If Worcestershire CCC fans are looking for a cricketing distraction away from England’s dismal failure at the World Cup, they’ll get one later this year and into next as the Big Bash League in Australia returns – with two Pears players set to be involved.
Adam Hose will return for a second season with the Adelaide Strikers, who were suitably impressed by the form the 31-year-old showed in the 2022/23 edition of the competition.
He will be joined in Australia by Usama Mir, who was a revelation in the Worcestershire Rapids’ T20 Blast campaign during the summer.
Striking Out
Hose might just get a chance to get his hands on some silverware if the cricket betting odds for the Big Bash League (BBL) are to be believed. His Adelaide Strikers side have been named as the third-favourites to win the competition at 6/1, behind the defending champions Perth Scorchers (11/4) and Sydney Sixers (4/1).
As for Mir, the prognosis is rather more pessimistic with his Melbourne Stars outfit the rank outsiders at 9/1.
Our newest draftee, @iamusamamir.
See you soon! pic.twitter.com/jIlXOJjUp5
— Melbourne Stars (@StarsBBL) September 6, 2023
With the English cricketing summer now a distant memory as colder temperatures take hold, the BBL is the ideal tonic for fans of the sport awaiting their next fix – albeit televised.
The Big Bash League was founded back in 2011 and has quickly become one of the premier T20 competitions around the globe, with only the Indian Premier League and the T20 Blast rivalling it for the quality of players that strut their stuff.
Hose enjoyed a tremendous time in Adelaide during the 2022/23 edition, racking up 312 runs in a formidable batting line-up that included the top-notch Australian trio Alex Carey – remember him from the Ashes controversy? – Matt Short and Chris Lynn.
Sadly, a couple of lacklustre performances at the business end of the competition ultimately saw the Strikers miss out on the play-off places. Hose, and the rest of his teammates, will be hoping they can improve upon that in 2023/24.
Sky’s the Limit for the Stars
For the Melbourne Stars, the only way is up – literally.
They finished bottom of the league in last year’s edition of the BBL, winning just three of their 14 games.
But this is a squad packed with explosive quality – not least the power-hitting of Birmingham Bears man Glenn Maxwell, who recently bludgeoned a spellbinding double century for Australia at the World Cup.
An exceptional double ton from an injured Glenn Maxwell helps Australia to a famous victory 🔥@mastercardindia Milestones 🏏#AUSvAFG pic.twitter.com/OavPr2ZRAN
— ICC (@ICC) November 7, 2023
He will be joined in the Stars’ squad by countrymen like Scott Boland, Marcus Stoinis and Nathan Coulter-Nile, while Mir will be joined by fellow Pakistan bowler Haris Rauf – another fresh from the World Cup.
Alongside Maxwell, the Worcestershire man will be a key spin bowling option for the Stars. And if he can repeat the performances he delivered for the Rapids in the summer, the Melbourne franchise might just have a star on their hands.
Mir took 19 wickets at an average of 16.89 in the T20 Blast for Worcestershire, forming part of an excellent attack alongside Pat Brown and Mitchell Santner.
So who knows: maybe a Worcestershire CCC player will be getting their hands on some silverware this summer?
