BBL11 and BBl12 finals as well as last year's qualifier, rescuing his side from 22 for 3. For Hardie, however, it was a breakout campaign and one they'll be keen for him to back up.
Following several departures, the Scorchers need a new opening pair, and overseas pair Stephen Eskinazi and Laurie Evans are the most obvious candidates.
Eskinazi scored 214 runs at a strike rate of 131.28 at the top of the order for Perth Scorchers in BBL12. During his previous stint in orange, Evans played between No.3 and No.6 (scoring 361 runs, including a player of the match-winning half-century in the BBL11 final), but he opens the batting for Surrey and scored 563 runs at 37.53 in last season's T20 Blast – a player in form.
Zak Crawley completes the overseas contingent and while he, too, often opens the batting, he's less prolific than Evans and Eskinazi, and will likely float around the top six. Elsewhere, while the Scorchers don't have a dedicated finisher (they haven't really needed one thanks to their reliable top order and Turner's rapid scoring at No.5) in Nick Hobson and Cooper Connolly they have additional firepower. The pair flashed 41 runs off 16 balls in last year's final.
You suspect the challenge for the Scorchers will be accommodating all of these options. Do they want to disrupt the winning formula of Hardie, Inglis and Turner at No.3, 4 and 5? Do they pick Crawley over Hobson or Connolly as a finisher? How do they keep enough bowling options without leaving firepower on the sidelines? It's a good problem to have.
Laurie Evans returns to the Scorchers after being part of the 2021-22 triumph (Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
How strong is the bowling?
Perth Scorchers have an enviable trio of experienced pacers: left-arm, right-arm combination Jason Behrendorff and Jhye Richardson to open the bowling, Andrew Tye picking up wickets for fun at the death. Combined, they have taken over 330 Big Bash wickets.
Behrendorff, a handy swing bowler, picked up 21 wickets in BBL12, over half of which came inside the powerplay, and boasted a miserly economy of 6.69. Half of Tye's 26 wickets, meanwhile, came in the final four overs, with his pace variations and a very reliable yorker creating headaches for batters. He can, however, be expensive at times.
As for Richardson, he is a prolific wicket-taker at his best – he took 29 wickets in 2020/21 – possessing both good pace and the ability to swing the ball. However, he has a troubling injury record, with a dislocated shoulder, sustained while fielding in October, the latest in a long list.
Fortunately, in right-armer Matthew Kelly, they have a reliable deputy. He opened the bowling with Behrendorff on numerous occasions last season and is good for at least a dozen wickets a season. 'Wild thing' Lance Morris offers additional pace depth – he took nine wickets in five matches in BBL12 – but he is on the fringes of Australia's Test squad.
Their spin attack, however, doesn't benefit from the same quality. Aside from Australia international Ashton Agar (who endured a lean BBL12 but took 18 wickets the previous year), their only options are Hamish McKenzie, who is yet to make his T20 debut and the part-time offerings of Turner and Connolly. Hatzoglou, who took 23 wickets in 25 appearances for the Scorchers, has moved to Hobart Hurricanes.
Why should the fans be excited?
Perth Scorchers are the team to beat in the Big Bash. They have only lost six matches in the past two seasons, including winning eight out of nine at home in BBL12, and have retained the core of the squad which has delivered back-to-back titles.
Crucially, they have retained their pace attack, which boasts variety, depth, high-class operators at both ends of an innings, and an impressive record of restricting opposition batters. Last season, the Scorchers bowled sides for under 140 on four occasions and only conceded more than 180 runs once (on a high-scoring pitch when both sides scored over 200). When bowling first, they won 10 out of their 12 matches and only conceded 170-plus runs three times.
Given his previous record for the Scorchers, Evans' return is a promising sign and should go a long way towards offsetting the loss of Bancroft.
And any sighting of Mitch Marsh, who has 1,904 runs and 25 wickets in the Big Bash but could spend the majority of the tournament playing Test cricket, will be an added bonus.
Ashton Agar is under pressure to come to the fore with the ball (James Worsfold/Getty Images)
Why fans should be worried?
A few questions are hanging over the Scorchers. Can they keep Richardson fit? Will they lose Morris and potentially Inglis to the Test side? What happens if Hardie, Inglis or Turner has a bad year? Can they find the correct balance within their stacked squad, and quickly?
However, the main concern surrounds their spin attack. The gap left by Hatzoglou hasn't been filled and while they're not particularly reliant on their spinners given the quality elsewhere, they will be hoping for a more productive campaign from Agar (who took just six wickets last year) to provide support for Richardson, Behrendorff and Tye.
Squad: Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Cooper Connolly, Aaron Hardie, Nick Hobson, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kelly, Mitch Marsh, Hamish McKenzie, Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, Sam Whiteman, Zak Crawley, Laurie Evans, Stephen Eskinazi
Fixtures: December 10 – Melbourne Renegades (Geelong, 8.15am GMT), December 13 – Melbourne Stars (MCG, 8.15am), December 20 – Hobart Hurricanes (Perth Stadium, 8.15am), December 26 – Melbourne Renegades (Perth Stadium, 10.15am), January 3 – Adelaide Strikers (Perth Stadium, 10.15am), January 5 – Adelaide Strikers (Adelaide Oval, 8.15am), January 8 – Sydney Thunder (Sydney Showground, 8.15am), January 10 – Brisbane Heat (The Gabba, 8.40am), January 13 – Brisbane Heat (Perth Stadium, 5.15am), January 16 – Sydney Sixers (Perth Stadium, 8.40am)
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