SuperCoach BBL round 2 trade guide: Strikers every team needs ahead of double game week
Adelaide Strikers are the focus of round 2 in SuperCoach BBL, playing twice when the BBL returns after the first Test. We deliver our verdict on the best trade options and every Striker you should consider.
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Operation get Matt Short starts now.
Unless you’re one of the 16,000 teams who paid top dollar to start the new Strikers captain, this week should be focused on finding a way to get him in.
With three trades (and four if you use a boost), finding the $244,100 to pay for Short shouldn’t be as difficult as it sounds.
For example, you can trade Michael Neser and Tom Curran and — depending on your bank — bring in Short and another Striker such as Jamie Overton.
Or an even simpler solution might be to grab Short and his new opening partner D’Arcy Short, who starts the season at $67,500.
Those coaches who started with Jhye Richardson will also have the option of what is effectively a straight swap.
Strikers prices did not change after round 1 due to a wash out in their season opener against Brisbane Heat.
That means playing top dollar for Matt Short, but also the opportunity to get players such as D’Arcy Short and Ben Manenti at what could be their lowest price.
Short scored 275 more SuperCoach points than any other player in BBL12, averaging 78.8 points a game.
So whatever other Strikers you are targeting for round 2, make sure Short is your priority.
It is worth noting Adelaide and Brisbane Heat have a bye in round 3.
If you went heavy with Heat players for their round 1 triple, you should be trying to turn them into Strikers for round 2.
If you run with too many Strikers and Heat for the upcoming round, you risk leaving yourself short for round 3.
Here are our verdicts on the top trade targets for round 2.
MATT SHORT $244,100 BAT-BWL
Destined to be the top captaincy choice of round 2, which makes it even more dangerous not owning him. If you’re worried about paying $244k for Short only for him to have a bye in round 3, just think how you could split that value to help fund your trade plans. If he stays at $230k or above, that’s going to go a long way to bringing in three Renegades or Stars for their second doubles of BBL13. And in the meantime, he’ll probably score 100-150 points as captain in round 2.
VERDICT: Must-have.
HENRY THORNTON $161,400 BWL
The speedster averages a wicket every 11.96 balls he bowls in the BBL. That’s 40 KFC SuperCoach points every game just from wickets. That record is helped by the match where he took 5-3 from 2.5 overs last season when Sydney Thunder were routed for 15. But even removing that game, Thornton has an imposing BBL record which demands respect. His strike rate is the best of any bowler with more than 20 BBL wickets. Thornton has averaged 62.8 and 52.1 points in the past two BBL campaigns.
VERDICT: Luxury buy.
WES AGAR $141,900 BWL
Agar has been one of the most prolific Strikers in the past three seasons, taking 48 BBL wickets from 35 matches. The issue with Agar for SuperCoach has never been his ability to take wickets though, it’s that he can be costly and rarely achieves the economy rate bonus. On average he has conceded at least 8.3 runs a season since BBL10 and went at 9.35 runs an over last campaign. That means if he doesn’t take a wicket, your chances of a points return are severely diminished. Set for a more prominent role this summer without Peter Siddle, which could mean more death overs and wicket-taking opportunities.
VERDICT: Riskier option but one with a huge ceiling.
D’ARCY SHORT $67,500 BAT
Short has been confirmed to open the batting for Adelaide in what some may call a shortstack with his new captain Matt Short. He had a torrid final season in Hobart and was squeezed out of the top-order into an unfamiliar role as a middle-to-lower order finisher. Three of his last five innings for Western Australia have been ducks. But at this price, with a plum role, can you really be that picky to leave him out? Especially when there are so few other cheapies from the Strikers? If he delivers the type of innings which has twice made him the BBL player of the tournament even once in round 2, a huge price rise is in store. Don’t bank on the vintage form returning, but few will be shocked if it all clicks for Short who has a point to prove in the City of Churches.
VERDICT: Great role and cheap enough to get the cash for his opening partner, Matt Short. Take the risk.
DAVID PAYNE $139,300 BWL
The English left-arm seamer averaged 64.3 SuperCoach points in four matches as a Perth Scorcher last season, which ranked sixth of players who featured in two games or more during BBL12. Payne, who signed as the replacement for the injured Rashid Khan, has a great opportunity to step into the death bowling role left vacant by Peter Siddle. In his time as a Scorcher, Payne did most of his damage in the powerplay for Perth, but his experience will likely be needed at the back end of the innings to complement Wes Agar and Henry Thornton. And the bonus is because he only played four games, he’s priced a lot cheaper than his average from BBL12 should be priced at.
VERDICT: Might be the pick of the Strikers’ quicks to trade in — as well as being the cheapest.
BEN MANENTI $75,900 BWL
Manenti has been one of South Australia’s form players this season which bodes well for his chances of being in the XI for round 2. The obvious uncertainty is how Adelaide’s bowling line-up looks though, with three quicks (Thornton, Agar, Payne), two all-rounders (Overton, Bazley) and potentially Matt and D’Arcy Short who can bowl. He scored 51 off 44 balls in a recent Shield game against Victoria and is vastly improved with the bat. Manenti has 355 runs at 35 in the Shield with a strike rate of 84.1, plus 11 wickets in six games. With the right role, he could be a standout cash cow. But there are still big question marks about the line-up.
VERDICT: Great price, but watch for his role in the Strikers’ first match of round 2.
CHRIS LYNN $167,900 BAT
Lynn turned back the clock in his first season as a Striker, defying those who thought his days as a BBL master blaster were behind him. He was one of only five batters to score 400 runs in last summer’s tournament, averaging 41.6 with a strike rate of 141. He also averaged 54.2 SuperCoach points, which ranked fourth of BAT only players in BBL12. Lynn is one of the major risk-reward players in SuperCoach BBL. If he fires, you’re 100 or more points ahead of the pack. But as anyone who has picked a batter before knows, a low score is a real possibility too.
VERDICT: A lot to pay for a BAT only but Lynn punished SuperCoaches who didn’t pick him last season. Consider.
JAMES BAZLEY $165,900 BAT-BWL
The big all-rounder has crossed from Brisbane Heat and Strikers coach Jason Gillespie has flagged he thinks Bazley and draftee Jamie Overton can play in the same team. Bazley has reportedly overcome a pre-season injury concern and was named in the round 1 squad for the washed out match against his former club. Bazley averaged 53.5 points last season, taking 16 wickets in 15 games and making 120 runs. Adelaide has no shortage of bowling options, so how new skipper Matt Short uses Bazley will be a big watch.
VERDICT: Can’t go wrong with a proven SuperCoach BBL scorer who can impact with bat and ball — but are you better off saving $40k and picking Overton?
JAMIE OVERTON $125,000 BAT-BWL
Adelaide has long been searching for a reliable all-rounder and might have found two in Bazley and Overton for BBL13. Overton hasn’t been a huge T20 wicket-taker with 70 wickets in 109 matches and an average of about 12 balls bowled per innings. But he looms as a real wildcard for the Strikers and is a player with a knock of 97 in his only Test too. He averages 19.7 runs in his T20 career and should bring the fireworks to Adelaide Oval with a career strike rate of 174. Watch for him as the Strikers’ floating weapon for whenever they take the power surge.
VERDICT: If he can get a couple of quick 20s early in the season and is bowling,he will fast become a must-have.
JAKE WEATHERALD $62,500 BAT
Weatherald looked destined to become an Australian T20 player only a few seasons ago but has endured a lean run in recent summers and even found himself on the outer at the Strikers. Weatherald was Adelaide’s topscorer in BBL10, compiling 433 runs at a strike rate of 141. In the past two campaigns he has a combined 231 runs, including 18 in four matches last season. Seems set for the No. 5 role, which isn’t great for SuperCoach. But he’s cheap and will only need one decent score to start generating cash.
VERDICT: Pass. Role and job security are a worry.
ADAM HOSE $108,900 BAT
The English middle-order batter had one of the most successful debut BBL campaigns from an overseas player on record, hitting 312 runs. His SuperCoach scores from last season are a great guide on what to expect when selecting a BAT only player — six scores of 40-86 and six of 28 or less points. Hose seems likely to bat at No. 4 behind the Shorts and Lynn, which means he’ll be reliant on a couple of early wickets to get a decent hit. You’re arguably better off picking Weatherald for 46k cheaper if he’s named in round 2 and hoping he can do some damage from No.5.
VERDICT: The ultimate POD play but a big risk.
AND A CASH COW TO CONSIDER …
JAKE FRASER-MCGURK BAT
Coaches who started with Fraser-McGurk were among the hardest done by when the Renegades-Scorchers match in Geelong was called off. He had already exceeded his break even of 41 with a score of 73 SuperCoach points against Sydney Sixers and was set for a significant price rise after round 1. That rise will be more modest now due to a score of zero points in the abandoned match. It also gives coaches who left Fraser-McGurk out a chance to jump on before his price is too high. The Renegades play three times in the next two rounds and — pending Shaun Marsh’s return at No. 3 — Fraser-McGurk looks like a great money train to ride.
Originally published as SuperCoach BBL round 2 trade guide: Strikers every team needs ahead of double game week
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