Adelaide Strikers sign Colin Ingram for BBL 2017

The Big Bash League (BBL) franchise Adelaide Strikes have roped in the services of the South African batsman Colin Ingram for the 7th edition of the tournament. Ingram is the first overseas signing for the Strikers ahead of the new season, while they have signed eight Australian players so far including the likes of Ben Laughing and Billy Stanlake.

Ingram’s signing is a result of his success in the NatWest T20 Blast this season where the left-hander hit two centuries in 12 games scoring 381 runs at an average of 42.33 and an impressive strike-rate of 167.84. The South African signed up a three-year Kolpak deal with Glamorgan in 2015 and recently extended it for two more years. However, Ingram’s new two-year contract doesn’t include the County Championship.

Ingram will add a great deal to Striker’s batting

“The decision was made that we’d look over the world for an overseas batsman and we found a quality one in Colin,” Adelaide Strikers’ coach Jason Gillespie said. “He’s a guy who can bat in the top four and who can make the crowd excited. He gives it a whack … he has a lot of T20 experience and adds a great deal to our batting line-up. I know that he’s absolutely thrilled and he’s really committed and really excited to be linking up with us.” Gillespie was quoted as saying by Adelaide Strikes’ website.

Ingram represented South Africa in 31 ODI matches and nine T20Is; his last International appearance was during Pakistan’s tour of South Africa in late 2013. His rise in Twenty20 cricket is visible by his performances in the last couple of years, where the batsman improved his six hitting ability. Since the start of 2015, Ingram has hit a total of 94 sixes in this format in just 60 games.

In these three years, Ingram amassed 1772 runs at an average of 34.75 and a strike rate of 152.23. All the three T20 centuries he scored in his career are since 2015. Prior to his golden run, Ingram scored only 1750 runs in the 81 matches with an average of 24.65 at a moderate strike rate of 123.41.