Eight factors to consider when choosing your SuperCoach BBL captain
How do you nail your SuperCoach BBL captain? There’s no perfect answer, but you can help your cause by considering these eight crucial factors.
SuperCoach BBL
Don't miss out on the headlines from SuperCoach BBL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Picking a SuperCoach captain has always been an inexact science.
Each round, coaches are required to name a captain who scores double points and a vice-captain as insurance if their skipper doesn’t play.
Captaincy choice is often what sets the best apart from the rest.
In Round 10 last season, Marcus Stoinis scored an incredible 752 points during Melbourne Stars’ double for those who chose him as captain.
Those extra points cannot only decide league match-ups, but make a significant difference in the overall rankings.
Targeting players with a double game week is important, but there are several other factors SuperCoaches need to consider when locking in their captain.
Here are eight keys to choosing the right skipper:
1. FORM
T20 cricket can be fickle, but you increase your chances of nailing your captain by picking a player in form. Research how your captaincy options have performed in recent games before deciding who to pick.
2. OPPOSITION
Some players just love playing against certain opponents. Take Marcus Stoinis for example. The Melbourne Stars all-rounder dominated against Melbourne Renegades in BBL08, taking five wickets and compiling 187 runs in three local derbies.
3. VENUE
Pitch and ground conditions can be crucial to the likelihood of a batsman or bowler firing. In last year’s tournament the average score in Hobart was 165 runs, while it was only 134 at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium.
4. RELIABILITY
The last thing you want is to name a player as captain, only for their role to be diminished. Relying on a pinch-hitter such as Daniel Sams or Ben Cutting can be risky as their opportunities can be limited and their position in the batting line-up can change each game.
5. CEILING
The term ceiling relates to a player’s potential top score. Consistency is valuable, but SuperCoach BBL is as much about identifying the batsmen and bowlers who are capable of monster totals as it is about reliability.
6. OWNERSHIP
If your team is in need of a win and your opponent takes the most-obvious captaincy path, it could pay dividends to choose a point of difference. Those at the pointy end of the rankings don’t get there by playing it safe.
7. MULTIPLE SCORE SOURCES
This is why all-rounders are popular in SuperCoach BBL. If you pick a batsman as captain and they fail, your only other opportunity to amass points will be from catches (10 points) or run outs (15 points). If you select an all-rounder, you can still salvage your round regardless of whether your skipper performs with the bat.
8. DON’T CHASE POINTS
Just because a player fires one round, it doesn’t mean they’ll deliver the next. Look at sustained form when choosing your captain rather than a player who has one standout match.
MORE SUPERCOACH BBL CONTENT
Star-studded squad lists / Top 10 young guns / Everything you need to know / Key dates to shape your season / Gun imports set to explode / New faces to target / How players earn points