What happened in week one of the Big Bash League?

Sydney Thunder got bowled out for 15. Sydney Thunder got bowled out for 15. FIFTEEN!

YES! F-I-F-T-E-E-N!

Why did we start with the 15 all-out for no reason? Well, HOW CAN WE NOT? 

About a zillion games have been played in T20 history and Sydney Thunder, a side that has a World Cup winner in Alex Hales and a T20 goliath in Rilee Rossouw among several stars, somehow managed to post the LOWEST EVER team total. 

Their batting scorecard that night against the Strikers read: 0 0 3 0 2 1 1 0 0 4 1

So yes, this is how absurd the first week of BBL 2022 was. We just wanted to get this game out of the way. 

Let’s get started then! 

What does the table look like?

Notice something reallyyyy weird? Yep, the Renegades have a 100% record. Nope, this is not a drill.

FYI, it’s a big deal because they’ve finished bottom in each of the last three seasons. With 3 wins, they’ve already won as many matches as they did in 2021/22 and 2019/20. Wild, huh?

No other major surprises barring that. It’s all pretty even-stevens; too early to predict stuff.

Who’s been tearing it with the bat?

Matthew Short has picked it up from where he left off last season. In BBL 2021/22, Short was the third-highest run-getter with 493 runs to his name (at a SR of 155.52). After three rounds, he’s topping the charts with 158 runs at an SR of 146.29. 

Joe Clarke has scored the lone hundred of the season so far — 101* off 66 vs the Hurricanes — while Nic Maddinson (87 off 49 vs Heat), Aaron Finch (70* off 43 vs Thunder) and Dre Russ (57 off 42 vs Heat) have all had standout individual showings. 

A special mention for Asif Ali, who, after a couple of failures, played arguably the best cameo of the season on Thursday against the Sixers, smashing 41 off just 13 balls. Yeah, that’s a strike rate of 315.38. 

Who’ve been the stand-out bowlers?

Umm, well, Adelaide Strikers’ Henry Thorton has taken 11 wickets at an average of 3.72, so that’s there. Forget BBL, this young lad is probably the most in-form bowler in world cricket right now. He was the architect of the 15 all-out, taking 5/3 off the 17 balls he bowled. He’s quick! 

Akeal Hosein has started the season really well but see the name Patrick Dooley? That’s a left-arm wrist spinner playing for the Hurricanes. And boy, he’s been MIGHTY IMPRESSIVE!  Dooley, in fact, represented Chennai Braves in the recently-concluded edition of the Abu Dhabi T10 league! So yes, gotta keep a watch on him — the kid’s very good! 

We’ve reserved our special mention for Michael Neser, who took a hat-trick in his first game of the season. 

How have the big names fared?

With the bat

Alex Hales - 100 runs @ 25.00 and 131.57

Faf du Plessis - 46 runs @ 23.00 and 164.28

Andre Russell - 99 runs @ 33.00 and 128.57

Aaron Finch - 105 runs @ 105.00 and 112.90

Tim David - 78 runs @ 39.00 and 144.44

Shadab Khan - 43 runs @ 14.33 and 113.15

Jimmy Neesham - 21 runs @ 7.00 and 116.66

James Vince - 28 runs @ 14.00 and 82.35

With the ball

Trent Boult - 3 wickets @ 20.66 and ER 7.75

Rashid Khan - 4 wickets @ 11.50 and ER 5.75

Shadab Khan - 4 wickets @ 20.75 and ER 7.54

Andre Russell - 2 wickets @ 40.00 and ER 8.88

Akeal Hosein - 7 wickets @ 9.00 and ER 5.72

Adam Zampa - 5 wickets @ 10.80 and ER 6.75

You don't wanna miss this!

Here's Andre Russell absolutely obliterating the Brisbane Heat bowlers

Nothing much to see here. Just Matt Short manhandling Daniel Sams

Shadab Khan with an outrageous grab!

You probably never have and never will see a catch like this. 

And finally, we'd like to end the article the way we started it: with Sydney Thunder's 15 all-out