KFC SuperCoach Plus Article: The Phantom answers the mid-season burning questions

Is it time to dump D’Arcy Short? How do I climb the rankings? Who are the best trade options? The Phantom looks at 11 of KFC SuperCoach BBL’s burning questions.

We’re at the half-way point of the KFC SuperCoach BBL season and we’ve learnt plenty so far.

But new questions continue to pop up – and some old ones don’t go away.

This is the mid-season special of The Phantom’s burning questions.

Wasn’t this meant to be fun?

Haha. No. The highs are great, but the lows – second-ball ducks, rain, trading out Glenn Maxwell and D’Arcy Short’s form – are difficult. But we wouldn’t have KFC SuperCoach any other way.

What’s been your lowlight, Phantom?

I subbed out Rashid Khan for Xavier Bartlett when the news came through the Strikers star would miss Round 4 with a hamstring injury. Soon after he was named in the final team and tallied 127 KFC SuperCoach BBL points. I made the switch back in my head, I swear.

TRADE GUIDE: ALL THE BEST OPTIONS FOR ROUND 8

D'Arcy Short is averaging 15 with the bat in BBL10. Picture: Zak Simmonds

So, why did we pick Short?

Because he averaged 86 KFC SuperCoach BBL points per match last summer. Short is a star with the bat and more-than-handy with the ball.

And with a 116-point score in the Round 2 double and a huge 150 points, on the back of three wickets and a quick-fire 27 runs, against the Heat, you could overlook the two single figure scores in the opening four rounds.

Short has made a combined 20 runs and gone wicketless in the past three matches, however, and his price is in freefall. In fact, the hard-hitting left-hander has made just 122 runs at 15.25 this summer.

Sure, he could turn it around very soon, but with more double-game round points up for grabs, it’s time to trade Short before he loses any more value.

But is it too late?

He’s losing value fast but another low score could result in Short, who started the year at $245k, falling below three figures. It seems crazy, but it could happen. Outside of the double-game rounds, it’s all about form. Take what you can get.

I mean is it too late for my team, Phantom?

Not yet. At the time of writing, there are still six minor rounds and then finals to go. If you’ve suffered a big rankings crash – on possibly just bad luck – in recent rounds, you would know how quickly you can lose your position. But it also shows how fast you can climb.

I fell from 1253 to 6070 in three rounds but after a big Round 6, I’ve pulled back 4000 spots.

Lewis Gregory or Daniel Sams?

How do I catch up then?

The Thunder and Heat play twice in Round 8 – and that’s where you need to start.

After an impressive cameo with the bat against the Heat, Daniel Sams was pulled out of the game after copping another blow to the head. Providing he’s OK for game one of the double, Sams is a must-have at his cheapest price for the season.

Below-average scores from Lewis Gregory (37) and Usman Khawaja (10) make the pair great buying, too. Khawaja’s opening-partner at the Thunder, Alex Hales, is on fire but he won’t come cheap. That’s why I like fellow Englishman Sam Billings, who has slotted into the line-up at No. 4. He’s yet to fully make his mark but he’s building.

Billings is in just one per cent of KFC SuperCoach BBL teams and points-of-difference are also the key to gaining ground.

Sam Billings could be a great point-of-difference in KFC SuperCoach BBL in Round 8. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Who are the other PODs?

Brisbane import Joe Denly, who made 50 of 36 balls batting at No. 3, on Monday night and is in even less teams than Billings, and should also be considered. Spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman is only in seven per cent of teams of teams and has scored 158, 60 and 102 in his past three matches. It means he’s expensive but he could be worth the punt.

What about the rain?

Ah, yes, our old friend. There’s 25-45mm of rain forecast for Gold Coast on Thursday, the same day the Heat are scheduled to play the first of their two games against the Stars at 8.20pm local time. I’d say hold your trades until then, but the Thunder play the night before. If you’re loading up, lean towards Thunder players.

If PODs are important, do I overlook the likes of Maxwell, Josh Philippe, Dan Christian and Rashid Khan?

They are the four most-popular players in KFC SuperCoach BBL – and rightly so. But there is merit to overlooking – or trading out – three of them. Khan could be leaving the BBL for international duties soon and Christian and Philippe are expendable, if you’re taking advantage of the double-game rounds.

Maxwell, however, is a different story. Sure, it could be the ultimate against-the-grain move, given he’s in 69 per cent of teams, but it’s likely you will fall further behind without him. If you don’t have him and you don’t fix that next round, it has to be before the Stars’ Round 10 double – at, potentially, a cheaper price.

Marcus Stoinis was huge against the Hurricanes in Round 7.

So there is another double-game round after Round 8?

In Round 10, the Stars and Scorchers play twice. Every other round, every team plays once and, while it’s important to maximise the points in the double-game round, don’t forget about your team balance, on either side.

Thankfully, many of the top targets warrant selection regardless of the two potential matches.

Considering his starting price of $185k, Marcus Stoinis is cheap, hit seven sixes on his way to 97 off 55 balls against the Hurricanes and is likely to be bowling by the time the double rolls around. Partner him up with Maxwell and forget about it.

After taking five wickets in a three-match T20 series against New Zealand, Pakistani quick – and BBL09 sensation - Harris Rauf is due in Australia very soon. He’s expensive ($213k), but he could be the ultimate point-of-difference.

Colin Munro and Liam Livingstone loom as great Round 10 options.

And for the Scorchers?

Mitch Marsh, who is back bowling, a very cheap Colin Munro, fresh off a quick-fire 52 and opening batsman Liam Livingstone, who has featured with the ball, should be at the top of your list.

Given the rain-affected Round 2 match with the stars, Fawad Ahmed is great value, too, after starring with 2/5 in Round 6.