Melbourne [Australia], January 28 (ANI): Pacer Jhye Richardson, batsmen Colin Munro, Ben McDermott, Josh Philippe, and Alex Hales bagged the maximum votes to be named in the Big Bash League’s Team of the Tournament.
BBL team of the tournament was announced on Thursday, with nine finals-bound players selected in the squad of 13. The team, which includes three overseas and two X-Factor players, was selected by the eight KFC BBL club coaches.
Surprisingly Chris Lynn, who is the third-highest run-scorer in the ongoing tournament missed out in the BBL XI. Tanveer Sangha, who recently earned a maiden call-up in the Australia squad for the New Zealand tour too wasn’t named in the team.
The top four of Philippe, Hales, McDermott, and Munro were selected by all eight coaches in their Team of the Tournament submissions. The quartet occupies four of the top six positions on the BKT Golden Bat leaderboard (which remains live into the Finals series), headed by Hales on 535 runs for the season to date.
Fast bowler Richardson, like the top four, was also a unanimous selection and currently leads the race for the BKT Golden Arm cap with 27 wickets. He is joined by fellow quicks Agar and Steketee as well as leg-spinners Rashid Khan and Adam Zampa in a strong bowling attack.
“This is a team that would be highly competitive in any T20 match anywhere in the world, filled with powerful ball strikers, high-class bowlers and strong X-Factor impact players,” Trent Woodhill, League player acquisition and cricket consultant said.
“The likes of Alex Hales, Colin Munro and Rashid Khan led the way for the international contingent throughout KFC BBL|10, while Jhye Richardson has been the standout fast bowler of the campaign so far,” he added.
Four all-rounders have also made the squad of 13, including two X-Factor players for the first time. Proven match-winners Glen Maxwell and Dan Christian have been rewarded for their significant influence on multiple results this season with positions in the playing XI, while Marcus Stoinis and Daniel Sams’ ability to make an instant impact off the bench earned them the 12th and 13th positions. (ANI)