Cricket Australia: KFC BBL|11 Team of the Tournament announced

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The KFC BBL|11 Team of the Tournament, selected by the head coaches of all eight clubs, has been confirmed.

The Team of the Tournament is:

Ben McDermott and Josh Philippe, unanimous selections among the eight coaches, open the batting in the Team of the Tournament. This season, McDermott became the first player in BBL history to hit centuries in consecutive games on his way to 577 runs at 48.08 apiece and leads the BKT Golden Bat count by 109 runs with two games remaining this season. KFC BBL|10 Player of the Tournament Josh Philippe has had another outstanding season for the Sixers, plundering 429 runs and claiming 17 dismissals so far.

That duo is followed by the powerful quartet of Joe Clarke, Mitchell Marsh, Matt Short and Moises Henriques. Each of Clarke, Short and Henriques have scored over 400 runs for the campaign with 10 half-centuries and 55 sixes between them. Meanwhile Marsh, despite playing just seven matches due to his national commitments, showed the quality that saw him win the player of the match award in the recent ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Final, smashing 342 runs at an average of 68.40.

The team features two further unanimous selections – Adelaide Strikers captain Peter Siddle, who also takes the reins here, and Sydney Thunder’s Daniel Sams. Siddle leads the Team of the Tournament after a personal best BBL campaign which sees him on top of the BKT Golden Arm standings with 29 wickets at 17.37 apiece. All-rounder Sams’ power with the bat and prowess with the ball were on display again in KFC BBL|11, scoring 191 runs at a strike rate of 161.86 and claiming 19 wickets as well.

The second, third and fourth-ranked bowlers in the BKT Golden Arm standings make up the attack – Hayden Kerr, Andrew Tye and Rashid Khan. Left-armer Kerr has enjoyed a breakout season for the Sydney Sixers, with his 24 wickets at 13.45 apiece, the best bowling average for any player with 15 or more wickets. Veteran Tye cemented his status as a BBL great, passing the 100 wicket mark in the competition this season, while the highlight of Rashid Khan’s 11-game, 20-wicket stint was a brilliant 6-17 against the Brisbane Heat.

Jason Sangha and Sean Abbott are the X-Factor players in the KFC BBL|11 Team of the Tournament. Sangha forced his way back into Sydney Thunder’s side and made the number three position his own with 445 runs in 12 innings, while Abbott became the leading wicket-taker in BBL history during this season, currently sitting on 122 wickets from 92 matches.

Trent Woodhill, Big Bash Leagues’ Player Acquisition and Cricket Consultant, said:

“This is one of the most exciting Team of the Tournament line ups in BBL history, featuring a combination of World Cup winners, seasoned BBL veterans, breakout stars and history-makers in our competition.

“The batting line up is packed with power and T20 prowess, while the bowling attack is varied and skillful. This line up has succeeded on our pitches throughout KFC BBL|11, but would be a handful in any conditions around the world.

“We congratulate all players selected and thank the eight head coaches for their careful consideration in selecting this side.”

KFC BBL|11 Finals information

Two matches remain in the KFC BBL|11 Finals series – The Challenger and The Final:

• The Challenger – January 26, 7:25pm AEDT: Sydney Sixers v Adelaide Strikers, Sydney Cricket Ground
• The Final – January 28, 7:40pm AEDT: Perth Scorchers v winner of The Challenger, Marvel Stadium

Tickets to both matches are on sale now for members via cricket.com.au/big-bash. Tickets are available to the general public from midday AEDT today.

Both matches will be broadcast live on Seven, Foxtel, Kayo and SEN.

Cricket Australia