SuperCoach BBL: Should you pick D’Arcy Short or Marcus Stoinis or both in BBL|09?

They’re the two highest-priced players in SuperCoach BBL this coming season, but who should you be picking between the two?

D'Arcy Short and Marcus Stoinis - who should you pick in SuperCoach BBL?

They’re the two highest-priced players in SuperCoach BBL this coming season, but who should you be picking between the two?

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It’s going to be a conundrum for SuperCoach BBL players who are miserly with their money – committing to one or both is a big slice out of your salary cap.

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WHY SHORT? 

Quite simply, D’Arcy Short is the pre-eminent Big Bash player. In 35 matches for the Hurricanes, he’s become one of the success stories of the Australian domestic T20 competition, transitioning his success in the BBL into international honours.

Debuting for Western Australia way back in 2011, Short didn’t really capitalise on his opportunities, and it looked like cricket might have passed him by. It was now Australia then WA head coach Justin Langer who convinced Short that he had the talent to make it, and backed him to succeed if he put in the work.

Short got fit, and he enjoyed a breakout 2017-18 season in the white-ball format, firstly with Western Australia in the JLT Cup and then, most spectacularly, in the Big Bash League with Hobart Hurricanes where he was the tournament's leading scorer in BBL|07, plundering 572 runs from 11 appearances at the crease, averaging 57.20 at a whippet quick Strike Rate of 148.57. His ability to roll the arm over showcased his versatility, claiming three wickets and bowling 39 dot balls from 17 overs in total, at a decent Economy Rate of 7.88.

It was another stellar season for D'Arcy Short of the Hobart Hurricanes in BBL|08, averaging 91.3 points per round in SuperCoach BBL

It got even better for Short last season, as in the JLT (now Marsh) Cup, Short rattled off 257 runs from a mere 148 balls against Queensland – 11 short of the world record for a List A innings. He had another outstanding BBL in 2018-19, again leading the run-scoring for the tournament, averaging 53.08 runs per innings with a Strike Rate of 140.62.

He just failed to score a second T20 century, making 96 in one memorable innings. His wicket-taking ability seemed to improve too, claiming 10 wickets and bowling 52 dots at an ER of 8.00 from 37 overs bowled in 15 matches. He averaged 91.3 points per round in a second super SuperCoach season.

Marcus Stoinis of the Stars averaged 96.9 points per round, becoming the #1 player in the game

WHY STOINIS? 

The strapping WA native debuted for his home state at the age of 19, but switched to Victoria to further his career, where a run of Sheffield Shield matches during 2013-14 saw him back their faith with an outstanding 170 against Tasmania.

Stoinis was Victoria's leading run-scorer in the 2014-15 Shield season and was called into Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against England in 2015, where he debuted, playing in an ODI and a T20I.

International success didn’t come until January 2017 when in just his second ODI he captured three wickets, scored 146 not out from No. 7, and helped his country almost pull off an unlikely victory against New Zealand at Eden Park, cementing his place in the national short-form set-up, where he was Australia's ODI cricketer of the year in 2018-19.

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Stoinis debuted for the Stars in 2013-14 and has become a vital member of the team, but, in truth, his Big Bash form was always somewhat lacklustre, stuck in the middle order for the Stars. His BBL|08 season showed promise, with a top score of 99, but in 13 matches for the Stars in BBL|09 Stoinis exploded once shifted to the top of the order – he was the team’s highest run scorer with 533 at a Strike Rate of 130.63, with four fifties.

What’s more, his crafty swing and use of the slower ball saw him capture 14 wickets with an ER of 8.28. His SuperCoach average ballooned to 96.9 ppr as a result, as he became the #1 player in the game.

SUPERCOACH BBL STUDY GUIDES:

> Adelaide Strikers SuperCoach BBL|09 preview

> Brisbane Heat SuperCoach BBL|09 preview

> Hobart Hurricanes BBL|09 preview

> Melbourne Renegades BBL|09 preview

> Melbourne Stars BBL|09 preview

> Perth Scorchers BBL|09 preview

> Sydney Sixers BBL|09 preview

> Sydney Thunder BBL|09 preview

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WHY NOT BOTH? 

The obvious reason is for salary cap relief – if you combine their salaries, you’re looking at committing $541,700 of your $2 million cap on just two players. That’s over a quarter of your entire budget!

The Hurricanes don’t double up until Round 12 (they also are one of two sides who don’t have a bye) and the Stars have two double rounds in close proximity, in Round 5 and 7 (with a bye splitting their double scoring opportunities in Round 6).

However, if you don’t have them both, are you potentially missing out on players who are, statistically, some 20 ppr or so better than the next best averaging player in Tom Curran? There are bargains to be found in SuperCoach BBL ranks, and Short and Stoinis are well worth their high prices.

Tom Curran of the Sixers was the third best player in SuperCoach BBL last season, but he still averaged nearly 20 points less per round than Short and Stoinis

Plus, the likelihood is most won’t run with them from the start of the season, which means if they maintain their standard from last season, you’re already potentially significantly up on your league head-to-head opponent.

Worse still, what happens if you don’t get them from the get-go; are you confident you will be able to afford to bring them in at a later date?

SUPERCOACH BBL CELEB SIDES:

> Warnie is good on the lip, but is he ready to take on BJ?

> Vaughan's opportunity awaits – it's time for Warne to be hit out of the park

> Watch out Warnie – Isa is coming for you

> Mark Howard's one aim this SuperCoach BBL season

> The side everyone wants to beat: Warnie reveals his squad

Originally published as SuperCoach BBL: Should you pick D’Arcy Short or Marcus Stoinis or both in BBL|09?