Matthew Short appointed as Adelaide Strikers captain for 2023-24 BBL
Australian batting all-rounder Matthew Short has been appointed as Adelaide Strikers' captain ahead of the 13th Big Bash League (BBL) season, starting on December 7.
Short takes over as permanent skipper from Travis Head, having led the side last season. The 28-year-old had an incredible 2022-23 season, finishing second in the run-scoring charts with 458 runs and picking up 11 wickets. Short's impressive run resulted in him debuting in T20Is and ODIs for Australia this year.
Despite his sensational performance, the 2017-18 champions finished second from bottom on the points table.
On Matthew Short's appointment as skipper, head coach Jason Gillespie said
"Matt was a standout choice to take on the captaincy at the Adelaide Strikers and we are thrilled to announce him as our sixth captain. When he stepped up last year we were very impressed with his leadership and we are looking forward to seeing him grow further into the role."
Considering Travis Head and Alex Carey are likely to feature in only a handful of games for the Strikers due to the Test series against Pakistan and West Indies, Short was the obvious choice.
Adelaide Strikers will begin their BBL campaign against last season's finalists, Brisbane Heat, at home on Saturday, December 9.
"Still need to work on a few things in my game" - Matthew Short
Matthew Short admitted his shortcomings in the recent T20I series in India and looked forward to working on those aspects in the upcoming BBL season. The right-hander was tested with a trial by spin and surrendered meekly, scoring a mere 70 in four innings at an average of 17.50. As a result, Australia suffered a 1-4 defeat at the hands of the hosts.
Short looked forward to regaining his best form ahead of the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and U.S.A. next year.
"I still need to work on a few things in my game, especially against spin over there. "I was hoping for a bit better but coming into the Big Bash I'm keen to get my form back – not that I'm out of form – leading into next year's World Cup. My form over the last couple of years has definitely given me that confidence in knowing I can reach that level," Short said.
Despite boasting an excellent strike rate of over 167, Matthew Short hasn't been at his best in the seven T20Is he has played, averaging only 22.28 with a lone half-century.
Furthermore, the Victorian-born cricketer hasn't impressed in his two ODIs, scoring a dismal 11 runs total.