A new-look BBL will begin on Thursday with a reduced 40-game regular season although the squeeze on marquee talent continues to be a challenge. We run the rule over how each side could go. Part two will be published on Wednesday.

Brisbane Heat

Squad Usman Khawaja, Xavier Bartlett, Sam Billings, Josh Brown, Max Bryant, Spencer Johnson, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan McSweeney, Colin Munro, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Will Prestwidge, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson, Paul Walter, Jack Wildermuth

How the draft went

How they stack up

If not for incredible late hitting from Nick Hobson and Cooper Connolly, Heat would have been entering the season as the title holders. Instead they'll be driven by that painful defeat at Optus Stadium with last season's nucleus remaining intact. Heat were long known as a mercurial team, but found consistency late last season when they stormed into the decider despite a grueling finals run.

Heat's batting has plenty of firepower, but availability could be an issue for several of their batters.

Player to watch

He had limited opportunities in the BBL until last season when McSweeney grabbed a hold of No. 3 and smashed 84 off 51 balls against Sydney Sixers at the Gabba. He was classy in the final against Scorchers with a top score of 41 from 37 balls with the promise of more to come this season. McSweeney is also a useful offspinner and capable of chipping in with handy overs if Heat elect to play only one of Kuhnemann or Swepson.

Availability issues

Heat's push for a strong start to the season will be challenging without Prime Minister's XI players Neser, McSweeney, Matthew Renshaw and Jimmy Peirson for their first two matches against Melbourne Stars and Adelaide Strikers.

Those absences have been somewhat offset by the availability of captain Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne, who are then likely to miss much of the season due to Test commitments. Neser and Renshaw could also figure in Test calculations during the summer. Munro and Billings will play in nine regular season games before flying off to the UAE's ILT20 competition, but Walter will be available throughout.

Adelaide Strikers

Squad Wes Agar, James Bazley, Cameron Boyce, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Travis Head, Adam Hose, Henry Hunt, Thomas Kelly, Chris Lynn, Ben Manenti, Harry Nielsen, Jamie Overton, David Payne, D'Arcy Short, Matt Short, Henry Thornton, Jake Weatherald

How the draft went

How they stack up

Having almost made the final of BBL 11, it was then a step back for Strikers after a late season spiral saw them lose their last five games. Unsurprisingly they've made some changes although the biggest was forced due to Rashid's injury and Strikers will look notably different without him.

Player to watch

Availability issues

Head and wicketkeeper Alex Carey are set to be mostly unavailable due to Test duties. Overton, Hose and Payne will be available for the whole season.

Hobart Hurricanes

Squad Corey Anderson, Iain Carlisle, Nikhil Chaudhary, Tim David, Paddy Dooley, Nathan Ellis, Liam Guthrie, Sam Hain, Peter Hatzoglou, Sam Heazlett, Caleb Jewell, Chris Jordan, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Mitch Owen, Billy Stanlake, Matthew Wade, Mac Wright

How the draft went

How they stack up

Hurricanes squad shapes up very well. They have a lot of batting depth with David, Ben McDermott, Caleb Jewell and Matthew Wade forming the backbone of the top six but the addition of Sam Heazlett, as well as the overseas duo of Hain and Anderson, means they have a pretty powerful and versatile group of batters to choose from.

The attack is nicely balanced, led by new captain Nathan Ellis. He has the veteran Englishman Jordan to bank on to bowl the tough overs as well as the out-and-out pace of Riley Meredith and Billy Stanlake. Hurricanes can also play two local spinners having added Peter Hatzoglou alongside Paddy Dooley. Ellis has a lot of experience around him but it will still be a big challenge for him as a full-time bowling captain. Although the blueprint has been set by Australia ODI captain Pat Cummins. Hurricanes made the captaincy change after a disappointing season last year where they missed the finals on net run-rate.

Player to watch

When Hurricanes head of strategy Ricky Ponting read out Corey Anderson's name at the BBL draft there were a lot of raised eyebrows in the room. Anderson, 32, had virtually disappeared from top-level cricket since last playing for New Zealand in 2018 and had not played a top-level T20 tournament since the 2020 CPL. But he reemerged at the MLC this year playing for the San Francisco Unicorns, a team with a heavy connection to Australia as it was run by Cricket Victoria's administration and coached by former Australia allrounder Shane Watson. Aaron Finch, Matthew Wade and Marcus Stoinis also played in the team.

Availability issues

Hurricanes are likely to have a very settled squad. They have no Australian Test players in their squad and their three overseas are set to be available for the entire home and away portion but the only downside will be that none are available for finals if Hurricanes get there.

Melbourne Renegades

Squad Nic Maddinson, Joe Clarke, Quinton de Kock, Harry Dixon, Aaron Finch, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mackenzie Harvey, Ruwantha Kellapotha, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Fergus O'Neill, Kane Richardson, Tom Rogers, Peter Siddle, Will Sutherland, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Jon Wells, Adam Zampa

How the draft went

How they stack up

The batting has a lot of talent on paper but how they will gel will be a big question mark. Jake Fraser-McGurk has made an electric start to the Australian domestic season and looms as a key man given Finch, Marsh and Wells are no longer 12-month a year professionals. Maddinson is still recovering from his ACL injury but is fit to play after making a return in club cricket. There will be a heavy reliance on de Kock and Clarke to provide consistent output while Will Sutherland should get the chance show his ever-improving finishing ability.

Player to watch

Availability issues

De Kock is currently at the Abu Dhabi T10 and could miss the opening two games on December 8 and 10 but is expected to be available for Renegades' next six games before he departs for the SA20. Mujeeb looks set to play in the Renegades' first seven matches but Afghanistan have a three-match T20I series in India starting on January 11 that will likely rule him out of the last three. Clarke is set to be available for the whole tournament. Lyon is available and keen to play in the season opener but will be unlikely for the remainder of the tournament due to Test duty.