BBL 10 preview: Sydney Thunder squad, best KFC SuperCoach buys

After making a late charge last summer, is Sydney Thunder the sleeping giant of BBL10? Check out our SuperCoach tips and in-depth team analysis.

Is Sydney Thunder the sleeping giant of the BBL?

After failing to make the finals in the three seasons following its BBL05 title, the Shane Bond-led side snuck into the major round last summer and knocked off two more-fancied opponents in Hobart and Adelaide.

This could be year the Thunder become a legitmate contender again.

The ONLY place to watch every single match of India’s Tour of Australia is on Fox Cricket, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your free trial now & start streaming instantly >

They have added Ben Cutting (Heat), Sam Billings (Eng) and Adam Milne (NZ) to the line-up for BBL10.

And, maybe more importantly, they haven’t lost any depth.

On paper, they appear to have more cover across every position than most teams, and Billings is the only import set to arrive late.

But, if Alex Hales and Usman Khawaja don’t click immediately - and Cutting doesn’t hit the ground running - do the Thunder have enough firepower?

CURRENT SQUAD

Sam Billings (Eng), Jonathan Cook, Ben Cutting, Oliver Davies, Brendan Doggett, Callum Ferguson (C), Matt Gilkes, Chris Green, Alex Hales, Baxter Holt, Usman Khawaja, Nathan McAndrew, Adam Milne, Arjun Nair, Alex Ross, Daniel Sams, Jason Sangha, Tanveer Sangha, Chris Tremain.

In: Ben Cutting (Brisbane Heat), Sam Billings (Eng), Adam Milne (NZ), Baxter Holt (full contract).

Out: Jay Lenton, Chris Morris, Gurinder Sandhu.

Internationals: Adam Milne (New Zealand), Sam Billings (Eng)

HAVE YOU PICKED YOUR KFC SUPERCOACH BBL TEAM YET? HEAD TO SUPERCOACH.COM.AU TODAY!

KEY SUPERCOACH BBL PLAYERS

Daniel Sams was the No. 1 KFC SuperCoach scorer in BBL09. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Daniel Sams BBL09 avg: 68.5

Sams scored more points than any other player in KFC SuperCoach BBL last season (1164), finishing 61 points clear of Melbourne Stars record breaker Marcus Stoinis. The left-arm seamer was the leading wicket-taker in BBL09 with 30 scalps in 17 matches, eight more than his teammate Chris Morris and Sydney Sixers star Tom Curran. Sams announced himself as one of the most lethal T20 death bowlers in Australia, producing an eye-popping strike rate of 11.7. His trickery and arsenal of slower balls gave BBL batsmen a torrid time and most rivals will be planning how to combat Sams heading into BBL10.

Could Ben Cutting be the recruit of the summer? Picture: Hamish Blair/AAP

Ben Cutting BBL09 avg: 53.6

One of the domestic recruits of the summer, the big-hitting all-rounder has crossed from Brisbane Heat to the Thunder. Cutting scored more KFC SuperCoach BBL points than any other Heat player last summer, finishing 80 points ahead of Matthew Renshaw. His impact with the ball has diminished in recent campaigns for Brisbane, however that should change at the Thunder. How often Cutting bowls will likely depend on whether South African Chris Morris returns, or whether the Thunder sign an international quick to replace him. If they don’t he’ll almost certainly partner Sams in the death overs. Expect him to slot in at No. 5 or No. 6 in the batting order to provide the finishing touches, a role he performed with aplomb regularly for the Heat.

SUPERCOACH BBL: THE MUST-HAVE PLAYER IN EACH POSITION

Alex Hales was an important part of the Thunder’s late-season charge in BBL09. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Alex Hales BBL09 avg: 56.6

It would have taken a brave coach to jump on Hales when the Englishman bottomed out at $80k after seven rounds of BBL09. Hales had only one KFC SuperCoach score above 50, and five of less than 35, before his form turned in spectacular fashion. From Round 8 onwards, Hales lifted his KFC SuperCoach average from 32.4 to 56.6, averaging 78 points during the run home. Only record breaker Marcus Stoinis scored more runs than Hales’ 576 runs in BBL09. It was a pivotal turning point for the opener, who had previously struggled to have much impact on Australian soil. If he carries that destructive form into BBL10, then look out. The only knocks are his high KFC SuperCoach price and the Thunder not having a double until the last round.

MORE KFC SUPERCOACH BBL:

Adam Milne BWL

The Kiwi quick, who has been clocked at more than 150km/h, has opted out of his contract in New Zealand to join the Thunder. Milne is one of the cheapest internationals available in KFC SuperCoach despite featuring 61 times for New Zealand in one-day and T20 games. His overall career record reads: 116 wickets from 96 games, bowling average 22.3 and a strike rate of 17.4. Milne has battled injuries throughout his career but if he’s hitting top speed at the start of the BBL, he’s going to be a real handful and could quickly shoot up toward premium price.

A friendly FYI to #BBL10 batters... @ThunderBBL signing Adam Milne can send it with the best of them 🚀 pic.twitter.com/OzHMNRxEwG

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) November 1, 2020

Sam Billings WKP-BAT

Won’t be available until about Christmas like most of his compatriots, but Billings will be a key member of the Thunder side during the run home. The English middle-order batsman will slot in and No.4 or No.5 and could take over as wicketkeeper — depending on the form of Matt Gilkes. Billings will be available for the Thunder’s Round 8 double when he’ll be the No.1 wicketkeeping choice of the round. He featured in the latter rounds of the Vitality Blast after making a century against Australia, peeling off scores of 18, 50 and 18 for Kent.

KFC SuperCoach doubles: Round 8

KFC SuperCoach byes: None

PREDICTIONS

FINISHING POSITION

The Phantom: Sixth - Some great inclusions, but can they all hit the ground running at the Thunder?

Tim Michell: Second — Billings and Cutting are brilliant additions and if Milne hits his straps the Thunder can set up an all-Sydney final against the Sixers.

TOP KFC SUPERCOACH BBL SCORER

The Phantom: Daniel Sams - Hard to go past last year’s No. 1 man. Khawaja might go close with a mountain of runs.

Tim Michell: Daniel Sams — he was the No.1 point scorer in KFC SuperCoach last season and has more talent with the bat than he’s shown so far in the BBL.

BEST LINE-UP

Alex Hales

Usman Khawaja

Callum Ferguson

Alex Ross

Sam Billings

Ben Cutting

Daniel Sams

Chris Green

Jono Cook

Adam Milne

Chris Tremain

He’s dominated the BBL before, but Usman Khawaja struggled in BBL09.

BURNING QUESTIONS

How many overs does Ben Cutting bowl?

Cutting is one of the recruits of the BBL off-season after playing a prominent role for Brisbane Heat in the past decade. The all-rounder wasn’t always a frontline bowler in recent years for the Heat, delivering 31.2 overs in 14 BBL09 games — down from 39.3 in BBL08. The Thunder have been crying out for greater support for Daniel Sams after using a combination of Chris Tremain, Gurinder Sandhu, Nathan McAndrew and Brendan Doggett in BBL09. South African Chris Morris, their other strike bowler last season, remains unsigned. With spinner Chris Green back to bowl in the power play, expect Cutting and Sams to share the death overs.

Can Usman Khawaja dominate again?

Since he lifted the Thunder to the BBL title in 2015-16 with 345 runs in four innings, Khawaja only has four 50s in 21 innings for the Thunder. He scored three half-centuries last season but only averaged 22.8, dropping from a starting price of $198,700 in KFC SuperCoach to as low as $64,400. He had three scores of 84 points of better in BBL09 but also seven or 20 points or less. If Khawaja gets going in BBL10, coaches will want to jump on before his price skyrockets.

Matthew Gilkes is very highly rated in Sydney. Picture: Phil Hillayrd

What does the top four look like?

Young guns Matthew Gilkes and Oliver Davies are highly-rated in New South Wales, but how relevant will they be in KFC SuperCoach? Gilkes was introduced to the BBL as an opener but spent most of last summer at No. 4 or No.5. That meant he missed out on long batting stints in many games due to the dominance of Alex Hales and Callum Ferguson. Alex Ross was an unsung hero with 372 runs in BBL09 and should again command a spot in the top four, with Ferguson a lock for No.3. Gilkes might be squeezed out mid-season too when Sam Billings arrives.

HAVE YOU PICKED YOUR KFC SUPERCOACH BBL TEAM YET? HEAD TO SUPERCOACH.COM.AU TODAY!

Was Daniel Sams’ breakout campaign a one-off?

We’re about to find out. BBL batsmen had few answers for Sams last season, who mixed his pace at the death to great effect. The left-arm seamer was the No. 1 KFC SuperCoach BBL points scorer in BBL09 and his role is unlikely to change after the success he enjoyed. He’s also a more capable batsman than was evidenced in BBL09, when he struggled with 55 runs in 15 innings. Compare that to his JLT Cup efforts in 2018-19 when he smashed 152 runs in four innings (strike rate 117) and Sams’ potential with the willow remains untapped. There’s a school of thought Ben Cutting’s arrival might eat into Sams’ overs at the death but his numbers are unlikely to change — especially if Chris Morris doesn’t return.

Originally published as BBL 10 preview: Sydney Thunder squad, best KFC SuperCoach buys