MEET THE HOBART HURRICANES PLAYERS

WITH a host of fresh faces joining the Hobart Hurricanes for BBL|12, RYAN ROSENDALE runs a rule over the entire squad in our season preview.

Asif Ali Age: 31. From: Pakistan. Came to prominence in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in 2018 that saw him called up to the national side for three T20Is. The middle-order big hitter was drafted by the Hurricanes in the inaugural BBL draft with head of strategy Ricky Ponting selecting him in a bid to aid Tim David, Matthew Wade and fellow draftee Shadab Khan in the later overs.

Faheem Ashraf 28, Pakistan. The all-rounder was drafted alongside fellow countrymen Ali and Shadab Khan with Ashraf playing 42 T20Is for Pakistan, scoring 259 at a strike rate of 128.21 and taking 35 wickets at an economy rate of 7.53.

Iain Carlisle 22, Canberra. The North Hobart CTPL player nabbed the final list spot last week following two seasons being a part of the Covid player replacement pool. Was a member of the Australian under-19 side as a 17-yearold and is a current Tasmanian Tigers contracted player.

Tim David 26, Singapore. Signed a two-year contract extension back in February that sees him remain in purple until the end of BBL|13. David will be one new coach Jeff Vaughan expects big things from this season. Got the call-up to Australia’s T20 World Cup squad but failed to fire before injury struck with two scores of 11 and 15.

Patrick Dooley 25, Queensland. Bursting on to the scene as a Covid replacement player for the Brisbane Heat in BBL|11, Dooley signed with the Hurricanes in September. Played just the one game – ironically against the Hurricanes – but has already had a strong start to his premier league season in Queensland. May have to work to get his debut in purple but will be a good depth option.

Nathan Ellis 28, NSW. One of Australia’s most exciting pacemen returns to Hobart for BBL|12. Signed a contract extension that will see him remain in purple at the end of BBL| 13. Played 14 matches in BBL|10, taking 20 wickets, before featuring eight times last season for 11 wickets.

Caleb Jewell 25, Hobart. Signed a contract extension in March that sees him tied to the Hobart Hurricanes until the end of BBL|13. Jewell featured in 11 of the Hurricanes 15 games last season and performed strongly to finish as the side’s fifth highest runscorer, amassing 216 at a strike rate of 129.34.

Shadab Khan 24. Pakistan. Khan is Pakistan’s most successful T20 international bowler – taking 98 wickets to sit sixth on the all-time list. Was drafted by the Hurricanes with pick eight – their first selection – in the inaugural BBL draft with head of strategy Ricky Ponting saying he was their number one priority heading into the night. May miss a number of games with international duties but expect him to be a highlight in purple this year.

Ben McDermott 27, Brisbane. The batter-keeper put together an outstanding tournament in BBL|11 to be named Player of the Tournament. The big hitting top-order batsman ended the summer with 577 – the fourth highest single season tally in BBL history – at 48.08 average with a strike rate of 153.86. Openly admitted last week that his form coming into the tournament hasn’t been where he’d like it to be but expect him to find it the longer the tournament goes on.

Riley Meredith 26, Hobart. One of Tasmania’s most exciting young quicks inked a deal in February to remain with the Hurricanes until the end of BBL|14 in a huge show of faith in his potential. Missed the first three games of last year and despite playing only 11 games, he finished as the side’s second-best wicket taker, finishing with 16 at an economy rate of 7.94.

Jimmy Neesham 32, New Zealand. The all-rounder joined the ’Canes a week out from the tournament beginning as an international replacement player. This is Neesham’s first time as a part of the BBL but he has represented his native country in 60 T20Is, fully using his talents with both the bat and the ball. He has 688 T20I runs to his name at a strike rate of 159.62, as well as a handy 25 international T20 wickets, at an average of 30.12.

Mitch Owen 21, Hobart. The New Town Bucks premier league captain will once again benefit from being inside the professional Hobart environment. Made his debut in BBL|10, playing two games before making five appearances last season. Scored 26 and took two wickets but his form this CTPL season, where he had made two centuries in two-day cricket, shows he could easily convert that to the short-form.

Joel Paris 29, WA. Debuted for Hobart in BBL|11 after crossing from Perth Scorchers. The 191cm quick claimed WA’s one-day player of the year award for season 2020-21 and played three matches in his first season in purple. Will partner well with the array of quicks inside the Hurricanes squad as he looks to get more matches.

Will Parker 20, Victoria. Signed with the Hurricanes for BBL|10 and made his debut as a 17-year-old. The talented Victorian wrist-spinner played a further five games in BBL|11 but took just the one wicket and will be hoping for an improved tournament this summer.

D’Arcy Short 32, Northern Territory.

The left-handed batting excitement machine is once again back for another tournament in purple. Played all 15 matches in BBL|11, scoring 444 with a highest score of 73 not out. His score of 122 not out in 2018 is the fifth highest in tournament history with fellow Hurricanes Ben McDermott (127) and Matthew Wade (130 not out) also sitting inside the top five.

Billy Stanlake 28, Queensland. The right-arm quick bowler hasn’t played a first-class game in close to 18 months following a horrid run of injury but returned to premier league cricket last week in a bid to make his Hurricanes debut against his former side in the opening game. Bowled the four overs without taking a wicket but got through unscathed in a great sign.

Chris Tremain 31, NSW. The former

Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Renegades medium-fast bowler joins the Hurricanes for BBL|12 in a bid to bolster the pace bowling stocks which took a depleting last year through injury. Tremain has 41 BBL wickets from 49 games, at an average of 33.39 and economy of 8.14. His best figures of 3-9 came in BBL|08 for the Renegades, annihilating the Perth Scorchers at home in a playerof-the-match performance.

Matthew Wade 34, Hobart. The highly-credentialled international veteran returned for 13 matches in BBL|11 after higher duties limited him to just three appearances the season before. The high-energy lefthanded batter and wicketkeeper scored 325 at a strike rate of 134.85 last year with a high-score of 93. Should once again feature at the top of the order alongside Short and McDermott and will be key in the Hurricanes’ charge towards a maiden title. Wade signed a contract extension last year to tie him to the purple until the end of BBL|13.

Mac Wright 24, Victoria. Returns for his fourth season in purple with the right-handed batter working his way back into form during last weekend’s premier league clashes. He scored 54 in his first game before smashing 16 boundaries on his way to 105 for Lindisfarne in a strong showing just days out from the start of the tournament. Wright will be a vital cog in the middle order if he is able to maintain that kind of form in purple.