Big Bash predicted teams for Round 1 of 2018-19 season
Injuries are causing carnage with Big Bash team selections. Check out our latest predicted teams for Round 1. SIGN UP TO SUPERCOACH BBL FOR FREE!
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And so, here we are — the week SuperCoach BBL gets underway, and all eyes are on who will be selected in the starting sides for the eight teams in the competition.
It’s particularly important to keep an eye on the squads for the two sides with the double, Perth Scorchers and Brisbane Heat.
To pick starting XIs for the Big Bash is fraught with danger, with the likes of English import David Willey opening the batting but also finding himself coming in at the fall of the fifth wicket for the Perth Scorchers in BBL|07. You just can’t pick ‘em with any sense of certainty.
Of all the sides in this year’s Big Bash, reigning champions the Adelaide Strikers appear to have the most settled line-up, at least until any international call-ups come for the likes of wicketkeeper Alex Carey, fellow opener Jake Weatherald, or potentially Peter Siddle pending any injuries to Australia’s nominal strike trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Patrick Cummins.
Elsewhere, three or four sides will look completely different to last year — the likes of the Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades look set for up to six changes from their regular BBL|07 line-ups, and so much for the Scorchers will come down to who is available pending national selection.
Adelaide Strikers
Jake Weatherald
Alex Carey (wk)
Matthew Short
Colin Ingram
Jono Wells
Jake Lehmann
Michael Neser
Rashid Khan
Peter Siddle
Ben Laughlin
Billy Stanlake
Captain Travis Head (BAT, $207,500) is unavailable due to national duties, meaning recruit Matthew Short (BAT, $129,900) should find a spot in the top three. His final game for the Renegades saw him make 62 from just 48 balls. At that price and available solely as a batsman, he’s a good mid-price option, particularly when the Strikers have the double in Round 2, as it’s reasonable to expect he plays the majority of the season. Other than his addition, the Strikers are remarkably settled heading into the defence of their first Big Bash trophy win.
Melbourne Renegades
Tim Ludeman (wk)
Cameron White
Tom Cooper
Dan Christian
Jack Wildermuth
Mackenzie Harvey
Mohammad Nabi
Kane Richardson
Chris Tremain
Jon Holland
Usman Khan Shinwari
Marcus Harris and Aaron Finch are opening for Australia against India, so it’s reasonable to expect that — pending Finch’s finger injury — they’ll be unavailable for the start of the Renegades’ BBL|08 season. With former Hobart Hurricane Dan Christian (BAT / BWL, $161,700) joining the statistically worst-performed Big Bash side in the competition, hopefully alongside the exciting young Vic Mackenzie Harvey (BAT, $42,000) who could bat anywhere in the order, the Renegades should have a very different line-up to the one that played their final game in BBL|07.
Melbourne Stars
Travis Dean
Ben Dunk (wk)
Marcus Stoinis
Dwayne Bravo
Glenn Maxwell
Evan Gulbis
Jonathan Merlo
Adam Zampa
Dan Worrall
Sandeep Lamichhane
Jackson Bird
Top order batsman Nic Maddinson (BAT | $136,000) is likely out for at least the first half of tournament with a broken arm — a massive blow for the Stars — while Seb Gotch also has a busted finger. He’ll probably be replaced by Sheffield Shield opener Travis Dean (BAT, $62,500) who will likely open alongside Ben Dunk (WKP / BAT, $67,900). Dunk is set to don the gloves as Australian Test representative Pete Handscomb will be otherwise occupied. All of the Stars’ new imports look like solid SuperCoach BBL investments, either as set-and-forget or upgrade targets for when the Stars have the double later in the season.
Perth Scorchers
Michael Klinger
David Willey
Mitchell Marsh
Hilton Cartwright
Ashton Agar
Josh Inglis
Nathan Coulter-Nile
Andrew Tye
Usman Qadir
Jason Behrendorff
Jhye Richardson
Talk about a conversation starter! The notion of Australian T20I representative Jason Behrendorff (BWL, $125,000) missing selection for the Scorchers for the start of BBL|08 set the natives off — we’ll kowtow to local knowledge and presume his lack of first-class action won’t hinder his T20 activity, but that means the Scorchers’ line-up is looking thin for batting if someone like an Ashton Turner (BAT / BWL, $106,300) misses as a result. It makes veteran Michael Klinger (BAT, $79,300) a super cheap opening option, particularly as he has the double in Round 1. The Scorchers will be reliant upon the likes of he and English import David Willey (BAT / BWL, $194,000) doing big things with the bat. Mitch Marsh (BAT / BWL | $198,000) is one to watch to see if he gets the call-up for Australia.
Sydney Thunder
1. Shane Watson
2. Kurtis Patterson
3. Jos Buttler
4. Joe Root
5. Callum Ferguson
6. Jason Sangha
7. Daniel Sams
8. Arjun Nair
9. Chris Green
10. Gurinder Sandhu
11. Fawad Ahmed
With a stacked top order, it’s likely the Thunder will get plenty of early runs with English internationals Jos Buttler (BAT / WKP, $160,200) and Joe Root (BAT, $200,000) taking up two of the opening four positions. Kurtis Patterson (BAT, $89,300) is flying heavily under the radar amongst SuperCoach coaches given he is likely to open alongside Shane Watson (BAT / BWL, $166,700) — his price tag presents huge value. However with the addition of Jason Sangha (BAT, $42,000), who is in white-hot form, throws around some serious questions about where he sits in the lineup. Can he make an impact if he’s batting No. 6? Watson is likely to suit up as an opener, but the real intrigue surrounds where Ryan Gibson (BAT, $62,500) fits given his underwhelming performance in BBL|07.
Sydney Sixers
1. Joe Denly
2. Jack Edwards
3. Daniel Hughes
4. Moises Henriques
5. Jordan Silk
6. Peter Nevill
7. Steve O’Keefe
8. Sean Abbott
9. Ben Dwarshuis
10. Mickey Edwards
11. Lloyd Pope
The Sixers present as a mixed bag ahead of BBL|08, however, their upside is enormous. Joe Denly (BAT, $186,800) is a bonafide star and needs no further introduction, but it’s wonderkid Jack Edwards (BAT / BWL, $42,000) who stands a very good chance of pairing up with Denly to open for the Sixers. Edwards has been mooted as an opener for some time, and the teen prodigy is massive value for SuperCoach coaches at a bargain basement price. If Edwards doesn’t open with Denly, it’s likely he’ll switch out with Daniel Hughes (BAT, $97,800) at first drop. Moises Henriques (BAT / BWL, $88,000) is a must-start. He returns to the BBL after some time away, but his talents with bat and ball, combined with a juicy price of $88K make him massive value for anybody seriously having a crack at SuperCoach BBL title honours. Lloyd Pope (BWL, $62,500) has been branded the second-coming of Shane Warne, and while he’ll get plenty of opportunities to show his wares, we hope the teenage sensation isn’t overawed and smacked all over the park.
Hobart Hurricanes
1. D’Arcy Short
2. Matthew Wade
3. Ben McDerrmott
4. George Bailey
5. Caleb Jewell
6. James Faulkner
7. Simon Milenko
8. Johan Botha
9. Jofra Archer
10. Clive Rose
11. Tymal Mills
The Hurricanes are blessed with all-rounders to the point where Jofra Archer (BAT / BWL, $174,400) is likely to be used as a specialist bowler, which if so makes him a non-selection in SuperCoach at that price point. He’s good enough to be playing higher up the order, and perhaps at times will, but he will bowl his maximum overs week in, week out. D’Arcy Short (BAT / BWL, $258,900) is the most expensive player in the game, and will be one of the most selected players in SuperCoach, but is certainly worth shelling out for. George Bailey (BAT, $90,900) has represented Australia in all three formats and can be relied upon as your fourth or fifth choice batsmen in your SuperCoach side.
Brisbane Heat
1. Chris Lynn
2. Brendon McCullum
3. Sam Heazlett
4. Joe Burns
5. Jimmy Peirson
6. Ben Cutting
7. James Pattinson
8. Mark Steketee
9. Brendan Doggett
10. Mujeeb Ur Rahman
11. Mitchell Swepson
The Heat have an embarrassment of riches with six genuine sloggers available, making selection a tough ask. Chris Lynn (BAT, $202,000) is one of the best big-hitters in the BBL and should be one of the first picked in any SuperCoach team. He’s paired with the notorious Brendon McCullum (BAT, $113,100) who is considered one of the best hitters in the short-form game across the globe. At the other end of the order, the Heat have a perfect blend of pace and spin with the likes of Mujeeb Ur Rahman (BWL, $93,800) and James Pattinson (BWL, $62,500). The former is a gun-for-hire and noted wicket-taker in the short form game, while the latter returns from an extensive injury layoff and is incredibly cheap given what he is capable of. Shane Warne’s must-start bowler, Mitch Swepson (BWL, $101,100), looms as value, while Ben Cutting (BAT/BWL, $130,500) sits in an awkward price bracket but oozes class and can go large. The big question is where young gun Max Bryant (BAT, $42,000) fits in, or if he fits in at all.
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