SuperCoach BBL 2019: 50 most popular players revealed

Brisbane Heat wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson has rocketed to No. 1 on SuperCoach BBL’s most popularity list ahead of the first game of the Big Bash League campaign on Tuesday night.

What are you thinking SuperCoaches?

With only one day left until the first game of BBL09, Brisbane Heat’s incoming South African star AB De Villiers is still one of the 20 most-popular players in SuperCoach BBL.

In theory, selecting De Villiers makes sense. He’s one of the most dynamic batsmen on the planet after all.

The only issue? He doesn’t arrive in Australia until after the Heat’s opening eight games.

It’s important to plan ahead in SuperCoach BBL, but that is taking it to the extreme.

Rashid Khan is the 23rd most-selected player despite not playing in Round 1 and costing more than $200,000, while Matthew Wade and Marnus Labuschagne are little chance to play until the latter rounds of the BBL yet still feature in the top-30.

Renegades all-rounder Mohammad Nabi is also in the top-50 yet doesn’t arrive until the same time as De Villiers.

Then there’s Jofra Archer, who won’t play at all yet is 37th in the popularity stakes.

This is your last warning. Get those players out of your team or you’ll pay the price!

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Jimmy Peirson is the most popular SuperCoach BBL player due to his low starting price and a Round 1 double.

1. Jimmy Peirson (Brisbane Heat) $62,500 WKP-BAT 46.88% ownership

Tim Michell’s verdict: If he’s being picked as your bench wicketkeeper, then it’s hard to fault. Just watch the teams on Tuesday night in case Darren Lehmann opts for Tom Banton as his first-choice gloveman.

2. D’Arcy Short (Hobart Hurricanes) $262,800 BAT-BWL 45.05%

Verdict: The number one batsman of the past two seasons and popular for good reason. I’m weary that he doesn’t have a double until Round 12 but he’ll be a perfect captaincy choice in Round 2 when no teams feature twice.

3. Cameron Green (Perth Scorchers) $42,000 BAT-BWL 44.07%

Verdict: Not as keen on the buzz all-rounder of Australian cricket after news he won’t bowl much — if at all — in BBL09 due to a back issue. Hard to see him scoring many points batting in the middle to lower order.

4. Josh Philippe (Sydney Sixers) $123000 WKP-BAT 43.23%

Verdict: Lock him in and throw away the key. He had one of the best strike rates of any player last season and has been confirmed as an opener for the Sixers, who play five times in the opening three rounds.

5. Chris Lynn (Brisbane Heat) $173000 BAT 43.18%

Verdict: It would be a huge risk to go without him in Round 1 when Brisbane plays twice. Lynn will be a popular vice-captaincy loop as the Heat plays in game one against Sydney Thunder.

6. Will Sutherland (Melbourne Renegades) $42000 BAT-BWL 42.64%

Verdict: Sutherland’s chances of playing in Round 1 were increased when the Renegades’ two Pakistani seamers were ruled out of BBL09. Richard Gleeson should play from the start which means the young all-rounder is likely battling with Jack Wildermuth for a starting berth.

7 Moises Henriques (Sydney Sixers) $101500 BAT-BWL 37.10%

Verdict: Love it. The Sixers captain is in supreme batting form and back bowling regularly which is a huge plus.

8 . Tom Curran (Sydney Sixers) $210000 BAT-BWL 31.20%

Verdict: My Round 1 captain, barring Daniel Sams going ballistic on the opening night of BBL09. He showed last summer he’s one of the best death bowlers the Big Bash League has.

9. Marcus Stoinis (Melbourne Stars) $278900 BAT-BWL 26.60% ownership

Verdict: It’s going to be hard to get Stoinis if you don’t start with him unless he scores poorly early. Make sure the boom all-rounder of the BBL is in your side by the Stars’ Round 5 double.

10. Jake Fraser-McGurk (Melbourne Renegades) $42,000 BAT-BWL 24.90%

Verdict: How often does he play? The Under-19 national carnival has been on recently and there’s an Under-19 World Cup next month. Pass.

11. Glenn Maxwell (Melbourne Stars) $175,100 BAT-BWL 24.64%

Verdict: Welcome news for the Stars with Maxwell back after a break from the game following a taxing schedule. He averaged 60 last season.

12. Tom Banton (Brisbane Heat) $125,000 WKP-BAT 23.17%

Verdict: Banton scored 121 off 41 balls in Queensland grade cricket on Saturday to confirm himself as one of the must-have players for Round 1. The young Englishman could be anything.

13. Alex Carey (Adelaide Strikers) $139,800 WKP-BAT 20.76%

Verdict: The theory here is simple enough. Use the Australian white-ball keeper as a loophole in Round 1 and then bring him on field after his bye. I like it.

14. Ben Cutting (Brisbane Heat) $182,900 BAT-BWL 20.54%

Verdict: Josh Hazlewood’s hamstring injury could be a boost for Cutting’s owners. He’s much more likely to bowl his maximum allotment of overs if James Pattinson is called into the Test squad.

15. Usman Khawaja (Sydney Thunder) $198,500 BAT 20.44%

Verdict: Another vice-captaincy contender if you’re playing the loophole. You would rarely spend this much for a BAT only but Khawaja has an insane BBL record.

16. Dan Christian (Melbourne Renegades) $197,600 BAT-BWL 19.71%

Verdict: There’s cheaper all-rounders with earlier doubles you should consider first.

17. Daniel Sams (Sydney Thunder) $170,200 BAT-BWL 19.16%

Verdict: A great option for Round 1 when the Thunder plays twice. Takes wickets and can clear the ropes with ease when batting.

18. Marcus Harris (Melbourne Renegades) $62,500 BAT 18.26%

Verdict: The axed Test opener is one of the best cheapies for your batting bench. I also don’t mind Sam Heazlett and Jack Edwards who have Round 1 doubles at the same price.

19. AB De Villiers (Brisbane Heat) $225,000 BAT 18.14%

Verdict: Please get him out of your team before lockout. I beg you.

20. Aaron Finch (Melbourne Renegades) $167,000 BAT 17.93%

Verdict: Hard to question those who want to start the Aussie white-ball skipper. He’s one of the few players who boasts a career high socre of 200+ in SuperCoach BBL.

21-30

Ben Laughlin (Brisbane Heat) BWL $107,300 17.7%

Simon Milenko (Hobart Hurricanes) BAT-BWL $62,500 17.52%

Rashid Khan (Adelaide Strikers) BWL $203,300 16.66%

Ben McDermott (Hobart Hurricanes) WKP-BAT $118,300 16.24%

Lloyd Pope (Sydney Sixers) BWL 15.98%

Max Bryant (Brisbane Heat) BAT 15.93%

Ashton Agar (Perth Scorchers) BAT-BWL 15.72%

Jason Sangha (Sydney Thunder) BAT 15.66%

Matthew Wade (Hobart Hurricanes) WKP-BAT 15.02%

Marnus Labuschagne (Brisbane Heat) BAT-BWL 14.14%

31-40

Oliver Davies (Sydney Thunder) BAT $42,000 14.08%

Mitch Swepson (Brisbane Heat) BWL $98,500 13.91%

Shaun Marsh (Melbourne Renegades) BAT $147,700 13.85%

Sean Abbott (Sydney Sixers) $195,300 BWL 13.37%

Ben Dunk (Melbourne Stars) $100,900 WKP-BAT 12.96%

Callum Ferguson (Sydney Thunder) $134,600 BAT 12.92%

Fawad Ahmed (Perth Scorchers) $113,000 BWL 12.76%

Jofra Archer (Hobart Hurricanes) $148,500 BWL 12.58%

Sam Harper (Melbourne Renegades) $108,100 WKP-BAT 12.53%

Daniel Hughes (Sydney Sixers) $115,500 BAT 11.48%

41-50

Peter Handscomb (Melbourne Stars) $119,600 WKP-BAT 11.44%

James Faulkner (Hobart Hurricanes) $155,400 BAT-BWL 11.38%

Chris Green (Sydney Thunder) $140,600 BWL 11.35%

Chris Morris (Sydney Thunder) $125,000 BAT-BWL 10.70%

Alex Hales (Sydney Thunder) $125,000 BAT 10.70%

Mohammad Nabi (Melbourne Renegades) $149,200 BAT-BWL 10.41%

Jordan Silk (Sydney Sixers) $86,300 BAT 10.00%

Mark Steketee (Brisbane Heat) $81,600 BWL 9.68%

Clive Rose (Hobart Hurricanes) $68,200 BWL 9.49%

Riley Meredith (Hobart Hurricanes) $139,000 9.30%

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Originally published as SuperCoach BBL 2019: 50 most popular players revealed