MY BBL All Star Side and Squad of 18

MY BBL All Star Side and Squad of 18

**Players currently in BBL 6, excluding Australian test Players**

1. Brendon McCullum (Brisbane Heat) -  I needed a captain and McCullum is a stand out leader. He is aggressive, fearless and a very popular player in the cricketing circuit. In over 250 T20 games, McCullum has a fantastic record, averaging 31 at a strike rate of 137. McCullum lit up the IPL in its first ever game, scoring 158. 

2. Shane Watson (Sydney Thunder) - Despite being 35 years old, Watson remains one of the best T20 commodities in the world. Physically imposing, with the bat Watson averages 30 which is more than acceptable, but has an outstanding strike rate of 140. His canny changes of pace and experience have all brought him 172 wickets from 207 T20 games, with an economy rate under 8. He opens the batting with McCullum and will be required for a few overs in this team. 

3. Kevin Pietersen (Melbourne Stars) - In a team with plenty of big bashers and all rounders you need someone who can bat the innings from the Number 3 role. Pietersen remains a class act, even at age 36, and can accelerate as the inning progresses. He has as good a record as anyone in T20 averaging 34 and striking at 136. 

4. Glenn Maxwell (Melbourne Stars)  - The best is yet to come from a freakish talent like Maxwell at age 28. He has all the shots in the book, and while his batting average of 24 is slightly disappointing, his strike rate of 156 shows how explosive he can be. He is dynamite in the field and a more than handy option with the ball, especially on a wicket holding up. Maxwell bats at Number 4 in this team as I want him facing as many balls as possible. 

5. Chris Lynn (Brisbane Heat) - Along with Maxwell, Lynn has plenty of years in front him and is as good a pure striker of a ball in the country. Can destroy attacks especially down the ground. At 26, Lynn is in the prime of his career and after only 80 T20 games he averages over 30 and has an impressive strike rate of 140.8. Lynn comes in after Maxwell as the last specialist batter in the line up. 

6. Kieron Pollard - (Adelaide Strikers) - You simply can't leave Pollard out. He has claims to being your Number 1 T20 player in the world, and with 338 games behind him is the second most experienced player in the format. Pollard averages 30, which is fantastic for a guy who often comes in when you have to throw the bat and his strike rate of 152 is among the best in the world. Pollard is also an outstanding fieldsman who can grab anything on the rope. His bowling is very underrated, claiming over 200 wickets at a respectable economy rate of 8. Pollard bats at Number 6 in this team and has a licence to thrill. 

7. Andre Russell (Sydney Thunder) - There is a reason the West Indies have won two T20 World Cups. Despite Chris Gayle often getting the headlines, it's the explosiveness of Pollard and Russell which are most sought after for franchises around the world. Russell averages 24 with the bat, which is very handy from Number 7, and his strike rate is off the charts at 165. With 209 wickets from 229 games, Russell can bowl really quickly and be a genuine wicket taker and intimidator. A dynamic athlete he completes a fantastic out fielding side. Russell comes in at 8 and launches from Ball 1. 

8. Sam Whiteman - (Perth Scorchers) - Keep in mind I needed to pick a wicketkeeper. McCullum doesn't do it anymore and the rest of the candidate's records did not exactly jump off the page. So I am going on potential here, over performance. I need a very good wicketkeeper with Hogg and Badree as spinners, and Whiteman looks to have the most upside. He only averages 19 with the bat, however he looks like he is just starting to expand his game. Wade and Neville have pretty average to poor T20 records, and Paine is unlucky to miss out. However Whiteman, at 24 years of age, is clearly on the way up. 

9. David WIlley (Perth Scorchers) - It was a real flip of the coin between David Willey and James Faulkner for a starting spot. WIlley has really burst on to the scene in the past couple of years. With 118 wickets from 114 games at an economy rate of 7.49, Willey can attack and defend as a fast bowler. He is also more than capable down the order, averaging 21 at a strike rate of 140. Willey bats at Number 9 in this line up, however opens the bowling. 

10. Brad Hogg (Perth Scorchers) - I don't care that Hogg is 45 years old, he remains a genuine match winner. There is a reason the Scorchers went to four straight Grand Finals and won two BBL competitions - it was because Hogg made them the best bowling attack year in, year out. Many top line batsmen still can't pick his wrong'un. He averages a wicket a game and goes for less than 7 runs per over.

11. Samuel Badree (Brisbane Heat) - Again I'm picking a lot of guys here who have been responsible for winning silverware for their respective sides. Badree was the glue holding the West Indies' bowling together in their two World T20 triumphs. Badree crucially can bowl up front in the Power Play,  and has the astounding economy rate of 5.6 through 149 T20 games. Sliding on to the bat, and rarely bowling a high ball, he allows his team to get on top from Ball 1. 

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12th Man - Mitchell Marsh (Perth Scorchers) - Marsh at 25 years of age is probably the most physically imposing and brutal player in Australia in T20 cricket. He has not quite produced his best in this format, however has a good batting average of 30 with a slightly below par strike rate of 120.  Marsh is desperately unlucky to miss out on this side, however I could not leave out Pollard or Russell based on what they have done . 

13. Aaron Finch (Melbourne Renegades) - I'm not the biggest Finch fan in 50-Over cricket, however you can't go past his T20 record. He is desperately unlucky to miss out on this side. Finch averages close to 35 with a strike rate of 134. Every team needs two openers that genuinely scare the opposition, however i opted for Watson as he offers more with the ball and I have enough power hitters down the order. 

14. James Faulkner - (Melbourne Stars)-  Faulkner just misses out on a starting spot to Englishman David Willey. Faulkner is a great finisher down the order with the bat, keeping a cool head under pressure. He also is a great option with the ball with his canny slower balls and cutters, making him a real wicket taker. Faulkner has 158 wickets from 135 games at an economy rate of 7.9 meaning he is desperately unlucky to miss out on a starting spot. 

15. Pat Cummins (Sydney Thunder) - Cummins just misses out on this side as he has a lot of raw potential.  You need a couple of genuine enforcers with the ball, capable of intimidating, and Cummins,  fully fit is a scary prospect. His record is promising, with already 58 wickets from 50 games at a good economy rate of 7.6. Cummins is a dynamic athlete in the field and at Number 9 is capable of clearing the fence late in a run chase. 

16. Travis Head (Adelaide Strikers) - Head just misses out to Chris Lynn for a specialist batting position. Head at 22 years of age has plenty of potential in this format and has already delivered. With a promising batting average of 29, Head has an excellent strike rate of 144. He is also capable of bowling some tidy off spinners and is good in the field.

17. Sunil Narine (Melbourne Renegades) - It very difficult to leave out Narine, however I wanted to have two spinners that turned it in opposite directions. Plus, I am not sure Narine will be quite as effective without his doosra which has been banned by the ICC because of Narine's marginal action. Narine has an unbelievable record, with 243 wickets from 197 games at an astoundingly good strike rate of 5.7.

18. Mitchell Johnson (Perth Scorchers ) - Johnson edges out the likes of George Bailey, Moises Henriques, Steven O'Keefe, Johan Botha, Jason Roy and Andrew Tye for the final spot in my squad, Johnson is a still a dynamic fast bowler with 97 wickets from 83 T20 games. Johnson is also capable of clearing the pickets late in an innings.