Gades can get job done
MELBOURNE Renegades will lose captain Aaron Finch and star import Mohammad Nabi to international duty this week but Finch declared the new- look red squad has the depth to still win the Big Bash League.
Finch will play his last game against Perth Scorchers tonight while Afghanistan’s Nabi will also play in the return derby against Melbourne Stars on Friday before departing.
The Renegades have used the same 11 players in all five games this season.
While the Renegades haven’t locked in a replace- ment skipper, Finch said Cameron White would “most likely” lead them for the second half of the season.
West Indies six- machine Kieron Pollard will take Nabi’s place in the squad for the final three group matches plus finals. While Pollard’s batting firepower will help, Finch conceded it would be difficult to replace Nabi’s economical bowling, particularly in the power- play.
Nabi has taken five wickets and is one of just seven BBL bowlers with an economy rate of less than six runs per over.
Nabi could replace Finch as opener against the Stars at Etihad Stadium on Friday.
Keeper Tim Ludeman or Brad Hodge are then the frontrunners to partner Marcus Harris at the top of the order for the rest of the summer.
Nabi, 32, was signed on the cusp of the season after Sunil Narine ( West Indies) withdrew for personal reasons.
The all- rounder has been one of the tournament’s best additions. Nabi took 1- 27 and then crunched 52 ( 30) after a shock promotion to No. 4 in a matchwinning display against the Stars on Saturday night.
Finch decided at the innings break to send Nabi in early to target legspinner Adam Zampa. “We knew Zampa would be predominant through the middle part ( and) Nabi’s a very good player of spin,” Finch said. “It was almost a bit of a shot to nothing.”
Nabi scored 23 runs from nine spin deliveries, blasting three sixes of Zampa and Glenn Maxwell.
“He’s been wonderful with the ball. The way he’s been bowling in the power- play has been exceptional,” Finch said.
“He’s experienced, he’s played against some great opposition on some small Asian grounds, so he knows how to defend himself very well.
“He’s just cagey. He’ll be tough to replace.”
Finch said Nabi was an “obvious choice” to replace Narine after he and coach Andrew McDonald pored over statistics from candidates across the world.
“He came with a really high recommendation from Davey Warner, who spent a lot of time with him at Hyderabad in the IPL,” Finch said.
“There were no stats that compared to his.”
Foundation player Finch has been the heart and soul of the Renegades for seven seasons and he said it would hurt to watch their championship assault on television.
“You want to play as many games as you can, but playing cricket for Australia is the ultimate goal,” Finch said.