Plenty of fantasy potential from the men in blue from both locals and overseas stars alike
BBL Fantasy Preview: Adelaide Strikers
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Squad: Brad Hodge (c), Wes Agar, Alex Carey, Jonathon Dean, Ben Dunk, Travis Head, Jon Holland, Chris Jordan (OS), Ben Laughlin, Jake Lehmann, Tim Ludeman, Michael Neser, Kieron Pollard (OS), Kane Richardson, Craig Simmons, Kelvin Smith, Billy Stanlake, Jake Weatherald.
Ins: Chris Jordan, Wes Agar, Alex Carey, Jake Weatherald
Outs: Adil Rashid, Alex Ross, Alex Keath, Hamish Kingston, Mahela Jayawardena
Master Blaster: Travis Head ($100,100)
A year ago Head might have slotted into the 'Young Gun' category but the Redbacks skipper has emerged into a genuine limited-overs force in the intervening period, as his recent consecutive half-centuries for Australia against the Black Caps underlined. His stunning match-winning hundred last New Year's Eve was one of the finest performances in Big Bash history and – more importantly for Fantasy players – only Thunder pair Andre Russell and Shane Watson accumulated more points through the BBL|05 campaign. Head only bowled 13 overs of off-spin but snared six wickets, making him worth the six-figure price tag.
Strike Weapon: Kane Richardson ($63,000)
Chadd Sayers has stolen the plaudits at the Redbacks but Richardson has begun the Shield season with 17 wickets in four matches, having played well for Australia A in September. The right-armer is in form and looks well placed to be a key performer for the Strikers, particularly under the expert tutelage of coach Jason Gillespie, and is one of the country's most athletic fielders, with a safe pair of hands to match.
Young Gun: Jake Weatherald ($20,000)
Weatherald is a Darwin product who has quickly settled at the top level with the Redbacks, and given his aggressive nature at the top of the order, he was a no-brainer for the Strikers to add to their books. The 22-year-old is another player in form and appears the kind of character who will relish the big crowds and buoyant atmosphere of the BBL. He's an absolute steal at $20,000 and it will be interesting to see if he opens the batting or if the Strikers look to utilise his hitting power lower in the order.
Overseas impact: Chris Jordan ($75,000)
Jordan has big shoes to fill after the impact his countryman Adil Rashid had on the Big Bash last summer. While Rashid's talents lie in mystery and subtlety, Jordan prefers flat-out pace and brute force. The fast-bowling allrounder has the skills to be a strong addition to this Strikers squad, with his powerful hitting in the lower-order and reputation as one of the game's best catchers likely to see him front and centre of the action in Adelaide.
Surprise packet: Kieron Pollard ($60,000)
It's not often you can say one of T20 cricket's most dangerous players is a 'surprise packet' but the big West Indian has flown under the radar ahead of this tournament, after missing the bulk of the past two summers due to injury. On his day, Pollard can destroy a team with the bat, do some considerable damage with the ball, and out-catch anyone on the planet. At $60,000, he could be the value buy of the tournament if he manages to hit his straps.
Fantasy Bargain: Jake Lehmann ($34,400)
From a match-winning debutant in BBL|05, Lehmann looms as one of the Strikers' key batting figures this summer and you can expect the gifted left-hander to spend plenty of time in the middle. He's struck a Sheffield Shield hundred already this summer and played a match-winning hand in a thriller against the Blues in the same competition only a week ago, so he's in form, confident, and ready to rack up the points for your Fantasy team.