2015–16 Big Bash League season
Cricket tournament
Cricket tournament
The 2015–16 Big Bash League season (BBL|05 ) was the fifth season of the Big Bash League (BBL), the premier Twenty20 cricket competition in Australia. The tournament ran from 17 December 2015 to 24 January 2016.
The BBL title was won by the Sydney Thunder , who defeated the Melbourne Stars by three wickets in the final to claim their first title. The Perth Scorchers , who had been seeking a third successive title, lost to the Stars in the semi-final thus making this the only season to date that the Scorchers failed to make the final. Chris Lynn of the Brisbane Heat was the tournament's leading run-scorer, making 378 runs from eight matches, and was named player of the tournament. The leading wicket-taker was Clint McKay of the Thunder, who took 18 wickets from ten matches. Travis Head of the Adelaide Strikers was named the best player under 25, scoring 299 runs and taking six wickets.[ 2] [ 3]
Pre-season
Warm up matches
Canterbury Kings won by 9 runs Hagley Oval , Christchurch, New Zealand
v
Victorian Invitational XI
Festival of Cricket matches
v
Legends XI
Squads
Points Table
Points table
Summary
Home team won Visitor team won
Note : Results listed are according to the home (horizontal) and visitor (vertical) teams.Note : Click on a result to see a summary of the match.
Round 1
Sydney Thunder won the toss and elected to bat.
Melbourne Stars won the toss and elected to field.
Brisbane Heat won the toss and elected to bat.
Guy Walker (Renegades) made his T20 debut.
Round 2
Melbourne Stars won the toss and elected to field.
Perth Scorchers won the toss and elected to bat.
Hobart Hurricanes won the toss and elected to bat.
The crowd of 14,848 was the highest in Tasmanian domestic cricket history, beating the previous record of 14,744 set in the previous season between the same teams.[ 14]
Sydney Sixers won the toss and elected to field.
Cameron Stevenson (Renegades) made his T20 debut.
Round 3
Brisbane Heat won the toss and elected to bat.
Sydney Sixers won the toss and elected to bat.
The crowd of 29,104 is the highest crowd at the SCG for a non-derby BBL match.[ 17]
Adelaide Strikers won the toss and elected to bat.
The crowd of 21,500 is the highest attendance for a cricket match at Spotless Stadium and the second highest attendance for any sport at the stadium.
Billy Stanlake (Strikers) made his T20 debut.
Hobart Hurricanes won the toss and elected to bat.
Sam Heazlett (Heat) made his T20 debut.
Round 4
Perth Scorchers won the toss and elected to field.
This was the first ever 10-wicket win in a BBL match.[ 21]
The crowd of 26,787 is the highest crowd at Etihad Stadium for a non-derby BBL match. [ 21] Michael Klinger and Shaun Marsh 's unbeaten 171-run partnership is the highest partnership for the Scorchers in their history and the second highest overall.
Adelaide Strikers won the toss and elected to field.
Hamish Kingston (Strikers) made his T20 debut.
Sydney Thunder won the toss and elected to field.
The crowd of 17,151 was the highest crowd at Blundstone Arena for a cricket match and the second highest crowd for any sport at the stadium.[ 23]
Melbourne Stars won the toss and elected to field.
The crowd of 80,883 is the highest ever recorded attendance for a domestic cricket match.[ 25]
Round 5
Sydney Sixers won the toss and elected to bat.
William Somerville (Sixers) made his T20 debut.
Brisbane Heat won the toss and elected to field.
Melbourne Renegades won the toss and elected to field.
Adelaide Strikers won the toss and elected to bat.
Jake Lehmann (Strikers) made his T20 debut.
Round 6
Melbourne Stars won the toss and elected to field.
Sydney Thunder won the toss and elected to field.
Adelaide Strikers won the toss and elected to field.
The crowd of 33,783 is the highest crowd at the Gabba for a BBL match.[ 32]
Melbourne Stars won the toss and elected to field.
Aaron Ayre (Renegades) made his T20 debut.The crowd of 43,176 is the highest at Etihad Stadium for a cricket match.
Round 7
Perth Scorchers won the toss and elected to bat.
The crowd of 18,149 is the highest ever crowd for any sport at Blundstone Arena.[ 34]
Sydney Thunder won the toss and elected to bat.
Hobart Hurricanes won the toss and elected to bat.
Greg West (Strikers) made his T20 debut.The crowd of 49,115 is the highest at Adelaide Oval for a non-finals BBL match.
Round 8
Melbourne Stars won the toss and elected to field.
Sydney Sixers won the toss and elected to field.
Nathan McAndrew (Thunder) made his T20 debut. The crowd of 38,456 is the highest crowd for a domestic cricket game in New South Wales.
Perth Scorchers won the toss and elected to field.
Jhye Richardson (Scorchers) made his T20 debut. The crowd of 20,870 is the highest crowd for a BBL match at this ground. [ 40]
Knockout phase
Semi-finals
The top four teams from the group stage qualified for the semi-finals.
Adelaide Strikers won the toss and elected to bat.
Melbourne Stars won the toss and elected to field.
Final
Sydney Thunder won the toss and elected to field.
The crowd of 47,672 was the highest crowd for a non-derby BBL match at the MCG, and remains the highest crowd for a Big Bash League final to date
Statistics
Most runs
Source: ESPNcricinfo , 24 January 2016
Most wickets
Source: ESPNcricinfo , 24 January 2016.
Notable events
The opening Sydney Derby match was played for the "Batting for Change Trophy" at Spotless Stadium . The match saw both the sides earning money for the Batting for Change charity with every six hit. Players had pledged to donate a total of $775 for each six hit during the match, as part of the Batting for Change cause set up by Sydney Sixers ' player Ryan Carters .[ 46] [ 47]
The January 2 match between Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers at The Furnace saw the clubs wearing Batman and Superman playing gear instead of their original gear as a part of BBL's new partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures .[ 48]
TV audience
BBL games are currently broadcast in Australia by the free-to-air Network Ten .[ 49] [ 50] [ 51]
The opening Sydney Derby match attracted more a peak audience of 1.53 million. A peak audience of 1.05 million watched the second innings of the match in the five major capital cities, making it then the highest-rating non-finals match in BBL history.[ 52] [ 53]
The BBL Final was watched by an average audience of 1.79 million, which peaked at 2.24 million viewers. This was the first time that the ratings for a BBL match crossed the 2 million mark.[ 54]
Following are the television ratings for 2015–16 BBL season in Australia.[ 55]
Match No
Teams
Average TV Ratings
National
5 metro cities
Session 1
Session 2
Session 1
Session 2
1
Sydney Thunder vs Sydney Sixers
1,220,000
1,250,000
856,000
917,000
2
Adelaide Strikers vs Melbourne Stars
999,000
1,270,000
720,000
941,000
3
Brisbane Heat vs Melbourne Renegades
843,000
1,100,000
642,000
853,000
4
Sydney Sixers vs Hobart Hurricanes
693,000
827,000
488,000
590,000
5
Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder
1,170,000
1,250,000
817,000
914,000
6
Perth Scorchers vs Adelaide Strikers
898,000
1,200,000
664,000
919,000
7
Hobart Hurricanes vs Brisbane Heat
843,000
1,170,000
597,000
831,000
8
Melbourne Renegades vs Sydney Sixers
864,000
1,160,000
603,000
847,000
9
Perth Scorchers vs Brisbane Heat
708,000
857,000
511,000
614,000
10
Sydney Sixers vs Melbourne Stars
686,000
952,000
479,000
675,000
11
Sydney Thunder vs Adelaide Strikers
797,000
1,030,000
575,000
758,000
12
Brisbane Heat vs Hobart Hurricanes
855,000
1,130,000
608,000
790,000
13
Melbourne Renegades vs Perth Scorchers
917,000
1,170,000
677,000
864,000
14
Adelaide Strikers vs Sydney Sixers
729,000
887,000
517,000
629,000
15
Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Thunder
902,000
1,160,000
665,000
831,000
16
Melbourne Stars vs Melbourne Renegades
852,000
1,260,000
621,000
880,000
17
Perth Scorchers vs Sydney Sixers
753,000
1,060,000
577,000
759,000
18
Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Thunder
968,000
1,250,000
676,000
913,000
19
Hobart Hurricanes vs Melbourne Renegades
1,160,000
1,250,000
857,000
983,000
20
Adelaide Strikers vs Perth Scorchers
1,210,000
1,270,000
878,000
983,000
21
Melbourne Stars vs Hobart Hurricanes
1,120,000
1,180,000
846,000
913,000
22
Sydney Thunder vs Perth Scorchers
1,123,000
1,090,000
781,000
930,000
23
Brisbane Heat vs Adelaide Strikers
1,180,000
1,040,000
765,000
887,000
24
Melbourne Renegades vs Melbourne Stars
841,000
1,070,000
599,000
777,000
25
Hobart Hurricanes vs Perth Scorchers
653,000
848,000
465,000
636,000
26
Sydney Sixers vs Brisbane Heat
1,080,000
1,180,000
803,000
859,000
27
Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Renegades
1,210,000
1,240,000
868,000
904,000
28
Adelaide Strikers vs Hobart Hurricanes
1,040,000
1,190,000
788,000
897,000
29
Melbourne Stars vs Brisbane Heat
1,200,000
1,230,000
868,000
910,000
30
Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder
777,000
1,120,000
536,000
790,000
31
Perth Scorchers vs Melbourne Stars
1,020,000
667,000
769,000
540,000
32
Melbourne Renegades vs Adelaide Strikers
1,110,000
1,360,000
820,000
1,020,000
SF1
Adelaide Strikers vs Sydney Thunder
1,070,000
1,220,000
806,000
929,000
SF2
Melbourne Stars vs Perth Scorchers
1,050,000
1,180,000
774,000
900,000
Final
Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder
1,570,000
1,790,000
1,130,000
1,300,000
Average
1,057,414
776,129
Attendances
References
^ "Big Bash League schedule released" . cricketau. Retrieved 14 July 2015 .^ Chris Lynn named player of BBL|05 cricket.com.au. Retrieved on 24 Jan 2016^ http://www.espncricinfo.com/big-bash-league-2015-16/engine/series/897689.html?view=records | 26Feb2019^ Scorchers topple Legends XI in Perth cricket.com.au. Retrieved on 11 Dec 2015^ The crowd is in - 10,023 twitter.com/RenegadesBBL. Retrieved on 11 Dec 2015^ "Big Bash League Table – 2015–16" . ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 27 December 2017 .^ #SydneySmash breaks ratings record cricket.com.au. Retrieved on 18 Dec 2015^ Strikers sparkle, Stars fade in BBL cricket.com.au. Retrieved on 18 Dec 2015^ 26,245 fans in the Gabba this evening! twitter.com/HeatBBL. Retrieved on 19 Dec 2015^ A massive thanks to the 20,072 Sixers fans that flocked to the scg today! twitter.com/SixersBBL. Retrieved on 20 Dec 2015^ "List of Twenty20 matches umpired by Phillip Gillespie" . Retrieved 26 February 2017 .^ Early rain didn't shy away the 18,809 Stars fans twitter.com/StarsBBL. Retrieved 20 Dec 2015^ Final crowd numbers: 20 553 people! twitter.com/ScorchersBBL. Retrieved on 21 Dec 2015^ a b TAKE A BOW TASMANIA.... A RECORD crowd in just our first home match for #BBL05 twitter.com/HurricanesBBL. Retrieved on 22 Dec 2015^ We fall by three wickets with seven balls left in front of 20,850 twitter.com/RenegadesBBL. Retrieved on 23 Dec 2015^ Perth Scorchers [@ScorchersBBL] (26 December 2015). "Official numbers are in.... and there are 19 225 people here at #TheFurnace today! #MADETOUGH" (Tweet ). Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 26 December 2015 – via Twitter . ^ a b Sydney Sixers [@SixersBBL] (27 December 2015). "Sydney, you're beautiful! A big thanks to those who made tonight our biggest EVER non-derby crowd! #smashemsixers" (Tweet ). Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2015 – via Twitter . ^ IT'S A SELL OUT AT SPOTLESS STADIUM! 21,500 people are in & the full house sign has gone up. #ThunderNation Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 28 Dec 2015^ Final crowd tonight is 29,876 - our 2nd biggest in BBL history! twitter.com/HeatBBL. Retrieved 29 Dec 2015^ Official Crowd: 26,787 - our highest non-Derby attendance ever in the BBL twitter.com/RenegadesBBL. Retrieved on 30 Dec 2015^ a b "Klinger, Marsh set up first ever 10-wicket win in BBL" . ESPN Cricinfo . Retrieved 30 December 2015 .^ Adelaide, you rock! A huge crowd of 46,389 at the Adelaide Oval to watch this New Year's Eve clash! twitter.com/BBL. Retrieved on 31 Dec 2015^ a b WOW!!! The BIGGEST EVER crowd for a cricket match @BlundstoneArena twitter.com/HurricanesBBL. Retrieved on 1 January 2016^ Rollicking Wright shoots Stars to win cricket.com.au. Retrieved 2 Jan 2015^ Five incredible facts from BBL record crowd at MCG for Stars-Renegades foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 2 Jan 2016^ Big Bash League 2016: Perth Scorchers v Sydney Sixers — live scores, updates, live blog foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 2 Jan 2016^ Another great crowd of 27,507 in the house to watch a grandstand finish. 39 needed from 22 balls. #TurnUpTheHeat #BBL05 twitter.com/HeatBBL. Retrieved on 3 Jan 2016^ Another huge crowd tonight well done Tasmania, official attendance is 16,412 #BBL05 twitter.com/HurricanesBBL. Retrieved on 4 Jan 2016^ Best fans in the league. Period. #BBL05 #StrikersvScorchers twitter.com/StrikersBBL. Retrieved on 5 January 2016^ 33,603 the official @MCG crowd tonight, the highest ever total for a match between the Hurricanes and us. #BBL05 twitter.com/StarsBBL. Retrieved on 6 Jan 2016^ Final Crowd Figure for tonight's game v @ScorchersBBL is 18, 942. Thankyou #ThunderNation for showing your support again #BBL05 twitter.com/ThunderBBL. Retrieved on 8 Jan 2016^ a b Official crowd for tonight is 33,783. A Gabba @BBL record twitter.com/HeatBBL. Retrieved on 8 January 2016^ BBL: Stars d Renegades austadiums.com.au. Retrieved 9 Jan 2016^ a b Well done yet again Tassie!! Biggest EVER crowd @BlundstoneArena today #canetrain twitter.com/HurricanesBBL. Retrieved 10 Jan 2016^ OFFICIAL CROWD FOR TONIGHT IS 24,192! Thanks Sydney! twitter.com/SixersBBL. Retrieved 10 Jan 2016^ Official attendance for tonight's game is 18, 602, thank you again for your support #ThunderNation #BBL05 twitter.com/ThunderBBL. Retrieved 11 Jan 2016^ Official attendance, 49,115 - our highest so far of #BBL05. Take a bow #strikeforce! twitter.com/StrikersBBL. Retrieved on 13 January 2016^ Total attendance for #BBL05 = 163,944 fans, averaging over 40,000 per match. 30,649 is tonight's official crowd. #ThanksTeamGreen twitter.com/StarsBBL. Retrieved on 14 January 2016^ a b Final crowd numbers are record-breaking... there's 20,870 people here this evening at #TheFurnace #MADETOUGH twitter.com/ScorchersBBL. Retrieved on 16 January 2016^ Official attendance: 25,227. Thanks to all who came out tonight and in #BBL05 to @EtihadStadium; much appreciated! twitter.com/RenegadesBBL. Retrieved on 18 January 2016^ "Chris Gayle blasts 12-ball fifty" . ESPNcricinfo . ESPN Sports Media. 18 January 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2016 .^ Not going all our way on the field at the moment, but another incredible turnout from the #strikeforce! twitter.com/StrikersBBL. Retrieved on 21 January 2016^ Official crowd for tonight's Big Semi-final at the @MCG = 30,174. Thanks to all our #TeamGreen fans for your support twitter.com/StarsBBL. Retrieved on 22 January 2016^ 47,672 in the house for the #BBLFinal, 47,000 of them wanting to see #TeamGreen win! Thunder need 25 from 18 balls... twitter.com/StarsBBL. Retrieved on 25 January 2016^ Tomorrow we'll also be playing for the @batting4change Trophy twitter.com/ThunderBBL. Retrieved on 16 Dec 2015^ Big Bash takes summer's top billing espncricinfo.com. Retrieved on 16 Dec 2015^ Tickets on sale as BBL, Warner Bros team up cricket.com.au. Retrieved on 2 Dec 2015^ Cricket - KFC Big Bash League tenplay.com.au. Retrieved on 9 January 2016^ Season Wrap - BBL|05 Archived 18 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine bigbash.com.au. Retrieved on 25 January 2016^ BBL AND WBBL SOAR TO NEW HIGHS bigbash.com.au. Retrieved on 25 January 2016^ #SydneySmash breaks ratings record bigbash.com.au. Retrieved on 19 December 2015^ Session 2: 1.36 mil Peak 1.67 mil Audience up 41% on 2014-15 Session 2 ave #BBL05 Malcolm Conn - Commercial Manager, Cricket Australia. Retrieved on 25 January 2016^ SBIG ratings for BIG #BBL05 #BBLFinal! 1.79 mil watched @ThunderBBL win their first title. Peak 2.24 mil Audience up 17% 2015 final session 2 Malcolm Conn - Commercial Manager, Cricket Australia. Retrieved on 25 January 2016^ Big Bash League TV Ratings Retrieved on 22 Dec 2015
External links
Teams
National State-level
New South Wales
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia
Australian Capital Territory
Cricket Australia XI (2015–18) New Zealand (1969–75) Notes
Italics indicate that the team no longer competes in state cricket. BBL/WBBL
Adelaide Strikers
Brisbane Heat
Hobart Hurricanes
Melbourne Renegades
Melbourne Stars
Perth Scorchers
Sydney Sixers
Sydney Thunder
First-class
List A
Twenty20
Domestic cricket in 2015–16
First Class List A Twenty20
