SuperCoach BBL: The top trade targets for round 3

With Strikers players locked out after the start of their double, attention turns to round 3. TIM MICHELL looks at the best targets.

This is the time of year where the eyes of the cricket world are on Melbourne in the lead up to the Boxing Day Test.

So it only seems fitting a Renegades-Stars double is next on the calendar for SuperCoach BBL in round 3.

There are a host of the BBL’s biggest stars on the double next round and choosing how to fit them all into three - or four - trades is going to be difficult.

Here’s who we think are seven standout picks.

Melbourne Renegades all-rounder Will Sutherland. Picture: Getty Images

WILL SUTHERLAND

Sutherland was one of the most popular trade-ins ahead of round 2 after scoring 177 in the opening round of SuperCoach BBL. That score could have been in excess of 200 had the Renegades’ match against Perth Scorchers not been abandoned after 41 balls. He has a great role batting at No.7 around the power surge and bowling regularly. If you’ve missed out on Sutherland in the first two rounds, right that wrong this week before another Renegades double. He’s going to cost about $200k but with Matt Short on a bye, you might even make cash by trading the Strikers captain to Sutherland. That’s a move you shouldn’t hesitate to make. If he goes big again in round 3 as a popular captain, you’ll be a long way behind without the Chief.

PROJECTED PRICE: Approx $195k

Melbourne Renegades leggie Adam Zampa. Picture: Getty Images

ADAM ZAMPA

The Aussie World Cup-winning spinner picked the perfect time for a rest in Geelong. As he didn’t score 0, his price went up by $8k after round 1 while many other Renegades plummetted. Zampa is still at a great price for a player who dominated at the World Cup and he has said he feels refreshed after heading home and missing the Gades' second game of BBL13. Zampa can score KFC SuperCoach points quickly as he showed in round 1 when 42 of his 62 points came in two balls when he took two wickets. A class bowler on a double is hard to ignore.

PROJECTED PRICE: Approx $143k

Melbourne Stars spinner Usama Mir. Picture: Getty Images

USAMA MIR

The Pakistani leg-spinner will feature in both round 3 matches. He hardly featured in the Stars’ season opener, conceding 20 off two overs. But his second game was much more encouraging with 1-22 off four overs against reigning champions Perth. At $121k he’s still very affordable and could also be a huge point-of-difference. As of round 2, Mir was only in 2 per cent of sides. Just don’t plan on him being in your team for round 5 as well. The PCB only released Mir and Rauf for long enough to play in one of the two round 5 games the Stars have.

PRICE: $121,200

Melbourne Renegades seamer Tom Rogers. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

TOM ROGERS

There are two Tom Rogers with round 3 doubles, but let’s focus on the Renegades seamer here. His opening price of $184k put plenty of coaches off for the round 1 double but Rogers is likely to be more than $30k cheaper for round 3. If you’re looking for someone to trade Matt Short to, Rogers is a great option with a very-friendly SuperCoach role bowling in the powerplay and key overs at the back end of the innings. And he’s made an artform of both roles with more than 40 wickets in the past two BBL campaigns.

PROJECTED PRICE: $152k

Melbourne Stars seamer Haris Rauf. Picture: Getty Images

HARIS RAUF

The fiery Pakistan quick looked like he was just warming into his latest stint with the Stars when he took 0-14 from two overs against the Scorchers. A SuperCoach score of 12 resulted in Rauf’s price dropping to $120k, making him a very gettable target for round 3. One concern is the Stars’ first game of round 3 is in Lavington against Sydney Thunder - who have posted a total of 228 at the country venue. And like Mir, he won’t play both games of the round 5 double. But if Rauf is anywhere near his destructive best in round 3, you’re going to need him.

PRICE: $120,200

Melbourne Stars gun Glenn Maxwell. Picture: Getty Images

GLENN MAXWELL

More than 5000 coaches traded out the Stars skipper after round 1 due to their bye. Now you simply must bring him back in. Maxwell is only $130k and bowled three overs in a promising sign against Brisbane Heat in round 1. Hopefully the elbow injury which kept him out of the Scorchers match doesn’t restrict his bowling in round 3 when he’s already flagged he will return. Maxwell is the type of player who can score points from all three disciplines and is in career-best form after his heroics in India. If you go without him, you could be hundreds of points behind the pack if he plays to his potential.

PRICE: $130,000

Melbourne Renegades international Quinton de Kock (L). Picture: Getty Images

QUINTON DE KOCK

The South African superstar dropped by almost $9k after he didn’t get a bat during his debut in Geelong. That left de Kock with a high break even for round 2 and a score of 0 against Brisbane Heat caused his price to drop significantly. Batters are risky selections in SuperCoach BBL but you’d imagine if there’s one you can bank on, it’s one of the top run scorers from the ODI World Cup. Look out if he translates that form to the BBL at any stage.

PROJECTED PRICE: $148k

Originally published as SuperCoach BBL: The top trade targets for round 3