5 best picks in BBL 2024 draft ft. Jacob Bethell
The Big Bash League (BBL) conducted its draft on Sunday, September 1, ahead of the 2024-25 season. All eight franchises had slots in their squad to pick players according to the draft pattern. A few sides made some pre-draft acquisitions independently, and as a result had minimal involvement during the event.
Franchises had the option of retaining their players if they were acquired by someone else in the draft. Coupled with the salary cap restrictions, it was a tightly contested affair, with ultimately each team ending up with three players apiece, following a combination of draft picks, pre-signings, and retentions.
Melbourne Stars had the first pick in the draft for the first round which involved the players in the platinum category. They also had the provision of the first pick in the second and the fourth round of the draft.
The 2024-25 edition of the Big Bash League is slated to begin from December 15 onwards with a clash between the Perth Scorchers and the Melbourne Stars.
On that note, let us take a look at the top five picks in the BBL Draft 2024.
#1 Jacob Bethell (Melbourne Renegades)
England's recent call-up as part of their white-ball revolution is one of the most exciting youngsters around the globe. The pinch hitter has been a valuable addition for Warwickshire and the Birmingham Phoenix in recent times. He has made a rapid rise ever since his breakthrough in the 2022 U-19 World Cup.
Bethell boasts a strike rate of 138.18 in the shortest format to date, and is a utility player well capable of rolling his arm over with his slow left-arm spin when needed. The 20-year-old is exactly the kind of young blood that the current Renegades outfit needs as they have made it to the playoffs only once across the last five editions.
#2 Ben Duckett (Melbourne Stars)
The top of the order has been a major issue for the Melbourne Stars for quite a while, so it was not a surprise that they latched onto Ben Duckett as the very first pick of the draft. The left-handed batter, who is a red-ball regular for England now, also has solid white-ball credentials.
He has primarily played in the middle-order for England in the past after beginning his career lower down the order, but he is a dynamite at the top of the order too. The 29-year-old recently played a significant role in the Birmingham Phoenix's progress into the playoffs in the Hundred 2024. He scored 269 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 171.33, to mark his most prolific campaign to date.
#3 Lockie Ferguson (Sydney Thunder)
A menacing pacer with the ability to clock 150 kmph is welcome anywhere in the world, but even more so in Australia. The New Zealand international welcomes the BBL after rejecting a central contract, and could prove to be a valuable addition to the Sydney Thunder.
Ferguson bowled a historic run-less spell in the 2024 T20 World Cup against Papua New Guinea, and then followed it up with a stellar Major League Cricket (MLC) campaign for champions, Washington Freedom. He picked up 10 wickets in seven matches at an economy of 7.26.
The Blackcaps ace has had a history of being erratic with his bowling areas and often leaking runs. However, he has made a significant stride as a short format bowler, including the judicial use of slower balls and assessing the conditions much better. His prowess was on show in the high-scoring IPL campaign as well, where he improved as the season progressed and played a vital role in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) progress into the playoffs.
#4 Shai Hope (Hobart Hurricanes)
Often credited as a class player not suited to the shortest format, the evolution of Shai Hope as a T20 batter has been refreshing to witness. With stints in the middle and the top of the order, he has made significant changes to his game to match the modern tempo.
His recent form is a testament to the fact after he was adjudged player of the series in the T20I series against South Africa. The right-handed batter has also made a strong start to the 2024 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) campaign, scoring 41 runs at No.3 in Guyana Amazon Warriors' opening match.
He reunites with Ricky Ponting at Hobart Hurricanes, following their stint with the Delhi Capitals (DC) during IPL 2024. Under the former Australian skipper's guidance, he played nine matches, scoring 183 runs at a strike rate of 150.
#5 Rishad Hossain (Hobart Hurricanes)
This arguably comes across as a left-field choice, but the young leg spinner has been one of the most exciting talents to break out this year. He has had made some solid early impressions since his debut in 2023 and was one of the biggest highlights for Bangladesh in the 2024 T20 World Cup. The leg spinner finished as the joint fifth-highest wicket-taker in the competition along with Rashid Khan.
A high-profile stint in the BBL is the perfect stepping stone for Hossain at this stage of his career. The Hurricanes can also bank on him to be the X-Factor for the side, especially since their spin bowling options in the last edition like Patrick Dooley and part-time option Nikhil CHoudhary could not deliver enough impact.
Although the conditions Down Under does not promise much turn, but the prospect of bowling with the security of the large boundaries will be right up Hosssain's alley.