STARS NEED REAL DEALS
THE highest profile Big Bash team, the Melbourne Stars, are licking their wounds after a disastrous campaign this summer where they finished last.
There have been plenty of rumblings behind the scenes as they attempt to reset for the future.
The departures of overseas players Kevin Pietersen and Luke Wright has opened the door for a new direction and different philosophy for the team in green.
Nothing yet confirmed but it is understood that West Indian allrounder Dwayne Bravo may be crossing town from the Renegades to join the Stars.
The second overseas player is crucial and likely to also be a bowler, preferably a world-class spinner.
During the week, the first big move was made by the Stars with the signing of Sydney Sixers lefthanded batsman Nic Maddinson.
It’s an interesting signing as Maddinson is a huge talent but horribly inconsistent. He can be a matchwinner and heartbreaker.
The Stars’ list manager, little known Trent Woodhill, has strong connections with many young Sydney players and was instrumental in this move.
It is well known that Marcus Stoinis and Peter Handscomb — both out of contract with the Stars — have offers coming from many other teams.
Stoinis is hot property and will command a big chunk of the Stars’ salary cap if he is to be retained.
Brisbane has put a massive offer to him, but I understand he may still choose to stay with the Stars.
Handscomb may well become a casualty in the reshuffle as the Stars last year put plenty of eggs in the Ben Dunk basket.
Dunk was signed after a big previous season with the Strikers on a long-term deal of four or five years on top dollar.
His season was horrible but the Stars have no wiggle room after their bold move backfired catastrophically.
They may be forced to put him back behind the stumps to give them the ability to manoeuvre their batsmen accordingly and balance their team.
Handscomb may be lost as a result.
The big problem the Stars will face as they try and rebuild a tired, ageing list is that all other teams are locking away their big guns knowing the Stars are on the prowl.
Maddinson aside, only slim pickings will be available.
The rebuild is going to require some astute scouting and also punting on a few unknown players.
Talent identification is such an underrated resource in the Big Bash. I know for a fact there are plenty of talented players outside of the firstclass system that have the skill set to execute in this format.
Selecting the right players to fulfil a role within a Big Bash team is crucial. It’s an area the franchises must do better.
One player the Stars must lock down on a long-term deal is left-arm leg-spinner Liam Bowe, the wizard from Bendigo.
This young man has a rare skill that has served Brad Hogg so well in this format.
The ability to spin the ball both ways and bamboozle batsmen is a rarity. He would be the first person I would lock away if I was driving the Stars’ ship.
He played a few games this season but was remarkably ignored towards the end of the series in favour of another Woodhill recruit in young Sydney leg-spinner Daniel Fallins.
The Stars’ bowling was poor this summer and needs an overhaul.
Ben Hilfenhaus, a once fine Australian Test bowler, was not used and needs to be released. Michael Beer has been a fine short-version bowler but after Aaron Finch took him to the cleaners in the local derby we never sighted him again. His future now looks uncertain.
Scott Boland is a fantastic state player for Victoria but must develop some tricks in this format if he is to survive the cut.
He kept serving up the same predictable line and length, which is a strength in shield cricket but a weakness in T20.
Variety and precise execution is the key in T20, hence the pending signing of Bravo.
The most disappointing player on the Stars’ list was James Faulkner, whose career is at the crossroads.
He has gone from the main man to the forgotten man in Australian short-form cricket.
Perhaps a move home to Hobart in a trade deal could be a win-win situation, as he seems to have gone stale at the Stars.
Captain John Hastings had a tumultuous initiation into captaincy for the first time on the big stage.
He is a big-hearted, talented cricketer who would have been stung by what unfolded for his team.
He will be keen to make amends next summer but it remains to be seen whether he will get another opportunity to lead.
The Stars have plenty of headaches and need to make some smart decisions if they are to climb off the bottom of the BBL table.