BBL Big Bash Book 2015-16

Archie Mac | 9:38am GMT 17 November 2015

Published: 2015
Pages: 186
Author: Lane Daniel
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Rating: 3.5 stars

On the back of a record breaking season the KFC BBL has launched the Big Bash Book, after the KPIs for 2014-15would have any Chief Executive applying for a fat Xmas bonus.

• Crowds up 23%
• TV audiences up 39%
• Merchandise sales up 47%
• Membership up 28%

This publication is both a review of last season and a guide to the new season and should, given the above stats, be a big seller. The book has enviable production values with full colour printing throughout and produced on quality stock. There are also interviews galore with a number of key personnel featured, as well as some lesser lights which adds a nice familiarity to the narrative. All the combatants interviewed were comfortable enough to provide, what appear, to be honest appraisals of their team’s season. Added to this is a brief description of each match played and a quote from a player who played in the game.

Author, Daniel Lane spent the season of 2014-15 following the BBL around the country and this intimacy with the players and familiarity with the venues gives a real cerebral feel to the matches played. Lane has delivered the perfect writing style for a book of this type. Clean crisp copy, which is a pleasure to peruse, and with hardly a typo in sight it is the ideal book to have if there is a rain delay during the cricket

There is a preview for each franchise, which provides a full squad for each team as well as featuring ‘three key players’. Added to this cricket legend, Adam Gilchrist gives his opinion on each team’s chances. After reading all the previews I thought I might support the Hobart Hurricanes. The side features Shaun Tait, Darren Sammy and the great Kumar Sangakkara. Living in Canberra which does not have a team, I pick a side to follow each season, although the Hurricanes should be warned I am yet to pick the winner.

Apart from Sangakkara, some of the other marquee players included in this seasons Big Bash are; Brendon McCullum, Chris Gale, Kevin Pietersen and Jacques Kallis, which will add to the home grown stars. At the end of the book there is a section called  ‘Big Performers’ and this is a great section where we meet a lot of the young guns of Australian cricket. Some of the insights in this section make the book a standout and will make watching these players a much more intimate experience.

At the very end of this publication is a glossary, to help those new to the game understand some of the terminology used which the cricket fan takes for granted such as LBW and all rounder.

Any fan wanting to watch, attend or to even understand the Big Bash this season will enjoy the experience much more if they have a copy of the KFC BBL Big Bash Book. Go the Hurricanes!