SuperCoach BBL: It all comes down to this

And so it has come to this – the top two teams in the BBL|09 may meet again, weather dependent, to decide who will be this season’s champion. But who will come out on top in SuperCoach BBL, with Round 17 set to determine the final rankings?

Marcus Stoinis of the Stars had a terrific match after getting a life

And so it has come to this – the top two teams in the BBL|09 may meet again, weather dependent, to decide who will be this season’s champion. But who will come out on top in SuperCoach BBL, with Round 17 set to determine the final rankings?

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$1000 to be won every round: register for SuperCoach BBL now!

The Stars won the bat toss and elected to bat first; why didn’t they do the same against the Sixers in their first final? They batted superbly, with Marcus Stoinis – fortunate to survive after expectant father Jay Lenton gave him a life – and Nick Larkin striking it sweetly to make a commanding total.

It was no surprise that the Thunder, who undoubtedly gave it their all, struggled to get close to the 195 target set by the Stars.

BOOM OF THE ROUND: MARCUS STOINIS | MELBOURNE STARS | BAT / BWL | 125 points | 53.2% ownership

That the Stoinis the Stars needed! He got a vital life early in his innings, but if he can survive those first five power play overs, his form across the BBL|09 season has been exemplary – no player has made more runs than the big rig Western Australian in a Big Bash season, and he’s within striking distance of cracking 700 runs for the season. Given that he’s barely been bowling this time around, his season average of 67.8 is nothing short of superb.

BUST OF THE ROUND: DANIEL SAMS | SYDNEY THUNDER | BAT / BWL | 17 points | 43.9% ownership

An argument could be made to highlight Glenn Maxwell’s 5 points at 61.3% ownership, but Sams had more opportunity to earn points – instead, he was smacked from pillar to post and, once again, failed with the bat in hand. He’s had a terrific tournament as a bowler, but his batting has left a lot to be desired.

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Nick Larkin of the Stars played a vital role in securing their spot in the Grand Final

UNIQUE OF THE ROUND: NICK LARKIN | MELBOURNE STARS | BAT | 142 points | 4.5% ownership

Saving his best til (second) last, Larkin’s first 20 or so runs were some of the scratchiest you’re like to see, but by the time he settled into a groove he was humming, absolutely monstering the Thunder’s bowling at the end of the innings. That he was owned by less than 5% of all players is pretty amazing – he’s become the Stars’ regular first drop so, given Nic Maddinson’s regular failures, he was always likely to see action early. Will he be able to do it again versus the Sixers?

PLAYERS TO TARGET, TO AVOID, & TO MAKE CAPTAIN

Will there be any play on Saturday night, with an estimated 45-90mm deluge of rain set to hit Sydney? As a rule, the trend for rain-affected matches has been that bowlers have dominated; only Tom Banton’s 16-ball half-century stands out as a batsman making runs and banking points in weather-affected results.

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Is Sean Abbott of the Sixers a good captaincy choice for the final round of SuperCoach BBL?

The Sixers’ bowling line-up is stacked with options – Josh Hazlewood, Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis all look like likely types, while the Stars’ Pakistani pace ace Haris Rauf is a must-have. In terms of spinners, both the Stars’ Adam Zampa plus Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe from the Sixers seem likely to take wickets with the pressure on batsmen to push the pace.

Conversely, could a batsman go large and really make their mark if the game is reduced to a 5-over clash? If that is the case, could the Stars elect to pair their skipper Glenn Maxwell with Marcus Stoinis at the top of the order, and really try and maximise their scoring opportunities? Similarly, James Vince and Josh Philippe will have the pressure on them to hit (or get out), with Steve Smith waiting to appear at first drop.

$1000 to be won every round: register for SuperCoach BBL now!

Originally published as SuperCoach BBL: It all comes down to this