Big Bash League: Perth Scorchers import Keaton Jennings emerges as captaincy option for first match of season

Perth Scorchers import Keaton Jennings has emerged as an option to lead the side as they face the prospect of their three captaincy options missing the first match of the season. The West Australian revealed on Thursday the franchise was leaving the door open for skipper Ashton Turner to play the first game, but that the second match on December 21 was more likely. Aaron Hardie is also in a race to be fit in time to face Melbourne Stars next Sunday with a quad issue, while Josh Inglis could be with the Australian Test team. Hardie captained the side in Turner’s absence last year, despite Inglis being the club’s vice-captain. In an interview with The West, Scorchers cricket boss Kade Harvey said while their preference was for a domestic player to captain the side, they could lean heavily on Jennings in his first match for the club. The 32-year-old landed in Perth at the weekend to launch an elongated Big Bash preparation after taking time off to get married in the weeks after the county championship ended. “I suppose that was the reason we went to Keaton Jennings really in the draft at the bronze pick, we felt like we wanted an experienced player given where we had a couple of injuries, in particular AT, last year, you sort of feel like you want to have that more experienced player in the group,” Harvey said. “That has probably already bared some fruit in having him available as well as Matty Hurst and Finn (Allen). “Probably in the first instance, without having put a huge amount of time into what that might look like, bringing an international player to captain a team probably isn’t our first choice, but we also won’t look past a strong option if it’s there. “We have got no doubt that throughout the whole tournament the presence of someone like Keaton, who is a well-regarded leader, certainly has a lot of merit. “Whether it turns into the captaincy role, I’m not sure at this stage. The preference would be one of our local players in the short-term.” Jennings once captained a match against the Scorchers — and coach Adam Voges — playing for England Lions in a behind-closed-doors trial of Optus Stadium’s drop-in wicket before its maiden BBL match in 2017. Harvey confirmed white-ball blaster Finn Allen will open the batting. Inglis is a likely option to share that role if he is available, but the job could land with Jennings. Jennings and Allen played together when the New Zealander spent time at county club Lancashire. Bowlers Jason Behrendorff and Andrew Tye loom as the most experienced Scorchers fit for the opening match, but they are bullish on Cooper Connolly racing back and he has captaincy experience at Australian under-19 level. Nick Hobson is another highly-regarded member of the squad who would likely play if other middle-order options miss out.