T20 Max Preview | The Max is Back

After last year’s enormous success, the country’s leading premier cricket T20 competition will look to start the season off with a bang and unearth the nation’s next potential superstar. 

In a first for the women’s competition, their KFC T20 Max campaign will align with the men’s.

Headlining both competitions will be Saturday night grand finals, played under lights at the newly refurbished Allan Border Field. 

A total of 16 games will be played under lights across two venues and three grounds, thanks to the outstanding National Cricket Campus facilities at Northern Suburbs. 

For both competitions, this continues to keep the door wide open for the best possible state and interstate talent to play. 

Players from the Brisbane Heat in the BBL and WBBL will headline teams, with a slew of professional international and domestic cricketers to enjoy the Sunshine State throughout August and September. 
 
The men’s T20 Max will run across three action packed weeks from 23 August to 9 September. Each team will play seven fixtures across the first two weeks, before the finals are played under lights across the final Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.
 
The women’s competition will be played from 24 August to 3 September, with a bumper first weekend of fixtures to decide who plays in the thrilling finals the following weekend.

Not only is the pure elation of winning and bragging rights on the line, but a grand total of $15 000 to be handed out in prizemoney. with both champions receiving $5000, and runners up $2500.

As well as the alignment of both competitions, the 2023-24 KFC T20 Max will feature some other adjustments.

Recruiting rules have changed to ensure the best possible talent is available to play. 

Men’s teams will be allowed to play a maximum of five recruits in a match out of a possible six in the squad. 

Teams can field up to four interstate or overseas players, one ‘local legend’ and one ‘impact player’. 

A ‘local legend’ is an interstate player who has played a minimum 100 matches for the club. An example would be Heat allrounder Nathan McSweeney returning to Norths from South Australia. 

An ‘impact player’ is an interstate or international player available for two non-finals game. 

Women’s teams are allowed five interstate/international players one ‘local legend’ and one ‘impact player’, with a maximum of six recruits played per match.

Last year’s campaign saw the unearthing of three future BBL stars in Josh Brown (Norths), Spencer Johnson (Redlands) and Paddy Dooley (Wests). 

While known within the club scene for their match winning abilities, T20 Max provided a national platform in a level above the typical in-season T20 campaigns to impress, which the trio did in spades. 

There will again be a host of players to watch in the men’s and women’s competitions, with interstate and overseas recruits to be unveiled in the coming month.

Premier Cricket expert Cam Vellacott runs his eyes over some likely contenders and likes what he sees:

This year, watch out for Hugh Weibgen from Valley. Classy with the bat, the teenage allrounder suits the middle order where he can manipulate the field to both milk runs and whack boundaries. An Australian Under-19 and rookie Queensland Bulls contracted player, his biggest asset is his temperament and captaincy abilities, which elevate his handy off spin into potentially being match winning. 

Right arm paceman Jackson Smith from the Gold Coast will be leading the Dolphins charge towards back-to-back championships in the T20 Max, and three in a row overall. Finishing second on the wicket takers’ list last year, Smith headlines a strong bowling unit for the GC. Could his impact see him elevated to a BBL squad this year?

University of Queensland opener Angus Lovell had a mighty season with the bat in the KFC Queensland Premier Cricket competition last summer and is currently working on honing his white ball game in the Northern Territory Strike League.

Another clean hitter, Jack Cooper was a stand-out for Sandgate-Redcliffe in the T20 Max last season. The younger brother of Dutch internationals Tom and Ben (with Tom also a long-serving BBL player), Cooper can go long with the best of them and will be a key for the Gators this summer.

In the women’s game, rising leg-spinner Grace Parsons will be out to seize the day after being a squad member of the WBBL Heat last summer. The Lismore product won the Queensland Fire player of the year and with a ‘spin to win’ attitude, should feature prominently for her new club Western Suburbs.

Reigning Kath Smith Medallist Mikayla Wrigley will be a trump for the Sunshine Coast Scorchers. The hard-hitting wicket-keeper/batter is on the radar of WBBL clubs, including the Heat, after some stand-out efforts last summer in the Katherine Raymont Shield.

Former ACT allrounder Zoe Cooke has moved to Brisbane since gaining a Queensland Fire contract and the former WBBL Heat squad player will be a key recruit for Wynnum-Manly and a player to watch.

Make sure to support your team and head down to their home games. Each team will play matches at home and will need your support to get them over the line!

Stay tuned as we preview each squad in the coming weeks, there are some big names playing and we can’t wait to share it with you.