The wrath of Khan a worry for Thunder
Strikers keeper Alex Carey has enjoyed four days unlocking the mysteries of Rashid Khan but Sydney Thunder enter tonight’s clash flying blind against the Afghan leg-spin prodigy at Adelaide Oval.
Rashid, 19, will become the first Afghan to feature in the BBL having taken the Indian Premier and Caribbean Premier Leagues by storm this year.
Shane Watson’s Thunder arrive buoyed by a final-ball triumph against cross-town rival Sydney Sixers on Tuesday night at Spotless Stadium but face a fast learning curve against Rashid’s spin.
“He’s a very fast leg-spinner compared to a lot of the guys around. It is picking him, getting used to bounce and turn. The first slip feels in the game when he’s bowling,” said Carey of Rashid.
Rashid pocketed the first hat-trick in the CPL during September for Guyana, flooding the Jamaica Tallawahs with undetectable wrong’uns.
Strikers skipper Travis Head was Rashid’s second victim in the Nangarhar tweaker’s IPL debut for David Warner’s Sunrisers Hyderabad in a 35-run defeat of Watson’s Bangalore last April.
“Adelaide Oval will help Rash with the turn and the bounce and will be fantastic. He spins them both ways, has got a toppie and all the tricks,” Carey said.
Rashid is Head’s trump card but 204cm quick Billy Stanklake’s 145kph pace, Peter Siddle’s experience and prolific metronome Ben Laughlin represent an attack for all occasions.
“We have a bowling attack that can do some damagel,” Carey said.
“It will be exciting to have Billy and keeping to him you stand another 10 metres back from most guys.
“We have some really good depth with the ball.”
Carey is expected to extend his successful opening partnership with Jake Weatherald that powered South Australia into the JLT one-day final against Western Australia in October.
“I love batting with Weathers. Ideally in the short format most guys want to get up the top of the order, I like the field up, the ball is hard,” he said. Strikers v Thunder, tonight, 6.40pm (AEST)