SuperCoach BBL: Leading POD options ahead of first round of finals

Matt Wade and Josh Philippe will be in most SuperCoach teams in the first round of finals. But there is another in-form keeper who is flying under the radar. Find out the leading POD options.

Could Peter Handscomb be the difference for your SuperCoach side? Picture: AAP

We’ve been given a golden opportunity ahead of BBL finals – a complete refresh.

SuperCoach BBL sides have the luxury of unlimited trades within your current team value, but picking Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Philippe and D’Arcy Short won’t catapult your team up the rankings or help clinch crucial finals wins against your mates.

Point-of-difference picks become all the more valuable with most sides likely to have at least two or three of these popular picks.

But as we know in this fickle format of SuperCoach, nothing is guaranteed.

Here are some outside the box options to consider ahead of the first round of finals – consisting of the Melbourne Stars, Sydney Sixers, Hobart Hurricanes and Sydney Thunder.

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James Vince (Sydney Sixers) $121.9k, BAT

Ave: 37.2

Ownership: 5.2 per cent

James Vince’s season clicked into gear with an eye catching knock of 51 from 37 balls in Round 12 after failing to deliver in the Sixers’ double. The Englishman was seeing them well in his last dig, before a crisp Philippe drive cannoned off the bowler onto the stumps. Vince was run out for 22 with a strike rate of 169 against the Renegades, and looked like making even more. The Sixers’ No. 3 looms as a value batting option considering his recent form.

James Vince presents as a possible unique pick.

Steve O’Keefe (Sydney Sixers) $94.9k, BWL

Ave: 25.6

Ownership: 2.6 per cent

Steve O’Keefe began BBL09 at $175,700, now he is priced at a measly $94.9k. Interestingly, five of the Melbourne Stars’ wickets in their last match fell to spin, with Heat pair Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mitch Swepson troubling them. While O’Keefe has never been a big turner of the ball, he opened the bowling in his last match against the Renegades, bowling 11 dot balls and claiming a wicket on the way to a solid score of 45. Spinners generally fare well at the MCG due to the long square boundaries, and taking the punt on O’Keefe will allow you to splash your cash elsewhere.

Peter Handscomb (Melbourne Stars) $116.2k WKP/BAT

Ave: 42

Ownership: 8.5 per cent

If you are after a POD keeper with some value, Handscomb is your man. Since returning from Australia’s ODI tour of India, Handscomb has posted scores of 101 and 41 against the Strikers and Heat. His performance against the Strikers was the highlight, plundering 65 from 39 deliveries. Hilton Cartwright’s injury saw his elevated to No. 4 against the Heat, scoring 27 from 18, but they could send Glenn Maxwell in at second drop if they are after acceleration. Given the Stars’ batting struggles in recent matches, expect Handscomb to get opportunity in the middle against the Sixers’ strong bowling attack.

Handscomb hit 65 off 39 balls against the Strikers.

Scott Boland (Hobart Hurricanes) $164.8k, BWL

Ave: 63.1

Ownership: 7.9 per cent

The seasoned veteran, who was called upon initially to replace injured pair James Faulkner and Riley Meredith, has been a consistent wicker-taker for the Hurricanes. Regularly relied upon at the death and powerplay overs, Boland has scored below 31 in just one game and claimed 14 wickets for the tournament. Consistency has been Boland’s modus operandi in BBL09, yet coaches continue to overlook him in SuperCoach.

MORE CRICKET NEWS:

SuperCoach BBL finals guide: The players you need from every potential finalist

Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell and Rashid Khan headline our BBL09 team of the season

Young Aussie gun Will Pucovski named as CA XI skipper for opening matches of England Lions tour

Stars slugger Marcus Stoinis puts BBL title win ahead of thoughts of national service

Haris Rauf (Melbourne Stars) $177.3k BWL

Ave: 83.4

Ownership: 8.4 per cent

The Stars have confirmed BBL revelation Haris Rauf will be back in time for the finals after being called up to Pakistan’s T20 side. Rauf impressed at national level against Bangladesh, taking 1/32 and 1/27 from four overs in the first two games of the series. The express paceman has taken 16 wickets in eight BBL games and boasts the fourth highest average in SuperCoach. He is very affordable for what he can produce – amassing scores of 156 and 108 earlier in the season and is close to a must-have.

Originally published as SuperCoach BBL: Leading POD options ahead of first round of finals