SuperCoach Plus Article: The Phantom’s BBL power rankings and final team

After weeks of studying form and digging into the stats, The Phantom reveals his final KFC SuperCoach Power Rankings – and his starting team.

The start of the BBL season is just days away, so you need the best inside information to pick a winning KFC SuperCoach BBL team.

SuperCoach Plus gives you all the tools to do that including score and price projections, break evens, live trade data and lots more – including weekly analysis articles like this one.

The Phantom has dug deeper into the form and stats than ever before to produce his final KFC SuperCoach BBL power rankings. Do you agree – and how many of these players are in your team?

PHANTOM’S POWER RANKINGS

Here are my top-five players in each position, taking into account form, price and the KFC SuperCoach BBL fixture.

BATSMEN

1. Chris Lynn (Heat, $172,500)

Going without the Heat master blaster in a double-game round to start the year? No, thanks.

2. Daniel Hughes (Sixers, $78,300)

Scored 70, 59 and 89* his three of his past four Shield innings and then made another 40 in the Marsh Cup. He’s gone big in the BBL before so, at the price, and with a double-game round first up, he should be popular.

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Alex Hales ripped the BBL to shreds last summer with his power hitting. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

3. Alex Hales (Thunder, $189,300)

The big-hitting Englishman has well and try found his feet in the BBL, finish the past two tournaments as the fourth and seventh-ranked KFC SuperCoach scorer, respectively. Price is the only thing keeping him down at No.3.

4. James Vince (Sixers, $153,700)

Another import who found his rhythm in Australia last summer, averaging 49 KFC SuperCoach points per game to finish as the seventh-highest scorer. Clubbed a century in the recent Vitality Blast T20 competition and will open the batting twice in Round 1.

James Vince opens the season with a double game round. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

5. Colin Munro (Scorchers, $135,500)

Hitting them well in the warm-up games, like we all know he can. The powerful Kiwi was overlooked for the recent T20 World Cup but will take on plenty of responsibility in a depleted Perth batting line-up early in the tournament.

6th man: Matt Short

Smoky: Tom Abell

You left him out? Usman Khawaja/Aaron Finch

Finch will slide in at No.2 on this list, given his price, if he does feature early in the tournament. But recent reports suggest that is unlikely. And, unfortunately for KFC SuperCoach, Khawaja is right in the Test mix.

BOWLERS

1. Rashid Khan (Strikers, $198,700)

Took 18 wickets, with an economy rate of 6.69, in this year’s IPL and eight more for Afghanistan at the T20 World Cup. Averaged 64, 67 and 71 in each of the past three BBL summers. Only one player, Marnus Labuschagne, averaged more than 67 last year – and he played just six games. Double or no double, just fit him in from the start, especially as the Strikers may need some help with the bat, too.

2. Chris Jordan(Sixers, $148,400)

Took six wickets – taking his T20I tally to 79 in 24 matches – for England in the T20 World Cup and will feature twice for the Sixers in the opening round.

3. Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Heat, $208,200)

Starred early last summer, taking 14 wickets at an average of 13.42 – the best figures of any player to claim at least 10 scalps – in eight matches. Could also be worth the expensive price tag with a double-game round to start.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman could set up your season with a big score in Round 1. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

4. Ben Dwarshuis (Sixers, $181,700)

Only Kane Richardson took more wickets in last year’s BBL. Another great option with two games in Round 1.

5. Kane Richardson (Renegades, $152,000)

Surprisingly, the BBL’s leading wicket-taker wasn’t picked for a single game in the T20 World Cup, but that doesn’t mean you should leave him out of your KFC SuperCoach BBL team. He’s a big point-of-difference at the moment, in fewer than 6 per cent of sides.

6th man: Xavier Bartlett

Smoky: Connor Sully

You left him out? Mitch Swepson

He’s in Australia’s Ashes squad so forget him, unfortunately.

ALL-ROUNDERS

1. Tom Curran (Strikers, $201,000)

Pick him and make him captain in Round 1. Next.

2. Jack Wildermuth (Heat, $155,200)

With Michael Neser and Mark Steketee on Australian duties, Wildermuth is the man with the ball in Brisbane and he’ll get a chance with the bat in the middle order, too. Well priced with a double in Round 1.

3. Marcus Stoinis (Stars, $163,200)

Speaking of well priced, Stoinis will return to the top of the batting order for the Stars after some impressive lower-order knocks for Australia at the T20 World Cup. Fingers crossed he bowls this summer, too.

Marcus Stoinis is a BBL superstar with bat and ball. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

4. Dan Christian (Sixers $184,700)

The surprise of last year’s BBL, finishing as the second-ranked KFC SuperCoach scorer following a move to the Sixers. Another who you can count on, despite Curran’s return, in the Round 1 double

5. Glenn Maxwell (Stars $195,500)

I don’t really need to explain the pros of picking the Aussie limited-overs star, do I? Another who might hurt you if you leave him out, despite no double-game until Round 3. In fact, you should probably go close to picking all of these guys in your starting side.

6th man: D’Arcy Short

Smoky: George Garton

You left him out? Mitch Marsh

Selection in the Australia A squad ruined our chances of grabbing a KFC SuperCoach bargain.

WICKETKEEPERS

1. Josh Phillipee (Sixer $177,300)

The third-highest KFC SuperCoach scorer last summer should be close to the first player picked in a Sixers double.

2. Joe Clarke (Stars, $112,500)

The well-priced Englishman was the seventh-highest run-scorer in the Vitality Blast, hit 64 off 40 deliveries, opening the batting with Stoinis, in a recent practice game, and will play twice in Round 3. Forget last summer and consider him as a batsman.

Josh Phillippe scores most of his KFC SuperCoach points with the bat, but catches and stumpings are handy, too. Picture: AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts

3. Matthew Wade (Hurricanes, $145,800)

Pipped by Clarke on price but only just, following his T20 World Cup heroics. A player we will all have at some point.

4. Matthew Gilkes (Thunder $62,500)

There will be more opportunity in the Thunder’s top order this summer and the 22-year-old, who posted a half-century opening the batting in last week’s Marsh Cup game for NSW, could be the one to benefit.

5. Harry Nielsen (Strikers $76,200)

With Alex Carey and Travis Head missing, there will more opportunity for Nielsen, too. But can he take it?

PHANTOM’S FINAL TEAM

Here is how I’m looking a few days out from Round 1. Aaron Finch is still there to now but there could be changes given the news he may not play until Round 3 or 4. Matt Short could just be his on-field replacement, however.

The Phantom's KFC SuperCoach BBL team