Ranking the Top 5 Bowlers in the Big Bash 2015

With the fourth season of the Big Bash League done and dusted, it is time to pick out the bowlers who prospered in the competition this season.

Reigning champions Perth Scorchers retained their title with a thrilling victory over Sydney Sixers in Canberra on Wednesday, with the final game going right down to the wire.

Despite the tournament seeing plenty of sixes, batsmen did not have it all their own way in the competition.

The winners dominate our selections for the top five bowlers of the campaign, but there is also a place for a legendary Australian who just failed to pull off the great escape for the Sixers.

Do you think we made a glaring error with our choices?

If you feel there was a more suitable candidate who went unrecognised in this shortlist, have your say by using the comments section. 

John Hastings (Melbourne Stars)

Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Wickets: 16
Average: 15.37
Economy rate: 7.80

John Hastings finished up as the leading wicket-taker in the competition.

The big seamer had an impressive strike rate of 11.2 and was a tower of strength in a Melbourne Stars team that were beaten by the eventual champions in the semi-finals.

He did his best against Perth, taking 3-27 and then hitting 22 off 15 deliveries with the bat. However, the Scorchers ended up winning at the WACA by 18 runs.

It was the second time in the tournament Hastings had taken three wickets in an innings, also doing so against the Hobart Hurricanes in the group stage.

The 29-year-old will now complete the domestic season with Victoria before heading to England to play county cricket for Durham. 

Jason Behrendorff (Perth Scorchers)

Paul Kane/Getty Images

Wickets: 15
Average: 16.73
Economy rate: 6.27

It is a mark of the consistency shown by Jason Behrendorff that the left-arm paceman only failed to pick up a wicket in one of his 10 Big Bash appearances this season.

The 24-year-old started with a bang—taking 4-22 in a narrow one-wicket defeat to the Adelaide Strikers—and never looked back after that.

Behrendorff produced superb figures of 1-19 from his four overs for Perth in the final.

He was economical throughout for Scorchers captain Adam Voges, and in his BBL career, he goes at under seven runs an over.

The national selectors are likely to be paying close attention to a bowler who was recently named State Player of the Year at the Allan Border Medal night. 

Yasir Arafat (Perth Scorchers)

Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Wickets: 15
Average: 19.46
Economy rate: 7.78

Yasir Arafat proved to be a smart overseas signing by the Perth Scorchers.

Arafat is something of an expert in the short format, playing in domestic competitions around the globe. He has now appeared in 197 T20 games in his career.

However, not even someone as experienced as Arafat could have been prepared for the situation he found himself in during the final.

The 32-year-old came out to bat for the final ball of the match, his side just losing two wickets in as many deliveries when they needed only one run to triumph.

Arafat managed to work a Brett Lee delivery to leg and scamper through for the winning run, albeit only thanks to Moises Henriques' failure to take the ball cleanly at the stumps. 

Andrew Tye (Perth Scorchers)

Paul Kane/Getty Images

Wickets: 15
Average: 18.35
Economy rate: 6.85

The Perth Scorchers unearthed a gem in Andrew Tye—a seamer who had played in just three Twenty20 games prior to the season.

Previously appearing in the Big Bash for the Sydney Thunder, the 28-year-old became a regular for his home franchise this year.

He was part of a strong seam attack for the Scorchers, with his displays helping cover for the absence of the injured Nathan Coulter-Nile during the group stages.

He played an integral part in getting Perth past the Melbourne Stars in the semi-finals, taking 4-18 at the WACA. 

Tye has played only one first-class game in his career, and his emergence was a real feel-good story for the competition. 

Brett Lee (Sydney Sixers)

Matt King/Getty Images

Wickets: 13
Average: 21.46
Economy rate: 7.15

Brett Lee so nearly got the fairytale ending to his career that few would have begrudged him.

The former Australia paceman came agonisingly close to setting up a super over in the final, taking two wickets in as many balls to keep the Sydney Sixers alive.

In the end, though, he could not get a hat-trick. He was unable to deny the Perth Scorchers from scampering for the winning single, too.

Still, the fact that he took 3-25 in a losing cause makes you wonder why he is retiring, even if he is now 38.

Lee played in 76 Tests and 221 one-day games for his country and was part of the Australia squad that won the 2003 World Cup in South Africa.