Big Bash innovations here to stay: officials

Cricket Australia has indicated the three new rules introduced to the KFC BBL this season will be retained for next summer while officials also flagged the possibility of "further innovation" ahead of BBL|11, which is set to include a first ever overseas player draft.

The Power Surge, Bash Boost Point and X-Factor rules received mixed reviews this season; the Surge has proven particularly popular – Australia legends Adam Gilchrist and Mike Hussey have been among those to praise its introduction – while a handful of players have flagged some reservations about the bonus point and substitute player.

CA's Head of Big Bash Leagues Alistair Dobson and league consultant Trent Woodhill have both been pleased with how the rule changes have gone, with Dobson indicating they're a strong chance to continue next season.

"We couldn't be happier with how they've played out," Dobson told SEN this week.

"We'll do a thorough review at the end of the season and if those rules need to be tweaked further or further innovation is required, we'll look to do that.

"That would be our starting point (to keep them). They've been a good addition to the competition, whether they stay in the same form, I'm not sure. Equally we've got lots of people to talk to and review to do.

"But as we stand here right now, they've been successful."

Ahead of the BBL|10 Finals, we take a closer look at how the three new rules have impacted the competition, and which teams have best used them to their advantage.

The Power Surge

A floating Powerplay of two overs that can be taken any time after the 10th over, the Power Surge has made a noticeable impact on the competition.

Statistically, the batting team that benefited most was the Sydney Thunder, who scored more Power Surge runs than anyone else (320 from 151 balls) at a run rate of 12.8, a whole run better than the next best team, the Perth Scorchers.

But these two teams used the Surge slightly differently. Exactly half of the Thunder's Surge runs came from just two batsmen – Ben Cutting and Daniel Sams – who normally occupied No.6 and No.7 in the batting order.

The Scorchers, on the other hand, had a more even spread of Surge run-scorers and relied on players further up the order, with their No.3 to No.6 batters – Colin Munro, Josh Inglis, Mitch Marsh and Ashton Turner – all finishing in the top 15 run-getters in the Surge.

"What I've been pleasantly surprised about is how it's been different for every team," Woodhill, who played a lead role in developing the new rules, told cricket.com.au on Thursday.

"When we set these rules up, we wanted uncertainty and a spike in the middle of an innings, not always at the death and the beginning.

"And teams have had different tactics … depending on your list is when you take it, and I think teams were really starting to sort it out what works best for them.

"It couldn't have gone any better. I think it's been unbelievably good with the way it's created a talking point and uncertainty with teams using it at different times.

"Journalists, commentators, fans, coaches and players have all been glued to the TV to work out when teams are going to take it, and everyone's had a different opinion about when they should take it.

"And then when it's happened, it's been unreal. Some of the hitting has been phenomenal but also some of the bowling has been great as well, bringing teams back into the contest when they thought they were out of it." 

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The Bash Boost

In a season where five teams were separated by just four points on the ladder, the ability of teams to take all four points from a game proved decisive in determining who played finals, and who missed out.

Of the 56 games played in the regular season, 19 of them resulted in a differential of six runs or less at the 10-over mark of the second innings, leaving some teams to lament not going harder in the opening 10 overs of their batting innings.

However, the change to the points system for this season has been criticised at times, most noticeably when the Melbourne Renegades picked up a point despite being thrashed by almost 100 runs by a strong Perth Scorchers side.

After Perth had crept to 2-63 halfway through their first innings – meaning the Renegades needed only 64 from their first 10 overs to secure a point – the Scorchers stormed their way to another 122 runs in the second half of their innings to post an imposing total of 3-185.

And when the Renegades lost four wickets inside the opening five overs of their reply, their attention turned to achieving the Bash Boost point, with the win seemingly beyond them.

They scored the 64 they needed despite being eight wickets down and the fact they were awarded a point after such a comprehensive loss did not sit well with Scorchers import, Colin Munro.

"I'm not a huge fan of that point to be honest because once a team is out of it, it's not a great viewing spectacle for guys at home or even the fans to see guys going out there and trying to get that one point," the NZ international said.

"It would be nice to see those games so a little bit deeper and a little bit further and for teams to give themselves every opportunity to win the game."

The Scorchers-Renegades game led Gilchrist to suggest the Bash Boost target could factor in wickets lost as well, similar to the over-by-over DLS targets for rain-reduced matches, to ensure teams would not lose comfortably yet still gain a point.

The Bash Boost also came into sharp focus in the final game of the season when the Sixers needed only a point to both qualify for a home final and knock the Stars out of the competition.

Having elected to bowl first, the Sixers opted to use some of their best bowlers earlier than normal; Jackson Bird opened the bowling before he was eventually subbed out, while death bowling specialists Ben Dwarshuis and Sean Abbott bowled five overs between them in the first 10 as the Sixers restricted the Stars to a score of 3-72 at the halfway point.

And while the Stars exploded late to set a competitive target of 178 to win, the Sixers focused on the target of 73 for the bonus point – which they achieved comfortably – before they ultimately went on to win the game.

Woodhill defended the rule and said the Sixers laid down a blueprint that the Scorchers should have followed in their match against the Renegades.

"The Scorchers had to be better at defending that 10-over target," he said.

"If you look at the Sixers the other night, they front-loaded their bowlers to reduce the 10-over total they were chasing. Perth needed to squeeze more to defend that.

"The point I'd love to make is teams have got to be really good throughout the whole game to get all four points. The Renegades were good enough in that 10-over chase to gain that point, and I think that's great for the competition."

Stars skipper Glenn Maxwell also praised the new rule, despite the way the match against the Sixers panned out.

"I think it's been good; it's been entertaining, and I think it's actually changed the way T20 games have been played," Maxwell said.

"It's brought a different tactic to it instead of guys knocking it around and then going hard for the last six overs.

"I like it, it brings a bit of interest to different parts of the game and it tests you as a leader as well."

The X-Factor

This rule took much longer than the others to take effect as teams adjusted to it, with seven games passing before any side brought their X-Factor player into the game.

And it was used sparingly throughout the season, and in different ways. The Heat named skipper Chris Lynn as an X-Factor in one game to help ease him back following a hamstring injury, while the Heat also used it to bring Morne Morkel into the competition, making the shock call to remove Xavier Bartlett from the game after 10 overs despite the young quick returning figures of 1-2 from his single over.

And it was the fact young players were dragged from the game partway through that frustrated some players, with Siddle and Thunder quick Chris Tremain among those who didn't like the rule.

"Imagine if you're 21 or 22 (years old) and you get subbed out and you never get the opportunity to then learn how to come back from that little setback," Tremain said.

"If we're serious about developing young players and turning them into really good cricketers, you can't shy away from things that go wrong.

"That's a bit of an issue (for the young players) that I think you'll see a little bit of. You need that opportunity to make an impact at the back end with the ball, and if need be hit the winning runs for your team."

Woodhill conceded teams took some time to adjust to the X-Factor rule, but said the way it was used in the later part of the regular season proved it should remain as teams are only now starting to understand its benefits.

For the final two games of the season, the Hobart Hurricanes picked Nick Winter in their side with a view to him swinging the new ball for one over and then subbing him out, while the Sixers did the same with Jackson Bird in their game against the Stars at the MCG.

"I think it'll grow, I think this rule will morph and teams will find ways to utilise it to improve their strengths in a game," Woodhill said.

"A team like the Thunder, they hadn't used it all year and then they used it at the back end. The fact that every team used it at some point shows they felt they needed to do something to change the outcome of a match.

"And that's really important and that puts pressure on captains and coaches on match day to adjust their tactics. I'm a big fan of coaches having make decisions on match day that can influence the course of the game."

For the record, the most subbed player was the Heat's Bartlett who was pulled out three times, and the Heat were the league's most active team, making a total of six X-Factor subs.

Perth Scorchers were the only side to not use the X-Factor as a tactical ploy, but did activate Kurtis Patterson after Mitch Marsh suffered a side strain in a January 12 clash.

Next season

The details of an overseas player draft – which was scrapped for this season due to complications created by the pandemic – are yet to be finalised but appears set to proceed ahead of BBL|11.

And despite some criticism from players and coaches, Woodhill says most of the feedback he's received about the three new rules has been positive, and he believes their benefits will only increase if they're retained for next season.

"All these rules are tied in together … they were brought in to create a sense of urgency and excitement and uncertainty all the way through a match, not just at the front and back end," he said.

"I'd continue with all three of them as they are.

"The chats I've had with people around all three rules have been brilliant, and they've been better than the chats I've had in previous years where things had become stale.

"I was really pleased to know that the players were discussing it amongst themselves and to know they were enjoying it as well."

And while he didn't divulge any details, he flagged the prospect of more rule changes in future.

"I'll talk to as many people (players and coaches) as possible and get as much information as possible," he said. "The umpires are important as well, and broadcasters, journalists and fans.

"You continue to evolve, and my role is to continue to ensure there's a contest between bat and ball and in the field.

"My brain will start ticking over at the back end and once we review that, we'll see that spits out at the other end."