BBL|12 preview: Local talent has 'Canes in title sweet spot

One of only two clubs yet to win the KFC BBL championship, the Hurricanes have loaded up on batting power and express quicks as they chase that elusive first title in BBL|12.

While they boosted the two facets and the spin bowling department through the inaugural overseas player draft in August, the biggest strength of Hobart's squad is its plethora of home-grown talent.

The Hurricanes list is in its sweet spot for a championship tilt, with local stars Matthew Wade (206 career T20 matches), Tim David (138), Ben McDermott (119), D'Arcy Short (136), Nathan Ellis (71) and Riley Meredith (63) all experienced campaigners at home and abroad.

"We've been really comfortable with the make up of our group," Hurricanes head coach Jeff Vaughan told cricket.com.au.

Add Billy Stanlake to that group along with Chris Tremain and Joel Paris and it's now a formidable five-strong pace battery that is putting the Hobart in the frame for early BBL|12 favouritism.

Platinum draftee Shadab Khan could easily have been the Player of the Tournament during the recent T20 World Cup and adds further depth to Hobart's power-hitting stocks without mentioning his world-class leg-spin bowling.

The mercurial allrounder's confidence at an all-time high after he led the wickets tally for his country alongside Shaheen Shah Afridi in the World Cup and put in a match-winning performance of 52 and 2-16 to single-handedly lift his side over the line against South Africa, a crucial win for their semi-final qualification hopes.

National teammates Asif Ali and Faheem Ashraf, and Black Caps allrounder Jimmy Neesham and England opener Zak Crawley (who have both been signed as replacement players), give a further boost to an already powerful batting line-up and further bowling options, although Faheem is now unlikely to feature until late in BBL|12 after being recalled to the Test team for home series against England and New Zealand.

Regardless, this is a Hurricanes squad very capable of going all the way to lift the BBL trophy for the first time.

BBL|11 result: Fifth, lost Eliminator final 

BBL|12 Draft picks: Shadab Khan (8th – Platinum), Asif Ali (16th – Gold), Faheem Ashraf (17th – Silver)

Squad: Asif Ali (Pakistan), Faheem Ashraf (Pakistan), Iain Carlisle, Tim David, Paddy Dooley, Nathan Ellis, Caleb Jewell, Shadab Khan (Pakistan), Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Mitch Owen, Joel Paris, Wil Parker, D'Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Chris Tremain, Matthew Wade, Mac Wright. Replacement players: Zak Crawley (England), James Neesham (New Zealand), Tim Paine

Ins: Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Iain Carlisle, Paddy Dooley, Shadab Khan, Billy Stanlake, Chris Tremain, Zak Crawley, Jimmy Neesham 

Outs: Scott Boland, Harry Brook, Peter Handscomb (Melbourne Renegades), Josh Kann, Sandeep Lamichhane, Tom Rogers (Melbourne Renegades), Jordan Thompson  

Possible best XI: Ben McDermott, D'Arcy Short, Matthew Wade (wk), Caleb Jewell, Tim David, Shadab Khan, Jimmy Neesham, Asif Ali, Riley Meredith, Nathan Ellis, Billy Stanlake 

Possible best XI for first game: Ben McDermott, D'Arcy Short, Matthew Wade (wk), Caleb Jewell, Tim David, Shadab Khan, Jimmy Neesham, Asif Ali, Riley Meredith, Nathan Ellis, Billy Stanlake

Inside word with Hurricanes coach Jeff Vaughan 

Championship window 

"We've certainly got a very mature group of cricketers with our Tasmanian-based players and a good mix of interstate recruits and our five internationals. We're really pleased with the whole make up of our group – a fair chunk of the team has played together previously and they know how they operate together and how they want to play to win games and we think we've added really nicely with a few top recruits and international stars."

The Ponting return

"He's incredibly passionate about cricket, passionate about T20 cricket but probably the one thing that stands out the most is he's just passionate about Tasmanian cricket as well. We're rapt to have him involved with the organisation, he's heavily invested in us as an organisation performing well throughout this tournament. He's very invested to with our local players as much as he is with the international players. There's a great knowledge of the game, where it's been, where it's heading, and a great understanding of international players as well so he was used during our drafting (process) and recruiting our five overseas players as well. He's (also) very calm, very assured and allows everyone just to do their role to the best they can."

Power overload

"It was certainly a strategy for us when we went to the draft. We were really pleased with our top-order power and our Powerplay options and we think we've got some real depth through that middle of the batting order now."

All aboard the 'Canes express 

"As everyone would be aware we had a very strong pace bowling attack beforehand and with the addition of Billy Stanlake this year, it makes a very nice pace bowling attack. We think we've got a good mix through the pace bowling with Riley Meredith, Nathan Ellis, Joel Paris, Billy and Chris Tremain as well. There's lots of variety there early in the innings, through the middle and at the death (with) left-arm, right-arm pace, bounce, height, skid, so it's a nice mix and one that I know (bowling coach) James Hopes is really looking forward to implementing throughout the tournament.

"So high quality Powerplay batters, some really good power and depth through the middle-order batting of six, seven and eight with a good fast bowling attack. If we can keep everyone healthy and fit and enjoying their cricket, we're expecting to play some good cricket throughout the tournament."

Unleashing big Bill

"It's a wonderful situation for any team to be in and Billy played his first club game (today) in a T20 match. We're very hopeful that by the second or third BBL match he will be ready and on the selection table. It may even be next week in our first game, we may have the opportunity or decide to throw him in. It gives us a great ability to be strategic with our selections and with the make up of our team of where and when and how we use a bowler like Billy depending on the venue and the conditions and then depending on the match-up of opposition."

The draft picks

"We got Asif Ali, Shadab Khan and Faheem Ashraf in the draft and we were really pleased a couple of months back to get them. Faheem Ashraf got called up for the Pakistan (Test team), which was a nice shock selection for him but to have some back up with Zak (Crawley) coming in just after the New Year and Jimmy (Neesham) coming in early on, it's a really nice mix and throughout the entirety of the tournament we're going to have some high-quality international players with all different skill sets.

"Zak's obviously got an ability to bat at the top of the order and then some class through the middle with the Pakistan boys and Jimmy and some good bowling options as well. We're really pleased that we've got choices depending on the opposition and the venues we're playing at. That's really important because we're not going to be able to go through a whole tournament playing one style or (the same) make up of a team so the list allows us to implement whatever strategy we would like on any given day."

Biggest threat

"Everyone is a big threat aren't they, everyone's got some good players in their list and at this time of year every team will be really excited about the opportunity ahead and everyone will be expecting to play some good cricket and win some games. So it's a hell of a competition and one that is very competitive, and you need to play some good cricket to be one of the leaders in it."