Scorchers’ batsman Nick Hobson says his stint in Canada’s ‘fast-paced’ T10 tournament taught him some useful lessons in the short format, with the Big Bash League right around the corner. 

Hobson was one of many international players who spent time playing in the recent Canada Super 60 competition earlier this month, as a jam-packed schedule of domestic T20 competitions, including the BBL, fast approaches. 

The entire tournament was played across one week at BC Place in Vancouver, a multi-purpose stadium with a retractable roof, which was transformed into a cricket pitch through a drop-wicket and shorter-than-usual boundaries. 

The left-hander, known for being a handy finisher at the end of an innings, played a similar role for competition runner-up Montreal Royal Tigers, with a 23-ball half-century against the Vancouver Kings being the standout moment of Hobson’s Canadian stint. 

Reflecting on the tournament, Hobson says the style of play in T10 has helped his preparation for his role at the Scorchers, as the BBL season draws closer.

“It’s very different,” he said.

“You have six, seven hits in a week, which can sometimes take half your season over here in Perth in the traditional grade cricket. You have to learn to get out and move on pretty quickly.

“It can come down to one or two big overs as a batter if you can have an impact. A big over or two, they’ll win your team the game. Vice versa, as a bowler.

“It’s pretty different to traditional cricket, but I’ve actually really enjoyed it. A lot of the skills translate to the finishing role I’ve had with the Scorchers for the last few years. 

“It’s definitely helped me with my T20 game as well, and I really enjoy playing the T10 format.” 

While most games averaged more than 10 runs an over, scorelines could fall anywhere between 70 to 206 runs, offering wider variation in gameplay. 

Hobson says the most difficult aspect of T10 is the unpredictable, wild nature of the game, but says it’s a good opportunity to learn how to cope with momentum changes in shorter formats.

“The emotions and the swings you have with T10 cricket are very different,” he said.

“The day before the final, they left me out of the team to have an extra bowler. I wasn’t sure if I was playing in the morning, but then they brought me in for the final.

“I got a 50 and Man of the Match, and then in the grand final, a few hours later, got a golden duck. You get all the emotions in a quick period of time, and it’s actually quite good to learn how to deal with the fast-paced nature of short-form cricket.”

Hobson now turns his focus to the BBL, which starts on December 14th at Optus Stadium, with the Perth Scorchers taking on the Sydney Sixers in the season opener. 

Last season, the Scorchers missed finals for the third time in 14 seasons and will be hoping to reverse and rectify that result this year.

After playing in the Canada Super 60 grand finals, Hobson is confident the Scorchers have a strong enough line-up, including returning fan-favourite Laurie Evans, to achieve a similar feat in the Big Bash. 

“On paper, we’ve got a very strong lineup again. Short-form cricket is really hard to be consistent at, which the Scorchers have been for a long time, but I feel like we’ve put together a good list,”

“You’ve got to need a little bit of luck around the surrounding availability and see who you’ve got. But equally, I think our batting’s been quite settled the last few years. 

“So put together some strong performances, qualify for finals, and then anything can happen from there. I’m really excited and positive about what we can do for sure.”

IMAGE: Cricket.com.au