KFC SuperCoach BBL: Top trade targets for Round 2

Rashid Khan is about to be unleashed on the BBL for another season — that’s bad news for batsmen and those who don’t have him in KFC SuperCoach.

GEELONG, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 03: Rashid Khan of the Strikers is congratulated by his teammates after dismissing Cameron White of the Renegades during the Big Bash League match between the Melbourne Renegades and the Adelaide Strikers at GMHBA Stadium on January 03, 2019 in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

I’ve got the need. The need for Rashid.

It’s an urge every KFC SuperCoach should have heading into Round 2, unless you somehow squeezed Rashid Khan’s $192,300 price tag into your Round 1 budget.

If you did, kudos.

If you didn’t, it’s time to go shopping.

You simply can’t afford not to have Rashid in your KFC SuperCoach BBL team for the next two rounds, when Adelaide Strikers play four games in 10 days.

YOU CAN STILL REGISTER FOR KFC SUPERCOACH BBL! HEAD TO SUPERCOACH.COM.AU TODAY

The No. 1 ranked T20 bowler in the world has a formidable BBL record and was the fourth-highest KFC SuperCoach points scorer last season with 1008 points from 15 matches.

He would almost certainly have outscored Marcus Stoinis (1099) and Glenn Maxwell (1103) had the Stars not played two more games than the Strikers.

How does the saying go? You’ve got to spend money to make money?

In KFC SuperCoach it’s more that you need to sacrifice talent to add talent.

Most coaches loaded up on Stars in Round 1 and that could mean deciding which of Stoinis, Maxwell and Adam Zampa becomes Rashid.

Remember me? Rashid Khan should be the top KFC SuperCoach target for Round 2.

Ultimately that call will come down to which other Strikers and Hurricanes you have in your sights for Round 2.

Regardless of who you use your other two trades on, one of your three for Round 2 has to be reserved for Rashid.

That is of course unless you started him, in which case you’re either a genius with numbers or took a big hit in Round 1 for long-term gain.

D’Arcy Short averaged more than 80 KFC SuperCoach points a game in BBL09.

TOP ROUND 2 TARGETS

D’Arcy Short (Hobart Hurricanes) BAT-BWL

You might as well throw up a white flag if you’re going into a Hobart Hurricanes double without their premier KFC SuperCoach scorer. Short started as the most expensive player in KFC SuperCoach and his price tag was more than justified after an average of 85.7 last season from nine appearances in purple. Only Stars paceman Jackson Coleman, who scored 102 in his one BBL09 game, had a better average than Short. He’s likely to share spin overs with Will Jacks or Johan Botha until Sandeep Lamichhane arrives in January. Short finished last season priced at $301,400.

Nathan Ellis (Hobart Hurricanes) BWL

One of the best-performed quicks in the Sheffield Shield this season, Ellis has built on his breakout BBL09 tournament to become one of Tasmania’s most-promising pacemen. He’ll be cheaper than most of the other bowlers with Round 2 doubles yet will almost certainly bowl eight overs across Hobart’s two meetings with Adelaide Strikers. Ellis averaged 39.5 KFC SuperCoach points last season and if he can match that return, 80 points in Round 2 and a price rise would be a great result for owners.

Nathan Ellis is set to be a key bowler for Hobart Hurricanes.

Tim David (Hobart Hurricanes) BAT-BWL

The top cheapie of Round 1, David is expected to cost about $80k for Hobart’s Round 2 double. He benefited from ducks to Short and Will Jacks at the top of the order against the Sixers, enjoying a longer stint in the middle than most KFC SuperCoaches would have predicted. His 103-point return will ensure he continues to make money and will be one of the best cash cows of the first half of BBL10. It’s just whether you have enough trades to add another Hurricane alongside your Strikers targets.

Tim David is shaping as one of the best cash cows of BBL10 after his Round 1 score of 103.

YOU CAN STILL REGISTER FOR KFC SUPERCOACH BBL! HEAD TO SUPERCOACH.COM.AU TODAY

Peter Handscomb (Hobart Hurricanes) WKP-BAT

There’s only one wicketkeeper who’s guaranteed to feature in both games of the Round 2 double for the Strikers and the Hurricanes — Handscomb. He could hand the gloves to Ben McDermott for the second game when he returns from Australia A duties, but Handscomb has been named Hurricanes captain in Matthew Wade’s absence and has a secure role in the top-five. Harry Nielsen should have the gloves in game one for Adeaide but could be squeezed out when Alex Carey returns. Nielsen appeals at $62k but it could backfire quickly if he’s dropped after one game of the double.

Jake Weatherald and Phil Salt will feature at the top of the order for the Strikers again.

Jake Weatherald (Adelaide Strikers) $122,500 BAT

Weatherald took a break from cricket in late October for mental health reasons but word from the SACA camp in Coffs Harbour was he was hitting the ball as well as any batsman. The powerful left-hander put himself on the map in BBL07 with a century in the BBL final which lifted him to 383 runs for that campaign. He accumulated 407 runs in BBL09, his highest tournament aggregate.

Daniel Worrall (Adelaide Strikers) $92,200 BWL

Worrall is cheaper than many KFC SuperCoaches would have suspected after taking eight wickets in 14 games for Melbourne Stars in BBL09. He’s more renowned as a red-ball bowler but his form in the lead-up to BBL10 has been encouraging, including a haul of 4-17 against Melbourne Renegades in a trial match. With so few options under $100k from Adelaide he’ll be popular if he’s named for the Strikers’ first game.

Dan Worrall has joined Adelaide Strikers in a trade involving Billy Stanlake.

Danny Briggs (Adelaide Strikers) $138,000 BWL

The English spinner hasn’t attracted the same fanfare as other international arrivals but he demands respect as the leading wicket-taker in Vitality Blast history. How he’s paired with Rashid Khan, who is clearly Adelaide’s No. 1 spinner, will decide Briggs’ KFC SuperCoach importance. If he’s largely bowling in the power play, that might limit him to scoring mostly from economy bonuses.

Matt Renshaw (Adelaide Strikers) $137,000 BAT-BWL

The former Test opener seems to prefer the shorter formats now and was a priority recruiting target for the Strikers. He seems likely to bat at No. 3 — at least until Travis Head returns from the Test squad — and that makes him an appealing KFC SuperCoach option. There’s also the chance he picks up some overs, although if Briggs and Khan are both playing that seems a long shot.

Matt Renshaw could bat as high as No. 3 for Adelaide early in BBL10.

Rashid Khan (Adelaide Strikers) $192,300 BWL

Do you really need more convincing? If you didn’t start with Rashid Khan, just get him this week and revel in his points over four games in rounds 2 and 3.

Peter Siddle (Adelaide Strikers) $163,600 BWL

The ex-Aussie quick was one of the leading bowlers in BBL09, finishing with a KFC SuperCoach BBL average of 57.1 from 14 games. He’s going to be crucial in a Strikers pace attack which is lacking experience.

Phil Salt (Adelaide Strikers) $134,300 BAT

Salt found his mojo in the second half of BBL09 after an underwhelming start to his time with the Strikers. The Englishman blasted scores of 67 not out, 13, 22, 59 and 66 in consecutive matches to round out his first summer in Australia, lifting his finishing price in KFC SuperCoach to $185,000 after bottoming out at under $100,000.

Originally published as KFC SuperCoach BBL: Top trade targets for Round 2