BBL: Everything you need to know as men's Big Bash League returns

Perth Scorchers won their fourth title in BBL11 - will they make it five in 2022/23?

The Big Bash League is here again.

While the run up to Christmas means wrapping up warm as temperatures plummet here in the UK, it's shorts, t-shirts and barbeques on the beach down under as Australia's premier Twenty20 tournament returns for the 12th year of the men's competition.

It all starts on Tuesday in Canberra as Sydney Thunder take on Melbourne Stars from 08:15 GMT. Meanwhile, defending champions Perth Scorchers start their campaign on Saturday with a home game against Sydney Sixers - a repeat of last January's final.

The eight teams play each other twice in a group stage that runs until 25 January, with the final to take place on 4 February.

Here's everything you need to know about this year's BBL.

What's new for 2022-23?

The big change ahead of the season was the introduction of an overseas draft in which New Zealand left-arm fast bowler Trent Boult was snapped up by Melbourne Stars, while Adelaide Strikers retained Rashid Khan.

Melbourne Renegades had the first pick and plumped for big-hitting England all-rounder Liam Livingstone.

However, the 29-year-old withdrew from the tournament following his call-up to the England Test side and has subsequently sustained a knee injury that has ruled him out of the rest of the tour to Pakistan.

One significant and - following some high-profile umpiring errors in 2021-22 - much called for difference this year is the introduction of the Decision Review System (DRS).

DRS will be in operation for every match with each team allowed one unsuccessful review per innings.

An innings clock will also be used. The fielding team will have 79 minutes to bowl their 20 overs or face being permitted only four fielders outside the 30-yard circle for the remainder of the innings.

The Bash Boost point and X-Factor substitute have been scrapped but the Power Surge, which sees the traditional six-over powerplay at the start of the innings reduced to four and the batting team able to call for a two-over surge at any point in the last 10 overs, remains.

Any England involvement?

There is a strong English contingent, as ever, for the Big Bash - even if it isn't quite as large as initially anticipated.

As well as Livingstone's withdrawal, David Willey has opted out of his contract with Sydney Thunder, Phil Salt is unable to join up with Perth Scorchers because of injury and Laurie Evans has had his contract with the Western Australian side terminated after testing positive for a banned substance.

T20 World Cup winner Alex Hales headlines the English cohort who are involved, though, as he returns to the Thunder.

Alex Hales will return to Sydney Thunder for this year's Big Bash

Another member of that triumphant England squad, Chris Jordan, will take his death-bowling expertise to the other side of the city and Sydney Sixers, where he will be joined by James Vince.

Adam Hose's performances for Warwickshire and Birmingham Phoenix saw him drafted by Adelaide Strikers, batters Sam Billings, Sam Hain and Ross Whiteley will team up at Brisbane Heat, and power-hitting opener Joe Clarke and left-arm quick Luke Wood link up at Melbourne Stars.

Tymal Mills will hope to put his injury issues behind him at Perth Scorchers, while Zak Crawley's boundary-laden hundred in England's first Test win over Pakistan was good preparation for his stint with Hobart Hurricanes, as an overseas replacement player in January.

What else do I need to know?

There is also the usual mix of Australian and overseas stars on show.

The Renegades have brought in West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell to replace Livingstone for the first four games of the group stage, with New Zealand opener Martin Guptill then coming in for the last 10.

Hobart look to be Pakistan's BBL team this year with Ricky Ponting bringing in leg-spinning all-rounder Shadab Khan, power hitter Asif Ali and seamer Faheem Ashraf.

Adam Zampa has been named Melbourne Stars captain after Glenn Maxwell broke his leg and Jason Sangha replaces Usman Khawaja as Thunder skipper following the latter's move to Brisbane Heat.

The Big Bash always looks to deliver on quality and entertainment and that is more important than ever this year as they go up against the lucrative SA20, South Africa's new franchise T20 competition, and the UAE's International League T20, both of which start in January.

A number of star names will depart for those tournaments and the Big Bash will have to pull out all the stops to try and match them on the pitch, this year and beyond.

Who could win?

Losing Evans and Salt is a big blow for the Scorchers as they go in search of their fifth Big Bash crown. However, former South Africa star Faf du Plessis will bolster their batting for the first half of the group stage.

An experienced and well-balanced bowling attack featuring Jason Behrendorff, Ashton Agar and Jhye Richardson means they should be in contention again.

The Sixers also have a formidable bowling unit, with BBL record wicket-taker Sean Abbott leading the way. Add in Vince and Josh Philippe at the top of the order and a fourth BBL title, and third in four years, looks a realistic aim.

Sean Abbott is the leading wicket-taker in Big Bash history

The Hurricanes and the Stars are the only sides yet to win the title but both have made smart additions and could be in the mix.

In Shadab, Asif, Tim David and Nathan Ellis, the Hurricanes have not only match winners but players who have excelled at the business end of tournaments around the world.

Of course, the same could be said of Boult, Zampa and Marcus Stoinis at the Stars. But will it be enough to bring the trophy to Victoria for just the second time in the competition's history?

Hales and the Thunder look to be the other side in a position to challenge. South African left-hander Rilee Rossouw adds further destruction to the batting and, in Daniel Sams, Usman Qadir and Chris Green, the bowling has a nice combination of mystery and reliability.

Heat, Renegades and Strikers look like outsiders at this stage but in T20, anything is possible.