The 14th edition of the Big Bash League commences on December 15th when the five-time champions the Perth Scorchers face off against the Melbourne Stars in Perth.
Eight teams will face off against each other across 40 games, followed by a finals series concluding on January 27.
There are plenty of new faces in different colours this season. The Melbourne Stars have recruited experienced players, Tom Curran, Ben Duckett and even 40-year old Peter Siddle. Last year's team at the bottom of the ladder Sydney Thunder, have rejuvinated their squad with star international signings Lockie Ferguson and Sam Billings, with David Warner leading the star-studded team as their new captain. Whilst reigning champion - and former Heat cult hero - Josh Brown moves down to Melbourne, hoping to add some spark at the top of the order for the Renegades.
Follow along as this full season guide will have you sorted for all your essential Big Bash League needs for the upcoming season.
Captain: Matthew Short
Coach: Tim Paine
BBL13 Finish: (4th Place) Lost in the Challenger
Coming off the back of a loss in the penultimate final, Adelaide Strikers will be looking to go one further and book a spot in the Big Final.
Signings like England's Ollie Pope and West Indies all-rounder Fabian Allen, along with Big Bash veterans Chris Lynn and Matt Short, the team in blue boast a strong batting lineup.
Despite losing Wes Agar and Ben Manenti, their combination of experience and youth positions them as title contenders. Perhaps their biggest challenge will be managing the availability of their international stars, with Ollie Pope, Travis Head and Alex Carey all potentially being called up for Test & ODI commitments.
Following a commendable BBL|13, the Strikers look well-suited to compete for their second championship this season.
Key Player: Matthew Short
In BBL|13, Short was the second-highest run-scorer with over 450 runs, winning his second player of the tournament honour. He looks poised to be a game-changer once again in this season.
Player to Watch: Lloyd Pope
Pope has displayed pieces of brilliance with his leg-spin in the past and recently, his performances in domestic cricket have showcased his maturity as a player. None more so than his 6/74 figures for South Australia against Victoria in shield cricket last month.
Predicted Lineup:
Other Players: James Bazley, Cameron Boyce, Alex Carey (Test Series), Travis Head (Test Series), Thomas Kelly, Harry Nielsen, Alex Ross
Predicted Finish: Runners-Up
Captain: Usman Khawaja
Coach: Johan Botha
BBL13 Finish: Champions
The reigning champions will look to maintain their success from BBL14 as they head in as one of the deserved favourites to clinch the title.
With arguably the strongest bowling attack in the competition, the Heat are certainly a team that will have the other sides worried.
Gaining test stars Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne back following the Border–Gavaskar Trophy, Brisbane will have a star-studded line-up from top to bottom.
Key Player: Colin Munro
Munro has been one of the standout performers in the Big Bash League across several seasons now. His consistency at the top sets the tone for the heavy-hitting middle order.
Player to Watch: Matthew Renshaw
Renshaw has proven himself to be a genuine all-rounder, having taken crucial wickets for his team in past seasons. Currently leading the Sheffield Shield competition with the most runs, there is no denying Renshaw's great form heading into another big season for the former Australian Test opener.
Predicted Lineup:
Other Players: Usman Khawaja (Test Series), Marnus Labuschagne (Test Series), Michael Neser (injured), Will Prestwidge, Nathan McSweeney (Test Series), Callum Vidler, Jack Wood
Predicted Finish: 3rd Place
Captain: Matthew Wade
Coach: Jeff Vaughan
BBL13 Finish: 5th Place
After what was an underwhelming BBL14, the Hurricanes have bolstered their squad with international signings Shai Hope (West Indies) and Waqar Salamkheil (Afghanistan).
The team from Hobart hosts plenty of talent at the top of the order, with international representatives, Matthew Wade, Ben McDermott and Tim David all leading the way with an abundance of experience. With Shai Hope returning in Round 3 being the only exception, the Hurricanes shouldn't be affected by the international schedule.
Key Player: Tim David
The T20 specialist will look to have yet another stellar season. His ability to clear the boundary on command makes him a genuine game-changer. With plenty of franchise experience across several off-shore T20 competitions, David brings plenty of skill to the Hurricanes line-up.
Player to Watch: Waqar Salamkheil
The left-arm wrist spinner from Afghanistan will be a player to keep an eye out for across the entire season. Salamkheil's unpredictability will be sure to cause trouble for all batsmen across the league. He will be looking to replicate Rashid Khan's success, where Khan was originally an unknown spinner prior to becoming one of the best T20 spinners the game has ever seen.
Predicted Lineup:
Other Players: Iain Carlisle, Paddy Dooley, Peter Hatzoglou, Shai Hope (West Indies ODI, Round 3), Mitch Owen, Billy Stanlake, Mac Wright (Injury)
Predicted Finish: 7th Place
Captain: Will Sutherland
Coach: Cameron White
BBL13 Finish: 7th Place
Renegades will be led by former player Cameron White who signed a three-year deal replacing David Saker as the coach.
Having finished in the bottom half of the ladder in 4 out of the last 5 seasons, the Renegades have looked to recruitment as a way to bolster their lineup. The team in red have brought in BBL14 Grand Final hero Josh Brown (Heat) to fill the void of Aaron Finch at the top of the order, along with experienced players, Gurinder Sandhu (Thunder), Tim Seifert (New Zealand), Laurie Evans (Scorchers) and young gun Jacob Bethell (England).
Key Player: Jake Fraser-McGurk
Having now had a taste of IPL and international experience over the past 12 months, even at just 22 years of age, Fraser-McGurk will be looked as one of the leaders in this Renegades outfit. His aggressive playing style matches new recruit Josh Brown's skillset, making for some must watch cricket at the top of the Renegades order.
Player to Watch: Fergus O'Neil
At just 23 years old, Fergus O'Neil is leading the wickets in Sheffield Shield and is in the top ten wicket takers for the current One Day Marsh Cup season. Alongside BBL veterans Zampa and Richardson, O'Neill adds youth and blistering form to the Renegades bowling attack.
Predicted Lineup:
Other Players: Jacob Bethell (England, Round 3), Xavier Crone, Harry Dixon, Nathan Lyon (Test Series), Gurinder Sandhu
Predicted Finish: 8th Place
Captain: Marcus Stoinis
Coach: Peter Moores
BBL13 Finish: 6th Place
Perhaps the most disappointing team across the 14 seasons of the Big Bash League, the Stars are yet to win a BBL title despite hosting some of the biggest names in cricket throughout their history.
With notable key signings such as Tom Curran (Sixers), Joe Clarke (Renegades), Ben Duckett (England) and even Peter Siddle at 40 years of age, the Stars will be looking to turn things around from an underwhelming BBL14.
Key Player: Glenn Maxwell
Who else can turn a game on its head like this man? One of the best short-form players that the game has ever seen, Maxwell's itinerary of shots is seemingly never-ending. Having stepped down as captain, Maxwell will be looking to rediscover his form that we are so used to seeing.
Player to Watch: Hilton Cartwright
Another player who first debuted in the inaugural Big Bash season, the vastly experienced Cartwright is arguably in career best form with the bat. Averaging 53.00 and 38.00 in the Sheffield Shield and Marsh Cup respectively, Cartwright is up there with the most currently in-form cricketers in the country.
Predicted Lineup:
Other Players: Scott Boland, Brody Couch, Ben Duckett (England, Round 3), Sam Harper, Campbell Kellaway, Usama Mir (Pakistan, Round 3), Mark Steketee
Predicted Finish: 6th Place
Captain: Ashton Turner
Coach: Adam Voges
BBL13 Finish: 3rd Place (Lost in Knockout)
The most successful Big Bash team in history has kept a similar lineup to previous years and it's not hard to see why.
Having quite possibly the fastest set of bowlers in BBL history, the Scorchers team will be looking to continue that aggressive playing style which we are so accustomed to, based off previous seasons.
Key Player: Jhye Richardson
After returning from hamstring issues, Richardson has made a commendable return to domestic cricket with Western Australia.
After a frustrating past few seasons, filled with injury and unfortunate international selection misses, Richardson will be looking to prove himself as still being one of the country's best fast bowlers.
Player to Watch: Finn Allen
Renowned for his aggressive approach and ability to dominate bowlers in the powerplay, the young New Zealander has emerged as a standout performer in T20 leagues across the globe. Alongside fellow international, Keaton Jennings at the top of the order, the Scorchers certainly aren't short of batting strike power.
Predicted Lineup:
Other Players: Ashton Agar (injured) Mahli Beardman, Cooper Connolly (injured), Sam Fanning, Liam Haskett, Matt Hurst, Matt Kelly, Mitch Marsh (Test Series)
Predicted Finish: 4th Place
Captain: Moises Henriques
Coach: Greg Shipperd
BBL13 Finish: 3rd Place
After a shock loss in the Big Final last year against Brisbane, the Sixers will be hungry to go one further in BBL14.
Losing Tom Curran and Steve O'Keefe, Sydney's luxury team have recruited back spinner, Ben Manenti and have purchased West Indies bowling all-rounder, Akeal Hosein from the Renegades.
Key Player: Josh Phillipe
A key batsman and wicket-keeper at the top of the order, Philippe's ability to steer an innings will be crucial for the Sixers.
Averaging almost 70.00 in the Sheffield Shield this season, there are certainly no concerns surrounding his form with the bat, as the star keeper looks to continue his great start to the summer of cricket.
Player to Watch: Joel Davies
Younger brother to Ollie, Joel made his debut in the Big Bash League with the Sydney Thunder in BBL12. Joining the Sydney Sixers last year, the young star showed signs that were extremely promising. Often succeeding in Sydney Premier Cricket, it will be a test for young Joel to put in a consistent full season of T20 cricket.
Predicted Lineup:
Other Players: Joel Davies, Daniel Hughes (injured), Akeal Hosein (West Indies, Round 3), Ben Manenti, Mitch Perry, Steve Smith (Test Series)
Predicted Finish: 5th Place
Captain: David Warner
Coach: Trevor Bayliss
BBL13 Finish: 8th Place
The Sydney Thunder had an extremely disappointing season in BBL14, managing to only get a singular win and finishing bottom of the table as a result.
Perhaps having the most impressive recruitment drive in the off-season, the Thunder have brought in international stars, Sam Billings (Heat), Lockie Ferguson (New Zealand), and Sherfane Rutherford (West Indies) as well as seasoned Big Bash players, Wes Agar (Strikers) and Nic Maddinson (Renegades) joining the pack. With the majority of players in fantastic domestic form, it's hard not to see the Thunder in finals contention.
Key Player: David Warner
Captaining the side, David Warner will look to play his first full Big Bash season with no international commitments to worry about. His presence within the T20 arena will be invaluable for a Thunder side mixed with youth and experience.
Player to Watch: Sam Konstas
Perhaps the most talked about young player in Australia, Konstas will likely feature throughout the BBL season alongside David Warner at the top of the order. Having experienced immediate success for NSW in the long format, fans will be intrigued to see how well Konstas adapts to the T20 format.
Predicted Lineup:
Other Players: Matt Gilkes, Ryan Hadley, Liam Hatcher, Nic Maddinson (injured), Nathan McAndrew, Sherfane Rutherford (West Indies, Round 3) Will Salzmann (injured)
Predicted Finish: Champions