The ninth season of the Big Bash League is fast-approaching, and this season looms as perhaps the most exciting.
With South African superstars AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn signing on for the Brisbane Heat and Melbourne Stars respectively, there will be plenty of eyes on Australia's premier T20 league.
Last year saw the Renegades edge out the Stars in a cross-town final, while D'arcy Short took out 'Player of the Tournament' honours.
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WHAT HAPPENS IF THE BIG BASH FINAL IS CANCELLED?
The Big Bash League looks set for a historic first on the eve of the final between Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Stars.
Unfortunately, it's not going to be a good record with the grand final at the SCG set to be a washout.
The BOM is predicting between 90 to 150 millimetres of rain after 12pm on Saturday in Sydney, with the torrential conditions forcing the postponement of the Sydney Derby.
This also caused the 'Bushfire Bash' charity cricket game, which was set to be played before the final, to be moved to Junction Oval on Sunday.
In order to constitute a game, each team must face a minimum of five overs each.
If this is not achieved, the rules state that the trophy will be awarded to the hosting team, which is the Sydney Sixers.
HOW TO WATCH BBL08
Fox Cricket will again broadcast every single BBL match this season, while Channel 7 will show their fair share of matches as well.
Kayo will also show every match live in the 2019/20 season.
Macquarie Sports Radio, SEN1116, and Cricket Australia will broadcast audio of the games.
BBL09 TICKETS
Start your summer right and grab your BBL tickets before they sell out!
Tickets for the 2019/20 season are available on Ticketek with all BBL on sale - check out below to find your club's schedule.
Prices for the upcoming BBL season remain unchanged for the eighth year running, with adult tickets from $20, kids tickets from $5, and family tickets from $42.50.
BBL09 FINALS SCHEDULE
The schedule for the upcoming season has been revamped, with a new finals system announced which will run as follows:
- Thurs Jan 30: The Eliminator (Hobart Hurricanes v Sydney Thunder)
- Fri Jan 31: The Qualifier (Melbourne Stars v Sydney Sixers)
- Sat Feb 1: The Knock-Out (Adelaide Strikers v Sydney Thunder)
- Thurs Feb 6: The Challenger (Melbourne Stars v Sydney Thunder)
- Sat Feb 8: The Final (Sydney Sixers v Melbourne Stars)
The other amendments to the BBL fixtures are:
- A shorter regular season, which has been reduced from 54 days last summer to 42 days
- No game on Christmas Day, although the idea may be revisited in the future
- More uniformity around match times, with the majority of night games on weekdays to start at 7.10pm AEDT
- Fifteen days featuring two matches
- A Grand Final re-match between the Renegades and Stars at the MCG on January 4
- Marquee games in Hobart on Christmas Eve, Perth on Boxing Day, Adelaide on New Years' Eve and Gold Coast on New Years' Day
- Games to be played outside major metropolitan stadiums, with matches already scheduled in Geelong, Alice Springs, Launceston and the Gold Coast and more regional venues to be confirmed
The full schedule for BBL09 is listed below.
| DATE | HOME | AWAY | VENUE | TV |
| 17th Dec | Brisbane Heat | Sydney Thunder | Gabba | 7 & Fox |
| 18th Dec | Sydney Sixers | Perth Scorchers | SCG | 7 & Fox |
| 19th Dec | Melbourne Renegades | Sydney Thunder | GMHBA Stadium | 7 & Fox |
| 20th Dec | Hobart Hurricanes | Sydney Sixers | Traeger Park | 7 & Fox |
| 20th Dec | Brisbane Heat | Melbourne Stars | Metricon Stadium | 7 & Fox |
| 21st Dec | Sydney Thunder | Adelaide Strikers | Manuka Oval | Fox |
| 21st Dec | Perth Scorchers | Melbourne Renegades | Optus Stadium | Fox |
| 22nd Dec | Melbourne Stars | Hobart Hurricanes | Ted Summerton Reserve | 7 & Fox |
| 22nd Dec | Sydney Sixers | Brisbane Heat | SCG | 7 & Fox |
| 23rd Dec | Adelaide Strikers | Perth Scorchers | Adelaide Oval | 7 & Fox |
| 24th Dec | Hobart Hurricanes | Melbourne Renegades | Blundstone Arena | Fox |
| 26th Dec | Perth Scorchers | Sydney Sixers | Optus Stadium | 7 & Fox |
| 27th Dec | Melbourne Stars | Adelaide Strikers | Metricon Stadium | 7 & Fox |
| 28th Dec | Sydney Sixers | Sydney Thunder | SCG | Fox |
| 29th Dec | Melbourne Renegades | Adelaide Strikers | Marvel Stadium | 7 & Fox |
| 30th Dec | Hobart Hurricanes | Melbourne Stars | Uni of Tasmania Stadium | 7 & Fox |
| 31st Dec | Adelaide Strikers | Sydney Thunder | Adelaide Oval | 7 & Fox |
| 1st Jan | Brisbane Heat | Perth Scorchers | Metricon Stadium | 7 & Fox |
| 2nd Jan | Sydney Thunder | Melbourne Stars | Spotless Stadium | Fox |
| 2nd Jan | Melbourne Renegades | Sydney Sixers | Marvel Stadium | 7 & Fox |
| 3rd Jan | Hobart Hurricanes | Brisbane Heat | Blundstone Arena | 7 & Fox |
| 4th Jan | Melbourne Stars | Melbourne Renegades | MCG | Fox |
| 5th Jan | Sydney Sixers | Adelaide Strikers | Coffs Harbour | 7 & Fox |
| 5th Jan | Perth Scorchers | Hobart Hurricanes | Optus Stadium | Fox |
| 6th Jan | Sydney Thunder | Brisbane Heat | Spotless Stadium | 7 & Fox |
| 7th Jan | Melbourne Renegades | Perth Scorchers | GMHBA Stadium | 7 & Fox |
| 8th Jan | Adelaide Strikers | Sydney Sixers | Adelaide Oval | Fox |
| 8th Jan | Melbourne Stars | Sydney Thunder | MCG | 7 & Fox |
| 9th Jan | Brisbane Heat | Hobart Hurricanes | Gabba | 7 & Fox |
| 10th Jan | Melbourne Renegades | Melbourne Stars | Marvel Stadium | 7 & Fox |
| 11th Jan | Sydney Thunder | Hobart Hurricanes | Spotless Stadium | Fox |
| 11th Jan | Perth Scorchers | Brisbane Heat | Optus Stadium | Fox |
| 12th Jan | Adelaide Strikers | Melbourne Renegades | Adelaide Oval | Fox |
| 12th Jan | Melbourne Stars | Sydney Sixers | MCG | 7 & Fox |
| 13th Jan | Hobart Hurricanes | Perth Scorchers | Blundstone Arena | 7 & Fox |
| 14th Jan | Brisbane Heat | Adelaide Strikers | Gabba | Fox |
| 15th Jan | Sydney Thunder | Melbourne Renegades | Manuka Oval | 7 & Fox |
| 15th Jan | Perth Scorchers | Melbourne Stars | Optus Stadium | 7 & Fox |
| 16th Jan | Sydney Sixers | Hobart Hurricanes | SCG | 7 & Fox |
| 17th Jan | Adelaide Strikers | Brisbane Heat | Adelaide Oval | Fox |
| 18th Jan | Melbourne Stars | Perth Scorchers | MCG | Fox |
| 18th Jan | Sydney Thunder | Sydney Sixers | Spotless Stadium | 7 & Fox |
| 19th Jan | Hobart Hurricanes | Adelaide Strikers | Uni of Tasmania | 7 & Fox |
| 19th Jan | Brisbane Heat | Melbourne Renegades | Gabba | 7 & Fox |
| 20th Jan | Sydney Sixers | Melbourne Stars | SCG | 7 & Fox |
| 20th Jan | Perth Scorchers | Sydney Thunder | Optus Stadium | 7 & Fox |
| 21st Jan | Melbourne Renegades | Hobart Hurricanes | Marvel Stadium | 7 & Fox |
| 22nd Jan | Adelaide Strikers | Melbourne Stars | Adelaide Oval | 7 & Fox |
| 23rd Jan | Brisbane Heat | Sydney Sixers | Gabba | 7 & Fox |
| 24th Jan | Hobart Hurricanes | Sydney Thunder | Blundstone Arena | 7 & Fox |
| 24th Jan | Perth Scorchers | Adelaide Strikers | Optus Stadium | 7 & Fox |
| 25th Jan | Sydney Sixers | Melbourne Renegades | SCG | Fox |
| 25th Jan | Melbourne Stars | Brisbane Heat | MCG | Fox |
| 26th Jan | Sydney Thunder | Perth Scorchers | Spotless Stadium | 7 & Fox |
| 26th Jan | Adelaide Strikers | Hobart Hurricanes | Adelaide Oval | 7 & Fox |
| 27th Jan | Melbourne Renegades | Brisbane Heat | Marvel Stadium | 7 & Fox |
BBL09 TEAM LISTS
This year's edition of the Big Bash has attracted superstars from around the world to participate, with South African pair Dale Steyn and AB De Villiers headlining the imports.
Along with this, a number of big-name Australian players have either re-joined clubs or transferred ahead of the new season.
Check out all the team lists for each club here along with who we think will start in the opening round of fixtures.
Sporting News has combed the squads for Supercoach gold and has identified the players to watch from each team and the most promising young players from each team .
BBL09 LADDER
| Team | Matches | Win | Loss | N/R | Net Run Rate | Points |
| 1. Melbourne Stars | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0.526 | 20 |
| 2. Sydney Sixers | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0.269 | 19 |
| 3. Adelaide Strikers | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0.564 | 17 |
| 4. Hobart Hurricanes | 14 | 6 | 7 | 1 | -0.355 | 13 |
| 5. Sydney Thunder | 14 | 6 | 7 | 1 | -0.446 | 13 |
| 6. Perth Scorchers | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | -0.023 | 12 |
| 7. Brisbane Heat | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | -0.237 | 12 |
| 8. Melbourne Renegades | 14 | 3 | 11 | 0 | -0.348 | 6 |
PREVIOUS BIG BASH LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
2011/12: Sydney Sixers
2012/13: Brisbane Heat
2013/14: Perth Scorchers
2014/15: Perth Scorchers
2015/16: Sydney Thunder
2016/17: Perth Scorchers
2017/18: Adelaide Strikers
2018/19: Melbourne Renegades
WHAT HAPPENED IN BBL08?
In BBL08 season the title was won by Melbourne Renegades, who defeated cross-town rivals Melbourne Stars by 13 runs at Marvel Stadium. Dan Christian was named man of the match.
D'Arcy Short from the Hobart Hurricanes hit the most runs of the season for the second consecutive year with 637, and fell agonisingly short of a century with 96* against the Stars.
That innings was controversial as an incorrect umpiring call cost Short a century, as a boundary was signalled as leg byes when it in fact came off his bat.
The most wickets came from Renegades seamer Kane Richardson finished the season with 24 wickets, six clear of James Faulkner and Sean Abbott.