SuperCoach BBL: The best Renegades-Heat players to consider for Round 13

The end of the BBL campaign and SuperCoach glory is within reach. Finals spots will be decided in Round 13, when a Renegades-Heat double presents huge opportunity for SuperCoaches to flourish. TRADE GUIDE.

Cameron Boyce’s value is on the rise after he inspired the Renegades’ rousing win over Brisbane Heat.

Two of the Big Bash League’s pre-season favourites share a Round 13 SuperCoach double as the battle for finals spots reaches its crescendo.

Melbourne Renegades will be playing for pride when they travel to Sydney to face the Sixers before returning to Melbourne to host Brisbane Heat.

YOU CAN STILL WIN $1000 EVERY ROUND BY SIGNING UP FOR SUPERCOACH BBL!

The Heat’s finals ambitions will be determined in Melbourne by a double against the Stars and Renegades.

A tournament which promised so much for both the reigning champion and Heat has largely failed to live up to expectations.

Don’t let that deter you from their importance in the last round of SuperCoach before finals.

Your overall rank should decide your tactical approach to Round 13.

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If you’re close enough to claim the $25,000 grand prize, look beyond the obvious targets such as Chris Lynn and AB De Villiers.

You can expect the leading teams will play it safe, a right they’ve earned.

One of the keys to SuperCoach is not to be different just to be different.

But, when there’s so little time left to make up ground, you can’t afford to match what the teams ahead of you in the rankings are likely to be doing.

With unlimited trades available in SuperCoach finals, most teams will look similar.

This is why it’s now or never to take your shot at SuperCoach immortality.

Don’t finish the campaign with regrets about what might have been.

Superstar AB De Villiers will be under $200,000 after consecutive SuperCoach scores of two.

TOP TARGETS

AB De Villiers (Brisbane Heat) BAT Average (to Round 12): 25.7

Set to be available for less than $200,000 after consecutive SuperCoach scores of two against Adelaide Strikers and the Renegades. That’s too much value to pass up for a player with a Twenty20 record an imposing as De Villiers. Batting at No. 3 all but guarantees the South African will feature twice in Round 13 and he only needs to deliver once for the outlay to be worthwhile. Likely to be a popular captain as Brisbane features in the second game of the round after the Renegades play.

Chris Lynn (Brisbane Heat) BAT Avg: 52.6

Lynn’s ability to score SuperCoach points quickly is without par among the BBL’s batsmen. The Heat skipper only faced 15 balls against Melbourne Renegades in Round 10 yet amassed 78 points after clubbing eight boundaries on his way to 41. Lynn features in almost 40 per cent of teams and is the type of player you could risk in Round 13 if you’re determined to make a rankings surge. His ceiling is enormous, scoring 189 and 148 in rounds 2 and 5. But he also scored 27 from two matches in Round 1 and has seven scores of 33 or less.

Kane Richardson (Melbourne Renegades) BWL Avg: 63

Back from one-day international duties, Richardson rounds out the campaign against the Sixers and Heat. His Marvel Stadium record (14 wickets in BBL08, 4-55 from eight overs in BBL09) is phenomenal and the Renegades host the Heat in the last game of the regular season. The Sixers were watchful against Richardson in their meeting earlier this month as he finished with 0-22 from four overs. The Australian seamer is the perfect vice-captain for Round 13.

Kane Richardson has returned from India in time for Melbourne Renegades’ Round 13 double.

Ben Cutting (Brisbane Heat) BAT-BWL Avg: 54.8

SuperCoach BBL is dominated by all-rounders and Cutting fills that role for the Heat. His ability to score runs quickly at the back end of an innings and to take late wickets is the perfect formula for accumulating points. The downside of batting at No. 6 or No. 7 is he isn’t always guaranteed a hit, but he’s been sharing the death overs with Ben Laughlin which generally leads to at least one wicket per match as teams strike out in search of quick runs.

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Matt Renshaw (Brisbane Heat) BAT Avg: 47.8

The former Test opener has been batting at No. 3 or No. 4 for the Heat since AB De Villiers’ arrival. He’d be an even more attractive trade target if he was still bowling, but the off-spinner wasn’t thrown the ball in four consecutive games between rounds 8-11. He’s been quite hit-and-miss this tournament with five scores above 30 and five of nine runs or below to Round 11. If you’re looking for a POD he’s one to consider though.

Ben Laughlin (Brisbane Heat) BWL Avg: 52.5

The Big Bash League’s leading wicket-taker has been a reliable SuperCoach scorer with six scores between 25-48 to Round 12. He’s only once posted less than 25 and also has scores of 87, 88 and 108. An experienced bowler who seems certain to deliver eight overs at the death in Round 13, Laughlin is the best bowling option from Brisbane and should relish the conditions at Marvel Stadium.

Aaron Finch (Melbourne Renegades) BAT Avg: 44.9

The Australian white-ball skipper has returned from India in better form than when he left after scores of 25 and 0 in Melbourne Renegades’ Round 5 SuperCoach double. Finch compiled an unbeaten 110 in Australian’s game one victory before scoring 33 and 19 against India. His price had fallen by $31,000 to $136,000 before ODI duties, very affordable for a player of his quality and scoring potential.

Sam Harper (left) appeals for a wicket from behind the stumps.

Sam Harper (Melbourne Renegades) WKP-BAT Avg: 43.8

The top wicketkeeping target for Round 13. After being surprisingly used at No. 6 in the Renegades’ derby loss to Melbourne Stars, Harper has returned to the top of the order and produced scores of 52 and 21 in victories over Sydney Thunder and Brisbane Heat. The other gloveman with a double — Jimmy Peirson — bats at No. 6 for the Heat, making Harper the leading wicketkeeping selection.

Dan Christian (Melbourne Renegades) BAT-BWL Avg: 39.5

The Renegades all-rounder’s form resurgence coincided with the reigning BBL champion ending its nine-game losing run. Christian took 2-31 and finished unbeaten on 21 in the Renegades’ breakthrough victory over Sydney Thunder, totalling 132 points. He went from one point to 78 in an over against Brisbane Heat in Round 10, taking two wickets and picking up a handy economy rate bonus. He won’t be as cheap as he was in Round 8 ($89,000), but is still worth the outlay.

Cameron Boyce’s value is on the rise after he inspired the Renegades’ rousing win over Brisbane Heat.

Cameron Boyce (Melbourne Renegades) BWL Avg: 43.9

The leg-spinner’s value is on the rise again after his man-of-the-match performance in the Renegades’ incredible victory over Brisbane Heat which resulted in 147 SuperCoach points. Boyce had averaged a below-par 21 points across four matches before his highest total of BBL09. He was $96,800 before that match against Brisbane but you should expect to pay $120,000-$130,000 for Round 13. That’s still much cheaper than his starting price of $170,000.

ROUND 13 FIXTURES

Sixers v Renegades — Saturday, January 25, 3.40pm

Stars v Heat — Saturday, January 25, 7.10pm

Thunder v Scorchers — Sunday, January 26, 2.45pm

Strikers v Hurricanes — Sunday, January 26, 7.10pm

Renegades v Heat — Monday, January 27, 2.45pm

YOU CAN STILL WIN $1000 EVERY ROUND BY SIGNING UP FOR SUPERCOACH BBL!

Originally published as SuperCoach BBL: The best Renegades-Heat players to consider for Round 13