SuperCoach BBL: The Phantom reveals his final team ahead of the ninth Big Bash League season
The start of SuperCoach BBL is almost here and The Phantom has settled on his Round 1 line-up. See it here, plus everything else you need to know to pick your team.
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It’s almost time, SuperCoaches - the first lockout of BBL09 is upon us.
And, at last, I’ve finalised my Round 1 team.
There’s been a number changes as the practice matches revealed some key line-up information.
See the final side below, and if you haven’t registered your SuperCoach team ahead of tonight’s first game, there’s still time.
And there’s $57,000 in prizes up for grabs. Sign up here for free!
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pick a SuperCoach team in 5 minutes
No-go zone: 10 players to avoid
Latest whispers ahead of lockout
Every side’s predicted Round 1 line-up
BATSMEN
Chris Lynn (Brisbane)
$173,000
I’ve given in.
There was no place for the big-hitting Lynn in my initial squad, but after the 29-year-old, who has hit 123 sixes in his Big Bash League career, dominated the recent Abu Dhabi Ten10 competition, I’ve made room.
Now there will be no worrying about what I could miss out on as vice-captain.
Callum Ferguson (Thunder)
$134,600
The 35-year-old was out for a six-ball duck against Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield last fortnight, but Ferguson made centuries in three of his previous four innings, stretching back to the Marsh Cup where he was the third-highest run-scorer.
Ferguson is likely to bat at first-drop for the Thunder after scoring the most SuperCoach points of all players classified as batsmen-only in BBL08.
He also top scored in their practice match on Friday with 70 off 55 balls.
Alex Hales (Thunder)
$125,000
He’s failed to make his mark in recent stints in the BBL, but the English import is in form – and underpriced on his potential.
Hales posted four half-centuries in the Vitality Blast and hit 97 of 55 balls in his most recent T20 innings in the Mzanisi Super League on December 4.
Liam Livingstone (Scorchers)
$125,000, BWL
With Perth’s double-up games in Round 3, here’s the point of difference.
The 26-year-old, who has played two T20 internationals for England, has 1982 career runs in the shortest form of the game at a strike-rate of 139 and looks set to open the batting for Scorchers on Wednesday.
But he’s also a more-than-handy spinner, taking 29 wickets at 17 across his 85-game career. Livingstone was out for a first-ball duck in the practice game against the Strikers on Monday and, in a surprise, took the gloves in the field, but I’m holding firm.
Josh Philippe (Sixers)
$123,000, WKP
Like Ferguson, Bryant and Hales, the Sixers’ up-and-coming keeper-batsmen will get two cracks at it in the opening Round 1.
And then another two chances in Sydney’s second double-up week in Round 3.
Add the price, competition-best strike-rate of 158 in BBL08 and the fact he keeps, too, and Philippe is almost a must-start.
BENCH
Cameron Green (Scorchers)
$42,000, BWL
There’s been plenty of hype around the up-and-coming all-rounder recently, and rightly so, after the 20-year-old followed up his maiden first-class century with 126 a month later against South Australia.
Green won’t bowl and might not feature prominently with the bat, given his middle-order position which was confirmed in the warm-up game, but he’ll play.
Will Sutherland (Renegades)
$42,000, BWL
The 20-year-old made his debut for Victoria in last month’s Marsh Cup and looks set to make his mark as a bowling all-rounder in BBL09.
OTHER EXPERT TEAM REVEALS:
Shane Warne’s star-studded SuperCoach team
SuperCoach BBL: Sam Landsberger’s team reveal
Brad reveals Haddin’s Heroes for the new season
The big changes to Tim Michell’s SuperCoach BBL team
Ben Horne reveals his SuperCoach line-up
WICKETKEEPERS
Tom Banton (Heat)
$125,000, BAT
In October, Banton was named the Cricket Writers’ Club Young Cricketer of the Year – an award previously won by Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow and Stuart Broad.
So, there’s big expectations on the former England under-19 captain who was the second-highest run-scorer in the Vitality Blast.
BENCH
Alex Carey (Strikers)
$139,800, BAT
Adelaide’s vice-captain and Australian limited-overs gun was another play left out of The Phantom’s original side, due to the uncertainty of his place in the Strikers’ batting order.
And, of course, his side’s Round 1 bye.
But he batted at No. 3 - behind Jake Weatherald and Phil Salt - in Monday’s practice match and will be a must-have for Adelaide’s back-to-back double-game rounds over the Christmas and New Year period.
So, I’ll be stashing him.
BOWLERS
D’Arcy Short (Hurricanes)
$262,800, BAT
Playing for Durham in England’s T20 Vitality Blast, Short finished with 483 runs at an average of 43.90, while also playing an important part with the ball, claiming 13 scalps.
He’s in despite no double-game week until Round 12.
But this guy doesn’t need to play twice in a round to score well.
Tom Curran (Sixers)
$210,000, BAT
With 20 scalps, the 24-year-old English import was the fifth-leading wicket-taker in BBL08, starring at the death for the Sixers.
But he also had an influence with the bat, finishing with an average of 30.83 and strike-rate of 144, and will be The Phantom’s Round 1 captain if Lynn fails in the tournament opener.
Daniel Sams (Thunder)
$170,200, BAT
Hits hard in the middle-order – Sams finished with 175 runs at a strike-rate of 138 last season – and changes the game with the ball in hand.
The 27-year-old took 15 wickets for the Thunder in BBL08 and impressed for NSW in the recent Marsh Cup, claiming 5/46 against Victoria.
Ashton Agar (Scorchers)
$133,200, BAT
Came in at No. 6 - ahead of Green - and hit 17 off 10 deliveries late in Perth’s innings against the Strikers on Monday.
But, more importantly, took three wickets with the ball and recorded eight dot-balls in his four overs.
Well-priced and, like Livingstone, his selection comes with Round 3 in mind.
Moises Henriques (Sixers)
$101,500, BAT
The Sixers captain is back bowling, after injury issues restricted the 32-year-old in recent seasons.
If Henriques can get close to replicating his recent performance against Victoria in the March Cup – 98 of 111 balls batting at No. 3 and 2/37 with the ball – he’s a SuperCoach bargain.
BENCH
Harry Conway (Strikers)
$42,000
With the departure of Ben Laughlin - and Peter Siddle’s call-up to Australia’s squad for the Boxing Day Test - Conway, who took 10 wickets in NSW’s Shield victory over Queensland in October, will be in the mix early in Adelaide.
Nathan Ellis (Hurricanes)
$42,000
Only Nathan Coulter-Nile and Mark Steketee took more wickets than the 25-year-old Tasmania in the Marsh Cup.
