Victoria (Australia), Feb 1 (IANS): Former Australia captain Steve Smith and T20 skipper Aaron Finch have earned selection in the Big Bash League (BBL 12) Team of the Tournament, which was announced on Wednesday by the league.
The Team of the Tournament is selected at the conclusion of the regular season by the head coaches of each of the eight clubs.
Smith, 2022 Allan Border Medalist, has a short but impactful stint with the Sydney Sixers this season and scored 328 runs across four matches with two centuries.
Finch was instrumental in the Melbourne Renegades' rise from the bottom of the table to their first finals appearance in three years. He led the Gades with the bat, hammering 428 runs across 15 matches, with an average of 38.9, including four half-centuries and a top score of 76 not out. The Renegades skipper also finished third in the Player of the Tournament voting, only finishing behind Matt Short and Josh Inglis.
The season's leading wicket-taker, Sean Abbott, who was also the Player of the tournament, also earned selection after collecting 25 wickets across 13 matches and becoming the first and only bowler to reach 150 wickets in BBL history.
Renegades' quick Tom Rogers earned his first selection in the Team of the Tournament in the BBL career. He snared 23 wickets at an average of 20.04 and a strike-rate of 14.5.
Perth Scorchers' Josh Inglis will also take the gloves in the selected team, after registering a tournament-high 16 dismissals behind the stumps. The 27-year-old registered four fifties throughout the campaign with a highest score of 74.
Two Adelaide Strikers' batters have selected in the Team-- Matt Short as an opening batter and Chris Lynn as 12th man. Both batters finished in the top four of the leading run scorers, with Short winning the Golden Bat Award for most runs in the competition with 458, while Lynn scored 416 in only 11 matches.
Hobart Hurricanes breakout star Paddy Dooley is the only spinner selected in the side after taking 19 wickets with a superb economy rate of 6.56, including a best haul of 4-16 against the Scorchers.
After playing a single BBL game for the Brisbane Heat in BBL 11 as a Covid replacement player, Dooley signed his first fully-fledged Big Bash contract with the Hurricanes in BBL 12.
Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia's General Manager, Big Bash Leagues, said: "With more than 2600 runs and 120 wickets between them this season, it is a formidable team that would be competitive against any side in the world. We have witnessed some world-class cricket and it is truly a joy to see the excitement and delight of the crowds watching these players deliver sensational moments."
BBL 12 Team of the Tournament: Matt Short (Adelaide Strikers), Steve Smith (Sydney Sixers), Aaron Hardie (Perth Scorchers), Aaron Finch (C) (Renegades), Josh Inglis (wk) (Perth Scorchers), Tim David (Hobart Hurricanes), Michael Neser (Brisbane Heat), Sean Abbott (Sydney Sixers), Andrew Tye (Perth Scorchers), Tom Rogers (Melbourne Renegades), Paddy Dooley (Hobart Hurricanes), Chris Lynn (Adelaide Strikers)