BBL10 preview: Melbourne Renegades squad, key KFC SuperCoach BBL players

After falling from their championship perch to the bottom of the BBL, Melbourne Renegades have plenty to prove in BBL10. Can Aaron Finch’s men bounce back?

Imran Tahir has signed with Melbourne Renegades for BBL10.

Champions one season, wooden spooners the next.

Melbourne Renegades experienced a serious fall from grace last season after the euphoria of their BBL08 final victory over cross-town rival Melbourne Stars.

Shaun Marsh’s move from Perth Scorchers was a success and Aaron Finch fired when available, but it was largely a forgettable tournament for Michael Klinger’s side.

The Renegades have been busy bolstering their squad with exciting teenage spinner Noor Ahmad, veteran Imran Tahir and Josh Lalor among the new faces on board.

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South African batsman Rilee Russouw will add firepower to the middle order, while James Pattinson will give the Renegades a pace spearhead to partner Lalor and Kane Richardson when available.

The emergence of Beau Webster was one of few positives from BBL09 — will Victorian Will Sutherland follow that trend after getting a taste of the BBL last summer?

BBL10 SQUAD

Noor Ahmad, Cameron Boyce, Zak Evans, Aaron Finch (C), Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Mackenzie Harvey, Jon Holland, Josh Lalor, Shaun Marsh, Mohammad Nabi, James Pattinson, Mitch Perry, Jack Prestwidge, Kane Richardson, Rilee Roussow, Will Sutherland, Imran Tahir, Beau Webster.

In: James Pattinson, Josh Lalor, Jack Prestwidge (Heat), Imran Tahir (SA), Noor Ahmad (Afg), Rilee Rossouw (SA).

Out: Dan Christian (Sixers), Tom Cooper, Jack Wildermuth (Heat), Richard Gleeson, Harry Gurney (Eng), Joe Mennie

Internationals: Mohammad Nabi (Afg), Imran Tahir (Sth Africa), Noor Ahmad (Afg), Rilee Roussow (Sth Africa)

Aaron Finch has been one of the BBL’s most dominant batsmen.

KEY SUPERCOACH BBL PLAYERS

Aaron Finch BAT BBL09 avg: 64.6

The Australian white-ball skipper (2252 runs) is one of the leading run scorers in BBL history, sitting 80 runs behind Chris Lynn (2332 runs). That pair are the only players in the tournament’s history with more than 2000 runs, with Michael Klinger (1947) ranked third. Finch only appeared in nine matches last summer as the Renegades slumped from champions to the bottom of the table. But he still made a big impression in that period with 363 runs, including a ton (109 from 68 balls) against Sydney Sixers. He has 18 fifties in 63 BBL innings at a conversion rate of 29 per cent (approx one in three innings).

Shaun Marsh was a standout performer in a season to forget for the Renegades in BBL09.

Shaun Marsh BAT BBL09 avg: 54.3

The veteran batsman was the Renegades’ leading run scorer in BBL09 with 449 runs at 37.4. Of the batsmen with more than 1500 career runs in the BBL, only Hobart’s D’Arcy Short (46.4) has a better average than Marsh’s 45.9. Marsh is only 116 runs from joining Finch and Lynn in the 2000-run club and has been one of the most consistent run scorers in BBL history. Although he’s all but out of the international picture now, the 37-year-old has a formidable record in domestic cricket. He’ll bat in the top three for the Renegades too and has proven he can make runs on the tricky Docklands wicket.

Kane Richardson BWL BBL09 avg: 56

The Aussie white-ball seamer only featured in eight games last season, finishing with 10 wickets. Richardson has been one of the BBL’s most-reliable bowlers in recent summers, taking 48 wickets in 32 games in the past three seasons. While his wickets tally was down from 24 in 14 games in BBL08 to 10 in eight matches last season, Richardson’s economy rate improved from 7.75 to 6.99. He’s one of the top KFC SuperCoach targets whenever the Renegades play at home considering his impressive record under the Docklands roof.

Imran Tahir BWL

The veteran spinner is one of the world’s most experienced T20 bowlers with 382 wickets from 306 career Twenty20 games. The South African has an incredible strike rate of a wicket every 17 balls, a career bowling average of less than 20 in T20 games and an economy rate of less than seven. He only featured in three games for Chennai Super Kings in the recent IPL despite being the tournament’s leading wicket-taker in 2019. Tahir is due to arrive in Australia around Christmas and will be a must-have for the Renegades’ Round 6 double. Watch out if he’s let loose on Marvel Stadium.

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KFC SuperCoach doubles: Round 6

KFC SuperCoach byes: None

BEST LINE-UP

Aaron Finch

Shaun Marsh

Rilee Roussow

Sam Harper

Beau Webster

Mohammad Nabi

Cameron Boyce

James Pattinson

Josh Lalor

Kane Richardson

Imran Tahir

*Imran Tahir available after Christmas.

Gloveman Sam Harper’s batting position was a major dilemma for the Renegades last year.

BURNING QUESTIONS

Where does Sam Harper bat?

The wicketkeeper-batsman started BBL09 as an opener, hammering 39 (19) and 45 (24) in the opening six games before being relegated to No.3. That appeared an inspired move when he blazed 73 from 46 against Perth in Geelong, only for Harper to be shuffled to No. 6 and make a golden duck in the Renegades’ next outing. Skipper Aaron Finch is expected to be available for most of the tournament which could mean the highest Harper bats is No. 3 if the Renegades want Shaun Marsh as his opening partner.

Can Will Sutherland have a breakout tournament?

The developing Victorian all-rounder finished BBL09 with a KFC SuperCoach score of 153 in the Renegades’ Round 13 double — taking 1-24 against Sydney Sixers and 3-30 against Brisbane Heat. He finished the tournament with four wickets and 41 runs. Sutherland could be the beneficiary of Jack Wildermuth’s return to Brisbane and Dan Christian’s move to the Sixers.

Beau Webster’s emergence was a reason for optimism for the Renegades.

Can Beau Webster replicate his efforts from BBL09?

Webster was one of the finds of last summer and a top KFC SuperCoach cheapie. The big Tasmanian averaged 50.1 SuperCoach points and 42.5 runs, compiling 425 runs for the tournament as the linchpin of the Renegades’ batting line-up. BBL09 was the first time in four BBL campaigns Webster has amassed 100 runs and he’ll be intent on cementing himself as a key pillar of the Renegades team.

Is Mohammad Nabi worth his $191,500 price tag?

The Afghani all-rounder is the sixth most-expensive player in KFC SuperCoach BBL and doesn’t have a double until Round 6. It was no coincidence the Renegades’ best form of BBL09 came after Nabi arrived for the run home. He made 160 runs in six innings with a strike rate of 160 and took five wickets in six games. All-rounders are crucial in KFC SuperCoach but there’s better options with earlier doubles than Nabi. Hope his price drops to about $150,000 and then jump on closer to Round 6.

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Originally published as BBL10 preview: Melbourne Renegades squad, key KFC SuperCoach BBL players