BBL 2019, Adelaide Strikers preview, predictions, likely starting XI: Adelaide face tough task to return to the top

Adelaide Strikers had a shocker in BBL 8. They headed into the tournament as defending champions, and were, at the very least, expected to make it to the knockouts and challenge for the title against. Instead, they crashed and burned. They finished 7th in the eight-team table, winning just six of their 14 matches, and were bundled out a lot earlier than they had hoped.

And so it is that, ahead of the next edition of the BBL, the expectations are tempered. Adelaide will be desperate to get back to winning ways. But for that, their batting needs to improve. It was their chief failure last season. To address that concern, the Jason Gillespie-coached side added Sussex opener Phil Salt to their roster in the off-season.

The 23-year-old will replace Colin Ingram, who left the side after last season. Also missing will be Ben Laughlin. It is no easy task replacing Ingram, but Salt, Gillespie believes, will compliment the team well, alongside Alex Carey, the mainstay in the batting, and Travis Head.

The big star in the side, however, is undisputedly Rashid Khan. The Afghanistan spin ace leads a rather strong bowling attack, also comprising the likes of Billy Stanlake and Peter Siddle. There is experience as well in the form of Cameron White, and if the Strikers can stay consistent, they should be able to off-set the shock of the previous season.

Players to watch

Alex Carey is undoubtedly one to watch out for, in the side. The wicketkeeper-batsman had a fine World Cup for Australia, and pleasingly for the Strikers, he has been on an upward curve since. He’s versatile as well, in terms of where he bats, and in a top-heavy Strikers line-up, Carey offers much-needed flexibility and will probably slot in in the middle order.

Rashid Khan, one of their two overseas players, is undoubtedly the biggest draw in the set-up. Expect him to be among the wickets. Not many of the Australian domestic players would have faced the sort of spin Rashid usually dishes out, and he is now experienced enough to know how to go about things outside the sub-continent. He will the Strikers’ main wicket threat.

Wes Agar has been touted as one of the youngsters to look out for in this BBL. He’s had a decent time in the Sheffield Shield so far, and Gillespie told cricket.com.au that he had “very high hopes for him”.

Likely starting XI: Phil Salt, Jake Weatherald, Jon Wells, Travis Head, Matt Short, Alex Carey (c, wk), Michael Neser, Rashid Khan, Peter Siddle, Wes Agar, Billy Stanlake

Prediction

Adelaide had a tough time of it last year, but they seem confident this time around. Expect them to finish 5th, but only just miss out on the top four slot.

Squad: Wes Agar, Alex Carey, Harry Conway, Travis Head, Rashid Khan, Jake Lehmann, Michael Neser, Harry Nielsen, Liam O’Connor, Phil Salt, Matt Short, Peter Siddle, Billy Stanlake, Cameron Valente, Jake Weatherald, Jon Wells, Cameron White, Nick Winter