SuperCoach BBL: Warnie is good on the lip, but is he ready to take on BJ this Big Bash League season?

I only have one aim in SuperCoach BBL this year and that is to beat Shane Warne. We all know ‘Warnie’ is good on the lip, but he’s upped his banter game this year and I’ve bitten.

Fox Cricket commentary team member Brendon Julian is ready for the new SuperCoach BBL season by keeping the ball in the air

I only have one aim in SuperCoach BBL this year and that is to beat Shane Warne. We all know ‘Warnie’ is good on the lip, but he’s upped his banter game this year and I’ve bitten.

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So without further ado, here is what my SuperCoach team is looking like ahead of Round 1 kicking off on December 17.

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BATTING

Let’s start with the batsmen. My on-field team across this position all feature in the opening round double game with the Sixers, Thunder, and Heat expected to get my team off to a flyer. It’s important to select batsmen who’ll feature as openers, or – at the very worst – first or second drop to maximise your scoring potential.

Tom Curran of the Sixers is available as both a BAT and a BWL option in SuperCoach BBL this season

Tom Curran is headlining the show and with fair reason. Not only did he show just how polished he was as a gun all-rounder in BBL|08, but I’m also taking him into Round 1 as my captain. The English important bowls at the death and takes plenty of wickets and he bats better than most plus the Sixers have a dream schedule.

Usman Khawaja’s absence from the Test side is Julian’s Jewel’s gain, with the gun Thunder slogger set to take up a position in my team. He’ll be hoping to prove a point to selectors and he’s going to feature in the majority of teams in the first round. His teammate Callum Ferguson was the No. 1 ranked sole batsmen in SuperCoach last year and 24th for scoring overall. Sure, he’s a little bit more expensive this year but he’ll always bat in the top four so he gets the tick from me.

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Heat captain Chris Lynn is underpriced this year and that’s because he had a mixed bag of results in BBL|08. I’m backing him to get back to his slogging ways – you can’t keep a good man down for long. His Brisbane teammate and English important Tom Banton at this early stage looks to be one of the most exciting players set to make his mark on the Big Bash. He can also be selected as a keeper too for that extra flexibility. Banton will open the batting with young star Max Bryant and if his Vitality Blast numbers of 549 runs at 42 with a strike rate of 161 are anything to go by, he’s a must-have.

I’m stashing Shaun Marsh on the bench for Round 1 if his Marsh Cup form is anything to go by, then you’re going to want him in your side at some stage … and his price will start rising immediately. His teammate Jake Fraser-McGurk joins him on the pine.

The more Sixers' Josh Philippe can make spectacular run outs like last year, all the better for his SuperCoach BBL scoring

KEEPING

Keeping wicket, I’ve gone with Josh Phillippe who can keep and he can bat at the top of the order if asked to. The Sixers will play five games in the opening three rounds and you’d be mad not to start him. My one fear is that he might be in the middle order, but even at second drop he’s great value. On the bench, Heat glovemen Jimmy Peirson is a cheap playing bench option.

SUPERCOACH BBL STUDY GUIDES:

> Adelaide Strikers SuperCoach BBL|09 preview

> Brisbane Heat SuperCoach BBL|09 preview

> Hobart Hurricanes BBL|09 preview

> Melbourne Renegades BBL|09 preview

> Melbourne Stars BBL|09 preview

> Perth Scorchers BBL|09 preview

> Sydney Sixers BBL|09 preview

> Sydney Thunder BBL|09 preview

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BOWLING

Headlining my bowling line up is Renegades star Dan Christian who was ranked third overall for all-rounders last season, making a total of 254 runs and taking 15 wickets. He is a gun short-form player and I couldn’t resist starting him again this year. Paceman James Pattinson is at a pretty good price and with the Heat getting the double in Round 1, it was a no-brainer.

Like Curran, Dan Christian of the Renegades is a handy DPP option to have in SuperCoach BBL

With so much bowling depth departing the Scorchers in the off-season, the very fact that Perth has identified and brought in English gun all-rounder Liam Livingstone to add some bowling tenacity into their line-up and aggression at the top order means he’s scored a spot in my SuperCoach team. He’s also a bit of a point of difference and given he made 273 runs and took 14 wickets in this year's Vitality Blast, he’s a lock.

Speaking of locks, Ben Laughlin might’ve found himself on the Adelaide Strikers’ scrap pile, but he’s rolled gold in Julian’s Jewel’s now that he’s signed for the Heat! The all-time BBL wicket-taker will get ample opportunity to bowl maximum overs at the Gabba and he’s cheap as chips given we know what he’s capable of achieving.

Captain of the Sydney Sixers, Moises Henriques was heavily selected coming into BBL|08 but as the all-rounder struggled with back problems, he barely bowled an over last season which impacted his SuperCoach scoring and overall output. However the back problems that he was plagued with last year look to be firmly in the past. He has encouraging form with the ball for New South Wales so far in the white-ball season and, on top of that, he’ll play at second drop for the Sixers in the batting. At that price he’s great value and has huge scope for points in what is a skinny bowling side.

On the bench, I’m pressing forward with cheapies Mark Steketee and Will Sutherland.

MORE SUPERCOACH BBL CELEB SIDES:

> Vaughan's opportunity awaits – it's time for Warne to be hit out of the park

> Watch out Warnie – Isa is coming for you

> Mark Howard's one aim this SuperCoach BBL season

> The side everyone wants to beat: Warnie reveals his squad

ADD THE CELEBS TO YOUR SUPERCOACH LEAGUES: all celebrities playing the SuperCoach BBL game are now available to add to your leagues … stay tuned for more celebrity sides!

Originally published as SuperCoach BBL: Warnie is good on the lip, but is he ready to take on BJ this Big Bash League season?