Last Updated on 5 years by Charbel Coorey

5 BBL09 Predictions: Who Will Step Up and Who Will Win? | 5 Predictions for BBL09 | Who will win BBL09 | BBL09 Predictions

It seems like yesterday that the likes of David Hussey, Travis Birt and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan lit up the first edition of the Big Bash League.

Nine years later, the BBL has become a key part of the Australian cricket season. Big guns such as AB de Villiers, Rashid Khan and Chris Lynn will grace BBL09, making it one of the most anticipated seasons to date.

After Melbourne Renegades won in the most incredible circumstances back in February, all eight teams will be back on deck to fight for the BBL09 Title. This article will explore five key BBL09 Predictions:

• Leading run-scorer
• Leading wicket-taker
• Bottom-placed team
• Top five teams
• Winner

Leading run-scorer: D’Arcy Short (Hobart Hurricanes)

D’Arcy Short loves the BBL. He has been top-scorer in each of the past two seasons, amassing 1,209 runs in this period at an average of 54.95. With Short being such a dominant figure at the top of the order for Hobart Hurricanes, it is tough to go past him as the leading run-scorer once again.

Also read: 5 young-guns to watch out for in BBL09

Leading wicket-taker: Chris Jordan (Perth Scorchers)

Perth Scorchers have picked up Chris Jordan, an excellent T20 performer for England, for the entirety of the BBL09 season.

Chris Jordan is an excellent chance to finish as leading wicket-taker as he bowls in the crunch overs. Indeed, a key reason why the Scorchers drafted him in was because of his ability to bowl at the death – a period which can yield plenty of wickets.

Also, with key contenders such as Jhye Richardson and Kane Richardson a chance to play ODIs for Australia during the BBL, as well as most international signings playing a portion of the tournament, Jordan looks to be a great contender for leading wicket-taker. Other contenders include Sean Abbott (Sixers), Rashid Khan (Strikers) and Matt Kelly (Scorchers).

Bottom-placed team: Sydney Thunder

Tough call, given that the Sydney Thunder is the team I support.

However, while there is talent in their ranks such as Chris Green, Jason Sangha, Oliver Davies and Tanveer Sangha, along with Shane Bond at the helm, the Thunder, on paper, lack the depth that other teams have. Couple this with the retirement of Shane Watson, and the Thunder lack some key experience. It is a tough call, but in a close competition, they could finish bottom.

Top five teams

One of the poor aspects of BBL09 has been the move to a top five rather than the top four. Now, the fifth-placed team will be involved in the playoffs stage, which is ridiculous in an eight-team competition.

Anyway, below are the five teams I think will qualify (in no particular order), which an explanation why for each.

1. Melbourne Renegades: The champions look settled. The addition of Shaun Marsh, along with the experience of Aaron Finch, Dan Christian, Mohammad Nabi, Harry Gurney and Kane Richardson will hold them in good stead. Add the exciting youngsters they have, and the Renegades should be good enough to win enough games.
2. Melbourne Stars: An all-time choke in the BBL08 Final shouldn’t be enough to write-off the Stars. With strong international signings in Sandeep Lamichhane and Dale Steyn in their ranks at times this season, the Stars possess plenty of talent. The likes of Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis will be out for big campaigns.
3. Sydney Sixers: The likes of Daniel Hughes, Moises Henriques, Steve O’Keefe and Sean Abbott are consistent BBL performers. Add the cameos of Nathan Lyon and Steve Smith throughout the season, the potential of Josh Phillipe and Jack Edwards, plus the contributions of James Vince and Tom Curran, and the Sixers have a solid squad.
4. Perth Scorchers: Perth had a horror season in BBL08. Finishing in last place, the Scorchers missed the playoffs for the first time ever. But, while they have lost Shaun Marsh, Michael Klinger and Nathan Coulter-Nile, they still possess plenty of excellent talent. Can they turn Optus Stadium into a fortress?
5. Brisbane Heat: The power in the Brisbane Heat squad looks scary. Tom Banton (first eight games) and AB de Villiers (final six games) are the big international recruits. Add Chris Lynn, Max Bryant and Ben Cutting, with the poise of Marnus Labuschagne (after the NZ Tests), and the Heat boasts a side that has enough big totals in them to win games. Sure, the bowling remains a worry, but the power they have should be enough to get them in the top five.

Who will miss out:

• The loss of Jofra Archer for Hobart Hurricanes leaves a huge hole in their lineup, along with Matt Wade missing the first part of the season. They look to be lacking depth in the bowling department, with not quite enough batting firepower to overcome that.
• Sydney Thunder lack the balance and experience. Sure, the likes of Usman Khawaja will be out to prove a point, but they are slightly short of quality compared to the other teams. However, it wouldn’t be too big a shock if they punch above their weight.
• Adelaide Strikers possess pretty much the same squad that struggled with the ball in BBL08. This is not to say they’ll struggle again in BBL09, but the question is whether they have enough depth to deal with Alex Carey going off to ODI duty during the campaign.

Also read: 5 young-guns to watch out for in BBL09

Winner: Melbourne Renegades

BBL09 looks to be very competitive. Each team can beat the other on their day, which makes predicting the winner a tough one.

However, the Renegades, defending champions, look to have most bases covered. They are very strong at their home ground (Marvel Stadium) and have the players to do well in the slow conditions there. But, should they need to adjust to pacier wickets, they have the likes of Zak Evans and Kane Richardson to take advantage.

The Renegades possess excellent experience. Also, the likes of Jack Wildermuth, Mackenzie Harvey and Marcus Harris can provide amazing value across BBL09. With a maiden title under their belt, along with the excellent leadership of Aaron Finch, the Renegades can go all the way.

Thanks for reading!

Also read: All squads for BBL09

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