SuperCoach BBL: Round 4 trade guide, best Sydney Thunder targets
Paul Walter and Jamie Overton have made a huge impression in their short BBL careers and become must-have players in SuperCoach BBL. But, should you prioritise them over Sydney Thunder’s round 4 double?
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Daniel Sams has returned to top form just in time for SuperCoaches to jump on ahead of the Sydney Thunder’s round 4 double.
Sams scored 108 points from bowling alone in round 3 against Melbourne Stars, rewarding 274 coaches who jumped on early to prepare for the double.
The Thunder all-rounder and SuperCoach favourite was $147,500 ahead of round 3, put is set to jump in price after exceeding his break even of 84.
But he still looms as the standout option for the Thunder double after reclaiming all-important final-over duties from Zaman Khan.
Sams took three wickets in the final four balls of the Stars’ innings and helped affect a run out, scoring more than 70 of his points in a frantic finish.
It was a timely reminder of his quality and SuperCoach ceiling as the Thunder prepares to face Brisbane Heat and Sydney Sixers in round 4.
There are also two standout all-rounders to try and squeeze into your trade plans who can provide an immediate cash injection.
Englishmen Jamie Overton and Paul Walter went big in round 2 and are projected for steep price rises when their respective teams return from a bye.
Perth Scorchers have the first of two straight byes, so moving a Scorcher to Sams is likely to be one of the most popular moves ahead of round 4.
NOTE: Zaman Khan’s no-objection certificate is due to expire after the December 27 match, which would rule him out of the second Thunder match in round 4.
Here are our top targets from the Thunder to consider for your team:
DANIEL SAMS
Sams has been one of the premier SuperCoach scorers of the past three seasons and fired up against the Stars after scores of 25 and 24 to start BBL13. Crucially, he took 20th-over duties back from Zaman Khan and is likely to maintain that role as the Pakistani quick only plays one more match before departing. Also batting at No. 6, the all-rounder will be the most-popular captaincy choice of round 4 by some way after a knock of 22 from 13 balls launched him beyond 150 SuperCoach points in round 3. The only (very small) concern worth noting is his scores of five and 10 points in his last two outings against the Sixers.
OLLIE DAVIES
The Thunder No. 4 has been one of the form batters of the early rounds, reaching the SuperCoach strike rate threshold of 20 runs in every innings — 35, 32 and 23. Now SuperCoaches will just want him to convert those starts into two big scores in the double. Davies has already developed a reputation as one of the BBL’s most destructive young batters, striking at 138 with more than 500 runs in 29 innings. He’s also dynamite in the field which can mean bonus points.
ALEX HALES
The English opener is another player who returned to form at the right time in Albury. After dropping by more than $20k in the first two rounds, Hales hit 40 from 26 balls for a SuperCoach score of 60 points. Despite indifferent form with other BBL franchises he has featured for, Hales has been one of the competition’s best-performed batters since linking with the Thunder. Batters are risky selections in SuperCoach, but if a player of Hales’ class goes off in a double, you’ll need him.
CAMERON BANCROFT
One of the contenders to fill David Warner’s role in the Test side has made a strong impression in three matches with the Thunder. After scoring 53 against Pakistan for the PM’s XI, Bancroft has gone 25, 74 and 30 in three BBL13 games. He also took the gloves last match against Matthew Gilkes was dropped, scoring 35 points in the field thanks to a stumping and run out. Unfortunately, WKP-BAT status won’t be available until after round 4, but that flexibility should be a consideration if you’re trading in Bancroft. Should he keep again next match, DPP is likely. Just be mindful he could be in the Test squad by mid-January, so it’s worth having an exit plan.
CHRIS GREEN
The Thunder skipper is enjoying a consistent start to his first campaign in charge, taking wickets in three out of four games and making an important 30 in the season opener against the Heat. Green might not be the prodigious wicket-taker a player like Sams is, but he has a proven ability to score points from the economy rate bonus and offers value in the field and with the bat. If you want a POD trade in for round 4, he’s your man.
NATHAN MCANDREW
Already with 30 Sheffield Shield wickets to his name, McAndrew’s blistering start to the season was rewarded when he featured against Pakistan for the PM’s XI. McAndrew has huge upside, averaging 34.6 SuperCoach points despite going wicketless across three matches. He has made at least 10 runs in all three games to salvage his score after only bowling his full complement of overs once. He has a great role batting at No. 7, but you would need to be confident he will bowl at least three overs before committing. The pending departure of Zaman Khan should help.
THE LOW BREAKEVENS
PAUL WALTER $155,100 BAT-BWL Breakeven: -68
Tall Paul has quickly achieved BBL cult status and SuperCoaches who started him at $105k for Brisbane Heat’s round 1 double have been rewarded handsomely. There were some doubts about his role when he bowled one over and didn’t bat against Melbourne Stars in the season opener, scoring only 30 points. But since then Walter has become an integral part of the Brisbane bowling attack, taking 2-22 from four overs against the Thunder and 3-27 against the Renegades in round 2. SuperCoach scores of 71 and 152 in his past two matches have Walter projected to make another $65k in the next two rounds and peak at more than $220k. Brisbane Heat’s next double isn’t until round 7, but you risk paying $70k more than his current price if you don’t jump on now. Plus, SuperCoach is more fun with a cult hero or two in your side.
Another tall English all-rounder dominating SuperCoach BBL. Maybe there’s something in that. Overton has taken a lead role with the ball for the Strikers, snaring 2-29 against Sydney Thunder and 3-23 against the Sixers in his two BBL outings. He’s arguably got scope to improve too after only facing 28 balls across Adelaide’s round 2 matches due to the impressive form of Matt Short and the top order. That;’s a scary thought for those who don’t have him. Overton is arguably a greater priority than Walter as Adelaide’s next double rolls around in round 6. If he averaged 69 points in the next two rounds, as SuperCoach Plus predicts, Overton would be $216k before round 6. You need to weigh up whether you’ll have the extra $60k or not to get him then. If not, it’s worth jumping on ahead of round 4.
MITCH SWEPSON $131,600 BWL Breakeven: -43
The Heat leggie has already jumped by more than $60k, so you’ve missed the bulk of his cash generation. And the issue is that after scoring 38 in roun 2, Swepson only has one more decent price rise in him before a projected peak of about $150k. He’s made an impressive start, but if you’re not going to trade in Thunder and instead prioritise money makers this round, find the extra $20k for Walter or Overton instead.
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Originally published as SuperCoach BBL: Round 4 trade guide, best Sydney Thunder targets
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