KFC SuperCoach BBL: BBL10 champion Chris Baker reveals his team, winning secrets

Last summer’s KFC SuperCoach BBL winner Chris Baker has crunched the numbers and come up with a starting squad to aim for back-to-back titles. See it here.

What do I love about KFC SuperCoach BBL? Well, it’s just like a real game of T20 – it’s fun, exciting and unpredictable.

This week many SuperCoach teams (including mine) have been impacted with the announcement of the Australian squads. While I had to make some significant changes, I’m happy with the new squad I have assembled.

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Now I’m ready to use the successful strategy from last year, in the hope of defending my title as KFC SuperCoach BBL champion.

I will focus on maximising points during the double game rounds, while also looking to increase my team value as quickly as possible.

I will have eight players with double games in Round 1 – five players from the Sixers and three from the Heat.

From the Sixers I have selected Josh Phillipe and Tom Curran, who I expect will provide premium scores throughout the season. The remaining Sixers DGR selections are Daniel Hughes, Dan Christian and Ben Dwarshuis.

Hughes will bat top four and has been in good form in the Sheffield Shield games. Christian and Dwarshuis will benefit from Sean Abbott’s absence after he was selected in the Australia A squad (where he will miss the first 2-3 rounds of BBL).

ROOKIE BIBLE: THE BEST CASH COWS OF KFC SUPERCOACH BBL

Ben Dwarshuis of the Sixers has the double game round in Round 1.

From the Heat I have selected the explosive Chris Lynn. It’s too much of a risk not to have him during the double. The Heat are also missing key players to the Australian squads (Mitch Swepson, Michael Neser, Mark Steketee). I think as a consequence, there is great value in both Xavier Bartlett and Jack Wildermuth, who are certain to lead the bowling attack for Brisbane during the early rounds.

Looking ahead at the fixture, Adelaide has a double in Round 2 and the Stars in Round 3. To prepare for those rounds I will be starting with Rashid Khan, Harry Nielsen and Jonathan Wells (from the Strikers) and Marcus Stoinis (from the Stars).

Chris Baker is getting in early with Harry Nielsen.

The remainder of my team is built around increasing value (cash cows). The obvious selection here is Aaron Finch, who has shown some form during the T20 World Cup. Joel Paris, who has moved from Perth to Hobart, will hopefully get games early and Matthew Gilkes may find an opportunity at the Thunder with no Callum Ferguson in the batting line-up this season and Usman Khawaja in the test squad.

The final spot goes to Josh Kann, who is not likely to play. He will, however, provide for the captain loophole in either the batting or bowling section of my squad.

CHRIS BAKER’S KFC SUPERCOACH BBL SQUAD

WICKETKEEPERS

Josh Philippe (Sydney Sixers) $117,300 WKP-BAT

Bench:

Harry Nielsen (Adelaide Strikers) $76,200 WKP-BAT

BATTERS

Dan Christian (Sydney Sixers) $184,700 BAT-BWL

Chris Lynn (Brisbane Heat) $172,500 BAT

Marcus Stoinis (Melbourne Stars) $163,200 BAT-BWL

Daniel Hughes (Sydney Sixers) $78,300 BAT

Aaron Finch (Melbourne Renegades) $62,500 BAT

Bench:

Jonathan Wells (Adelaide Strikers) $76,400 BAT

Matthew Gilkes (Sydney Thunder) $62,500 WKP-BAT

BOWLERS

Tom Curran (Sydney Sixers) $201,000 BWL-BAT

Rashid Khan (Adelaide Strikers) $198,700 BWL

Ben Dwarshuis (Sydney Sixers) $181,700 BWL

Jack Wildermuth (Brisbane Heat) $155,200 BWL-BAT

Xavier Bartlett (Brisbane Heat) $97,900 BWL

Bench:

Joel Paris (Hobart Hurricanes) $62,500 BWL

Josh Kann (Hobart Hurricanes) $42,000 BWL-BAT

SUPERCOACH CHAMP REVEALS SECRETS TO SUCCESS

– Tim Michell

Numbers are the key to any successful KFC SuperCoach.

Just ask reigning KFC SuperCoach BBL champion Chris Baker.

An accountant by trade, the dad from Melbourne’s east worked the numbers to perfection to be crowned the BBL10 champion by a whopping 280 points.

Not bad for someone playing SuperCoach BBL for the second time.

“I think that was really key. To be honest it was the main priority,” Baker said.

“I had all but one player playing from the first round (when prices change).

“When you look at the prices some of the big players get to during the season, when they’re in form, you need $200,000 per player.

“You need $2.2 million on the field and a couple of hundred thousand dollars on the bench. You need to be aiming for two and a half million to have a solid team.”

With a starting salary cap of $2 million, that means nailing rookies and jumping on underpriced players from the start.

Chris Baker won KFC SuperCoach BBL in his second season playing.

Baker used his $25,000 prize to make “modest improvements” at home and spoiled his extended family with KFC feasts.

“We’re investing the rest into some family travels when the opportunity arises,” he said.

“The KFC vouchers enabled family and friends to have a big feast and the cricket set, I think, is going to get a little bit of use over the summer period as well.”

Baker, who has also finished in the top-10 in SuperCoach AFL, said the uncertainty of weather and the SuperCoach BBL scoring system presented two unique challenges.

“Once I started moving up into sort of the top-50, I was taking every opportunity to watch a game on TV and digest the results,” he said.

“Between rounds I was probably … spending a good three hours solid until going to sleep, so I was ready for the next day.

“I don’t think my wife and kids enjoyed it too much in the latter half of the season until they saw the prospective rewards.”

The turnaround between rounds in SuperCoach BBL is another unique aspect of the game, but Baker said SuperCoaches can use it to their advantage.

D’Arcy Short is regularly one of the top KFC SuperCoach scorers.

“I think with most fantasy competitions you can second guess yourself if you’ve got the time,” he said.

“That’s the danger of being part of forums as well, you get influenced by other people. I think you need to explore all the options, listen to experts and see what their thoughts are.

“But in the end you need to make the decision yourself and stand strong with it. Having that shorter time gives you less chance for indecision.”

Targeting double game weeks is crucial to success in SuperCoach BBL and Baker devised a simple formula to determine how heavily he invested in those playing twice in a round.

“My advice with the double game weeks is where there’s one club, probably no more than six or seven players from that club — and focus on quality,” he said.

“Get the quality players, the ones that are going to score well and get double of really good scores, rather than double of weak scores.

Dan Christian was one of the stars of BBL10.

Christian’s power hitting made him a valuable KFC SuperCoach scorer.

“The batting and bowling all-rounders are the key. Last year my target was to try and get the best eight into my side. Four in the batting area and four in the bowling area. Then get the best specialist batsmen and bowlers after that.”

As for the must-have players of BBL11, Baker has pinpointed Mitch Marsh, Rashid Khan, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Philippe and a bargain-priced Aaron Finch.

Take on Chris’ team ‘Chrispy’s Critters’ by entering your KFC SuperCoach BBL team today at supercoach.com.au.

CHRIS BAKER’S FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH IN BBL11

JOSH PHILIPPE $177,300 WKP-BAT (Sydney Sixers)

“You have got to have a wicketkeeper in your team and there’s only a couple of wicketkeepers that open the batting. Josh is one of them.

“Because the Sixers have a double game week in the first round, you’ve got to go Philippe.”

RASHID KHAN $198,700 BWL (Adelaide Strikers)

“He’s a consistent scorer. He gets quick runs with the bat, he’s economical, takes wickets. He has two games against the Renegades early which I think should see him score well and he’s a vice-captain (or) captain option in any team. He’s my number one in the side.”

MITCHELL MARSH $132,700 BAT-BWL (Perth Scorchers)

“Australia’s most in form all-rounder. He had an injury obviously last season as well, so he had an injury score in amongst his average. So, I reckon he’s underpriced.

“I see lots of potential for him being a long-term part of any SuperCoach team. He’ll make a little bit of quid but the fact is he’ll bat top four, he’ll bowl — I’m sure he will — and that makes for a great SuperCoach BBL player.”

MARCUS STOINIS $163,200 BAT-BWL (Melbourne Stars)

“It’s him or Maxwell. The two of them are basically the heart of the Melbourne Stars. I expect Stoinis will bowl a bit this season. If he opens the batting like he always does, you can’t ask for much better than an all-rounder who opens. It’s him or Maxwell but Stoinis is cheaper.”

AARON FINCH $62,500 BAT (Melbourne Renegades)

“His value (is) too hard to pass up. Whether I play him on the field or whether I treat him as a rookie off the bench I haven’t yet decided. We’ll see whether he fits into the salary cap either way.

“I’m hoping it will be a different form line to what his BBL10 was.”

Originally published as KFC SuperCoach BBL: BBL10 champion Chris Baker reveals his team, winning secrets