SuperCoach BBL late mail: Injuries, new signings, selection whispers for round 1
Get the latest BBL teams news including a batch of brand-new rookies and the big guns released from international duties in time for the start of SuperCoach.
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It promises to be a huge week of SuperCoach BBL news as we build toward the first ball of BBL14 – and first rolling lockout – on Sunday.
Stay up to date with the latest teams news, signings, injuries and what they mean for your team below.
Check back on this page all week for the latest intel and selection whispers.
LATE SIGNINGS
Five clubs have announced last-minute signings as the start of BBL draws closer.
Here are the new arrivals – and their SuperCoach prices.
Adam Milne (Stars) $117,500 BWL
Marcus Harris (Renegades) $58,500 BAT
Xavier Crone (Renegades) $39,500 BWL
Jack Wildermuth (Heat) $58,500 BAT-BWL
Bryce Jackson (Scorchers) $39,500 BWL
Austin Anzelark (Stars) $39,500 BWL
Marcus Bean (Hurricanes) $39,500 BWL
Liam Scott (Strikers) $39,500 BAT-BWL
Callum Stow (Renegades) $39,500 BWL
Lachlan Shaw (Sixers) $39,500 WKP-BAT
New Zealand paceman Milne has been named in the Stars’ squad for the season-opener. He will play the first three matches of the tournament before flying out.
Most of the other players on the list above are likely to be depth only, but one name to watch is Jack Wildermuth. The 31-year-old is a chance for early games with Michael Neser out injured, Spencer Johnson under an injury cloud and Nathan McSweeney on Test duties.
STARS, SCORCHERS NAME SQUADS
The Melbourne Stars and Perth Scorchers have released 14-man squads for the first game of the season at 7.15pm AEDT Sunday.
Big names Glenn Maxwell and Aaron Hardie are both missing due to injury, but Perth cheapie Ashton Turner is ready to go.
A final XI for both teams will be named at the bat toss an hour before the first ball is bowled for BBL14.
Our opening squad of #BBL14 is HERE 🙌
— Melbourne Stars (@StarsBBL) December 14, 2024
Details â¬https://t.co/HexX314bY5pic.twitter.com/6g3yGh0Wlq
SCORCHERS: Perth Scorchers: Ashton Turner (c), Ashton Agar, Finn Allen (New Zealand), Jason Behrendorff, Cooper Connolly, Sam Fanning, Nick Hobson, Matthew Hurst (England), Bryce Jackson, Keaton Jennings (England), Matt Kelly, Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye
STARS: Marcus Stoinis (c), Austin Anlezark, Hilton Cartwright, Joe Clarke (England), Brody Couch, Tom Curran (England), Sam Harper, Hamish McKenzie, Jonathan Merlo, Adam Milne (New Zealand), Tom Rogers, Peter Siddle, Doug Warren, Beau Webster
BABY JOY PAVES WAY FOR SIXERS STAR’S RETURN
Sean Abbott will not return to Brisbane following the birth of his second child, paving the way for him to play for the Sydney Sixers on Monday night. The quick was called up to Australia’s squad for the second Test but headed home to be present for the arrival of baby Arlo on Thursday night.
He has been released for the remainder of the Test, meaning he should be available to face the Sixers against the Melbourne Renegades at the SCG. All-rounder Beau Webster has also been cleared to play for the Melbourne Stars in Perth on Sunday. But Brendan Doggett, Josh Inglis and Scott Boland remain with the Test side.
Meanwhile, Shai Hope (Hurricanes, $152k WKP/BAT), Sherfane Rutherford (Thunder, $152k BAT) were not selected in the West Indies T20 squad to face Bangladesh, freeing them to join the Big Bash from round 1.
JOHNSON IN DOUBT FOR HEAT’S ROUND 1 CLASH
Australia white-ball star Spencer Johnson is in doubt for the Brisbane Heat’s Big Bash League opener as he nurses a toe issue.
It’s understood lett-arm quick Johnson is dealing with a lingering concern that came about during his Sheffield Shield return for South Australia last month.
Johnson, who turns 29 on Monday, is no guarantee to take on the Melbourne Stars in the Heat’s first match of the season on Wednesday night.
The paceman has been a central figure in the Heat’s rise over the past couple of seasons, taking 19 wickets at 14.47 as the club broke its more than decade-long championship drought last summer.
Fellow Heat seamer Michael Neser is meanwhile on the comeback trail from a hamstring injury suffered last month playing for Australia A although his return date remains unclear.
The Heat will also likely be without Test trio Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney for the early weeks of the season.
The club confirmed the signing of all-rounder Jack Wildermuth this week.
Johnson was last month picked up by the Kolkata Knight Riders for $500,000, at the Indian Premier League auction.
He has played two one-dayers and eight Twenty20 internationals for Australia.
MAXWELL RULED OUT OF OPENER
Glenn Maxwell will try to prove his fitness in time for Melbourne Stars’ second game of the Big Bash season.
The BBL superstar is still recovering from a left hamstring strain suffered while fielding in the third T20 against Pakistan last month, and he won’t be ready in time for the opening game of the season against Perth Scorchers on Sunday.
The Stars will work closely with Cricket Australia before making a call on Maxwell’s fitness for the Stars’ second game is against the Heat at the MCG next Wednesday.
“He definitely won’t be fit for the first game,” Stars coach Peter Moores told CA.
“With players like Maxi, and anybody who is an international player, you have to work pretty closely with CA, so that’ll be monitored, and we’ll see where he is for the second game.”
Both games are part of round 1 in SuperCoach – which made Maxwell an obvious captain pick if he played both games.
Playing once rules him out of contention, so coaches will have almost $250,000 to spend on a replacement, and hope he’s right for the Stars’ double in round 3.
HARDIE TO MISS SEASON OPENER
Perth Scorchers’ injury woes have deepened days out from the opening game of BBL14 with star all-rounder Aaron Hardie to miss round 1.
Reports from Western Australia on Wednesday night stated Hardie had been ruled out of Sunday’s match against Melbourne Stars after struggling with a quad injury in recent weeks.
Cooper Connolly (hand), Ashton Turner (side) and Ashton Agar (shoulder) are also in doubt.
The Scorchers squad will be named on Saturday with all-rounder Matt Spoors and batter Sam Fanning potential bolters.
Hardie, a $177k BAT-BWL, was the seventh most popular player in SuperCoach as of Wednesday night, featuring in almost 11,000 teams.
GADES’ SUPERCOACH GIFT
Melbourne Renegades have given SuperCoaches an early Christmas gift with the signing of Pakistan all-rounder Hassan Khan as a replacement player.
Khan will initially be available for the opening games of BBL14 before Jacob Bethell arrives after England’s Test tour of New Zealand.
But with Bethell only signed for 4-6 games, there is scope for the $117k BAT-BWL to stay longer with the Renegades.
Regardless, he should feature in both games of the Gades’ round 1 double and could have a prominent role with doubts over Gades captain Will Sutherland’s fitness.
Sutherland did not play in Victoria’s Sheffield Shield clash with Queensland and played as a batter only for his club side Prahran on Saturday.
He has been recovering from a side strain.
Khan is a left-arm spinner and who is regarded as a “reliable finisher with the bat”.
STARS ADD KIWI QUICK
Melbourne Stars have thrown the first curve ball of the final week before BBL14 starts by signing New Zealand quick Adam Milne as a replacement player for the first three matches of the tournament. Milne will replace Pakistan spinner Usama Mir, who is unavailable until December 26.
While his SuperCoach price is still to be confirmed, Milne arrives in strong form after taking six wickets in the Abu Dhabi T10 League.
He featured for Sydney Thunder in BBL10, taking five wickets in 12 matches.
Importantly, Milne will be available for the round 1 double.
His signing could leave Joel Paris (9.3 per cent ownership), Mark Steketee (6.3 per cent ownership) and Brody Couch (1 per cent ownership) fighting for one spot – along with veteran Peter Siddle, who joined the Stars last week.
More Coverage
Some fresh faces in #SuperCoach BBL this morning 👀 pic.twitter.com/rRKfxkgQB5
— SuperCoach BBL (@SuperCoachBBL) December 8, 2024
Originally published as SuperCoach BBL late mail: Injuries, new signings, selection whispers for round 1
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