KFC SuperCoach Plus: All the BBL stats, news and trade targets you need to know

The next week could make or break your KFC SuperCoach BBL season with three rounds over the busy holiday period. Luckily we have you covered with all the inside intel.

An important stretch of the KFC SuperCoach BBL season awaits with three rounds in nine days and it can be easy to lose track in the busy holday season.

That’s where SuperCoach Plus has you covered.

A treasure trove of tools and stats to help you build a bulletproof KFC SuperCoach BBL team, SuperCoach Plus includes score and price projections, Break Evens and lots more – including selection percentages for every player.

And brand new this year, you can break down those percentages to find out how many of the top 10 per cent or 1 per cent of the competition owns a certain player.Remember, a SuperCoach Plus subscription is for 12 months and covers all the great SuperCoach games – KFC SuperCoach BBL, KFC SuperCoach AFL and KFC SuperCoach NRL.

In this week’s SC Plus article, Dan Batten brings you six nuggets of gold to help your trade plans.

Josh Philippe up against the Renegades in 2020. Picture: Scott Gardiner/Getty Images

With the Renegades and Sixers playing against each other twice in round 5, which players have the best records against the other?

Josh Philippe should be high on the priority list for round 5 judging by his previous record against the Renegades. The destructive opener averages a formidable 67.9 points from his eight matches with the Gades, including a 140-point stunner in BBL10. His teammate Sean Abbott is sure to be a popular option and he boasts a three-game average of 71 against the Renegades. The point-of-difference play is Steve O’Keefe. In six contests against the Renegades, the left arm spinner averages 61.7 points. On the Renegades side of things, paceman Kane Richardson is another who fares well in clashes between the two sides, averaging 58.6 with consistent scores of 61, 69 and 51 in his past three against the Sixers. Aaron Finch’s recent form isn’t too flash when going toe to toe with the men in pink but his average of 57 overall against them makes him worth a look.

Aaron Finch. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

What does Andre Russell’s departure mean for the Renegades?

With Andre Russell’s brief BBL stint over, Will Sutherland could be one of the major beneficiaries, especially after his cameo of 40 off 29 balls against the Hurricanes batting at No.8. You’d expect Kiwi master blaster Martin Guptill, who arrives in round 5, to slot straight in at the top of the order, which will force a reshuffle. Nic Maddison or Sam Harper might be moved to No. 3, while Aaron Finch is likely to be persisted with at No. 4 where he has shown some promise. Jon Wells has been a consistent performer across a number of seasons at five, so the No. 6 slot is seemingly up for grabs, with Sutherland, Akeal Hosein and Jake Fraser McGurk – who has batted at three this season with limited success – the main contenders.

Will Sutherland could be shifted up the order. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Is Chris Jordan in Australia yet?

The English seamer’s arrival was delayed by an injury, but he touched down in Sydney last Wednesday and is set to be available for the Sixers’ round 5 double, according to our friends at Honeyball BBL. Jordan took just three wickets in five matches in last season’s Big Bash and he will be off to the ILT20 competition in the UAE around the time of Sixers’ round 8 double. Still, he is at a favourable price at $125k and bowls key overs in the powerplay and at the death.

✈️ Chris Jordan ($125k BWL)

Landed in Sydney on Wednesday, following late arrival due to injury. Not in Thursday's @SixersBBL squad but likely to be available for R5 double

Due to depart at approx R8-R9 for ILT20 in early January#SuperCoachBBL#SuperCoach#BBL#BBL12

— Honeyball BBL 🏏 (@HoneyballBBL) December 21, 2022

Should I be loading up on Sixers over Renegades players?

Yes, yes and yes. While it has been a slow start for the Sixers this season, they not only have their Renegades double in round 5, they also play twice in round 8, against the Thunder and Stars – that’s six games in the space of four rounds. Both of their round 8 clashes loom as favourable match-ups as well after some of the lacklustre performances from the Thunder and Stars this BBL campaign. The Sixers also face the Heat in rounds 6 and 7, who only notched their first win of BBL12 from their third game. It is worth noting that the Sixers have a bye in round 9, so it could be worth leaving a boost in hand to trade out several Sixers players.

Martin Guptill is joining the Renegades for their last 10 matches. Picture: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images

Is Martin Guptill a must-have for round 5 double?

You would be nervous going into round 5 without a player of Guptill’s calibre. While the 36-year was ousted by young sensation Finn Allen in the New Zealand international side this year, Guptill still has 305 games of T20 experience under his belt. Guptill averages 31.4 with 51 half-centuries in T20 cricket and has passed 30 on 66 occasions across his career. He has played in T20 franchises across the world in the Indian Premier League, Pakistan Super League, T20 Blast, Carribean Premier League and has 124 T20I caps for his country. Plus, he is still fairly affordable at $160k and will likely open in both matches for the Renegades.

Shadab Khan has starred for the Hurricanes. Picture: Brett Hemmings/Getty Images

How far should we be looking ahead?

We can afford to go all chips on the round 5 double without worrying about doubles or blanks from teams until round 8.

All teams play once in round 6 and 7, which will restore KFC SuperCoach to its traditional form where scoring will be more volatile without two bites of the cherry.

While the Hurricanes have a bye round in round 5, it is worth trying to stash at least one — like Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan — on the bench as they share a double game round with the Sixers in round 8.

With your six trades in round 6 and 7, adding or holding Sixers, Hurricanes, Heat (round 9 double), Stars (round 9) and Scorchers (round 9) will be key to ensure you maximise the upcoming doubles.

Originally published as KFC SuperCoach Plus: All the BBL stats, news and trade targets you need to know