BBL kings look to end Champions League rut

The most consistent performers in Big Bash League history, Perth Scorchers have won the hosting rights for the final in all three years the competition has been played. After losing the first two deciders, they finally broke through to secure their first title in 2013-14. In the final, it was the Marsh brothers, Shaun and Mitchell, who set up a winning total of 191. Four of the 12 balls faced by Mitchell Marsh cleared the boundary, and the Hobart Hurricanes left themselves too much work to do with the bat.

The Scorchers were far from unbeatable during the preliminary rounds, though, and finished third behind the Melbourne Stars, who won all eight of their games, and the Sydney Sixers. But as the season progressed, they found an unlikely superstar whose form got them to the final. Opening batsman Craig Simmons had been little more than a fringe state cricketer whose time appeared to have passed. Single-figure scores in his first three games for the Scorchers did little to change that perception. Then came a 39-ball hundred, the fastest ever scored in a Twenty20 match in Australia, followed two matches later by 58-ball 112 in the semi-final against the Sixers. From being almost unknown, Simmons, 31, became a BBL cult hero.

With the ball, the Scorchers got plenty out of their overseas signing Yasir Arafat, who claimed 12 wickets in six games but missed the finals due to a thumb injury. Then there was the ageless Brad Hogg, who took nine wickets and went at just over six an over. Left-arm fast bowler Jason Behrendorff was also a strong performer.

On paper, the spin combination of Hogg, Michael Beer and Ashton Agar should encourage Scorchers fans. Beer is a canny, effective T20 bowler and Hogg, now 43, continues to trouble batsmen with his wrong'un, and his form earned him a place in Australia's World T20 squad in March. At last year's Champions League, the Scorchers struggled to contain opposition batting line-ups, but the talent is there for them to do so in spinning conditions. Behrendroff, Arafat and, if he plays, Nathan Coulter-Nile, could form a solid pace unit.

A lack of batting experience. Simon Katich was the team's leading run scorer at the BBL last summer but has since then retired and will not be part of the squad. Nor will Shaun Marsh, who is among the 20 highest run scorers in Twenty20 history, but is recovering from elbow surgery. That is 233 matches and 6509 runs gone between them. It leaves captain Adam Voges as the only batsman with more than 50 games of experience.

Craig Simmons is in the unusual position of currently being signed with the Adelaide Strikers, yet playing for the Perth Scorchers. His success in last summer's BBL led to an offer of a three-year deal from the Strikers, which was too good for Simmons to refuse. But he will first play one last campaign for the Scorchers, and his BBL form showed he is the kind of batsman who is hard to stop once he gets going.

Last year at the Champions League, Sam Whiteman was the backup wicketkeeper behind Tom Triffitt, but there is no question he is now the main man. Australia's selectors were so excited by Whiteman's promising 2013-14 that they gave him a chance for Australia A this winter and he responded with 174 in a first-class match against India A. Whiteman played only one game at the Champions League last year, but his performance was strong: 51 not out from 32 balls.

The Scorchers have played at the past two Champions League tournaments but failed to progress past the group stage. In 2012, they were plagued by off-field discipline problems in South Africa and won only their last game, against Auckland. Last year, they ended their campaign without a single win after losing to Otago, Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians.