KFC SuperCoach Plus Article: The Phantom’s November BBL power rankings and all the early mail
In a SuperCoach Plus exclusive, The Phantom reveals a number of big changes to his BBL player rankings. Plus all the early mail from each team and the important stats.
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Welcome back to SuperCoach Plus, my friends.
We are one week closer to the start of KFC SuperCoach BBL and plenty has happened since our last rendevouz.
If you’re new to SuperCoach Plus - a place of fantasy in every sense of the word - you’ve made the right decision.
Don’t worry, fantasy and rendevous won’t be words used often.
Instead, it’s all about breakevens, score projections, historic stats, weekly captain percentages, team line-ups and - drumroll please - extra cash if you win the round.
But enough of the spiel - you can find out more about SC Plus here - let’s get straight to this week’s rankings and all the latest KFC SuperCoach mail from every club.
THE PHANTOM’S POWER RANKINGS
Here are my top-five players in each position, taking into account form, price and the KFC SuperCoach BBL fixture. I’ll be digging deeper and updating the rankings every week.
BATSMEN
1. Colin Ingram $125,000 (Hurricanes) Previous rank: 3
The big-hitting South African will fly in as cover for Dawid Malan, but he’s likely to be more than that for KFC SuperCoach BBL teams, given the Canes’ Round 2 double.
2. Aaron Finch $184,800 (Renegades) Previous rank: 2
Expensive, but given the fixture change, he’s likely to be available all tournament – and with no bye. So he’ll be near the top for total points.
3. Max Bryant $67,800 (Heat) Previous rank: 4
A powerful opening-batsman at that price is just too hard to ignore - even as a money-making option the bench.
4. Colin Munro $160,000 (Scorchers) New
Three T20 international centuries, among 1724 runs for New Zealand. And he can bowl. Hello.
5. Beau Webster $143,500 (Renegades) Previous rank: 5
The 21st-highest overall KFC SuperCoach scorer in BBL10 is on fire in the Shield.
6th man: Joe Clarke (Scorchers)/Alex Hales (Thunder)
Smoky: Oliver Davies (Thunder)
You left him out!?: Dawid Malan (Hurricanes). He won’t be here until Christmas! And if new signing Nicholas Pooran arrives in time for the Stars’ Round 1 double, he’ll be in.
WHAT’S CHANGED: I’ve taken those in the Australian Test squad out, given the final Australia A game will finish three days after the BBL opener. So, Will Pucovski makes way - for now - and the fifth-ranked T20 batsman in the world Munro comes in after signing with the Scorchers. His new teammate, Englishman Joe Clarke, isn’t far behind given his more-affordable price tag.
FIXTURE ANALYSIS: HOW TO PICK YOUR TEAM
BOWLERS
1. Zahir Khan (Stars) $129,900 New
Took eight wickets, and conceded just 6.58 runs per over, in a strong finish to BBL09. Add a great price tag and a double-game round to start, and you’ve got your new No. 1.
2. Adam Zampa $184,100 (Stars) Previous rank: 1
With the limited-over series against India done-and-dusted, he’ll be available. In a double. Yes, please.
3. Nathan Coulter-Nile $138,600 (Stars) Previous rank: 4
After a slow start, the former Aussie quick played a crucial role in the IPL final, taking 2-29 – with 10 dot balls – for the Mumbai Indians. High on the watchlist with the opening-round double.
4. Riley Meredith $184,600 (Hurricanes) Previous rank: 3
He’s struggled in the Shield so far this season but he took 13 wickets in six BBL matches last summer. And the Canes have a double in Round 2.
5. Nathan Ellis $113,000 (Hurricanes) New
The Tassie quick finished the opening stage of the Sheffield Shield season with the equal-second-most wickets and, given his price and the likely eight overs in Round 2, deserves his place here.
6th man: Adam Milne (Thunder)
Smoky: Noor Ahmad (Renegades)
You left him out!?: Rashid Khan (Strikers). He’d be No. 1 here if it wasn’t for the Round 1 bye. Sandeep Lamichhane (Hurricanes) wouldn’t be far off either, if he was arriving before January.
WHAT’S CHANGED: The Stars’ new signing rockets straight to the top given his price and late-season form in BBL09. Sean Abbott makes way for the same reason as Pucovski, while Ellis replaces Milne in the top-five given his opening four rounds of the Shield.
ULTIMATE GUIDE: ALL THE SUPERCOACH BBL CHEAPIES TO CONSIDER
ALL-ROUNDERS
1. Marcus Stoinis $185,700 (Stars) Previous rank: 2
Blasted 65 of 46 balls batting in the middle-order for Dehli, before taking 3/26 three days later, in the latter stages of the IPL. But you shouldn’t need any more reason to pick him in a double-game round – even at the price.
3. Glenn Maxwell $185,000 (Stars) Previous rank: 3
Maxwell or Stoinis or can you afford to pick? Those who do could get a big early jump, given the kindness of Australia’s international calender.
3. Will Jacks $148,000 (Hurriances) Previous rank: 4
The 21-year-old Englishman was named player of the Vitality Blast after a brilliant all-round display for Surrey and clubbed a century of just 25 balls in a practice match in Dubai last year.
4. Darcy Short $245,200 (Hurricanes) Previous rank: 5
The top-price tag is the only thing keeping the T20 star down this low. But starting without Short may mean going without him for the Round 2 double, given your team balance. Do you really want to do that?
5. Dan Christian $105,000 (Sixers) New
Despite a lacklustre BBL09, Christian is likely to play Tom Curran’s role in the Sixers side for the opening month of the tournament, making $105k a bargain for a player with his KFC SuperCoach scoring power.
6th man: Daniel Sams (Thunder)
Smoky: Jack Wildermuth (Heat)
You left him out!?: Tom Curran (Sixers). Like many of his fellow Englishman, Curran will miss the first part of tournament because of the limited-overs tour of South Africa.
WHAT’S CHANGED: Christian, the BBL veteran, should’ve probably been in to begin with at that price, while Cam Green drops out given his place in the Test squad.
KEEPERS
1. Peter Handscomb $97,600 (Hurricanes) Previous rank: 1
His position in the batting-order for this new side might hurt his ranking come Round 1 but he’s worth less than $100k, has a T20 century to his name and will feature twice in Round 2.
2. Josh Phillipe $150,800 (Sixers) Previous rank: 2
Teammate Steve O’Keefe says there will be no second-year blues for the young gun, who was the third-highest run-scorer in BBL09.
3. Josh Inglis $161,900 (Scorchers) Previous rank: 3
Averaged 57 KFC SuperCoach points in an impressive BBL09, and looks set to open-up again for the Scorchers. And, like Philippe, that’s the key.
4. Sam Harper $119,300 (Renegades) Previous rank: 3
Another hard-hitting young gun, who bats at the top of the order. Does his price make him better value than the two above? We’ll see.
5. Cam Bancroft $84,200 (Scorchers) New
Made a ton against Tasmania in Round 3 of the Shield and averages 32 across 50 T20 matches. Looms as a steal at $84k, given the early absence of the Scorchers’ overseas stars.
6th man: Ben McDermott $89,700 (Hurricanes)
Smoky: Sam Whiteman (Scorchers)
You left him out!?: Alex Carey (Strikers). When will he sign? And, maybe more importantly, where will be bat?
WHAT’S CHANGED: Not alot with the keepers. Is Whiteman really a better option that Bancroft at the top of the order? I’ve changed my mind on that one and made the switch.
STAT ATTACK
- with Tim Michell
Rashid Khan and new signing Danny Briggs played together in 2019 in the Vitality Blast and only took a combined 15 wickets — can they coexist for the Strikers? It was a quiet season for Briggs who is the leading wicket-taker in English T20 history with 172 wickets in 151 games.
New Hurricanes international Keemo Paul has only played 18 T20s for West Indies but already has a five-wicket haul. In December, 2018, he carved through Bangladesh with 5-15 from four overs. In KFC SuperCoach BBL terms, that’s a score of 120+.
Only one international T20 has been played at Manuka Oval, when Australia (3-151) defeated Pakistan (6-150). Of the 18 ODI innings played in the nation’s capital, 12 have resulted in scores of 250 or higher — is a runs fest on the cards in Round 1?
EXPERT TEAMS
LATE MAIL
- with Dan Batten
STRIKERS
The Strikers now have its full compliment of international signings after securing English spinner Briggs ($138,800, BWL), who is set to be available for the entire BBL10 season. Briggs is the leading all-time wicket taker in the English T20 competition, claiming 172 wickets in 152 matches, and is coming off 12 wickets with a tidy economy rate of 6.50 in this year’s Vitality Blast.
Destructive batsman Phil Salt ($134,300, BAT) will return to the Strikers after an impressive first season in the BBL last year, scoring 361 runs blistering strike-rate of 164. If Salt arrives in time, both loom as popular trade-in options after Strikers’ Round 1 bye ahead of its two double game rounds on the trot.
HEAT
Rising English batsman Dan Lawrence ($125,000, BAT) has been called in to replace compatriot Tom Banton, who will miss the beginning of the season as part of England’s white-ball tour of South Africa, along with all-rounder Lewis Gregory. Lawrence excelled in Australian conditions last year as part of the English Lions side, hitting 498 runs at an average of 98.6 and taking 11 wickets as a tweaker against Australia A.
Meanwhile, all-rounder James Bazley ($42,000, BAT/BWL) and young pace duo Xavier Bartlett ($42,000, BWL) and Matthew Willans ($42,000, BWL) have been signed in the past week. All will be dirt cheap and 25-year-old Bazley has been previously contracted by the Hobart Hurricanes in 2016-17. Willans is perhaps the most intriguing of the bunch as a 205 centimetre speedster.
HURRICANES
The Hurricanes have been busy this week, signing Nepalese spin sensation Lamichhane ($138,300, BWL) on Thursday after securing the signature of West Indian all-rounder Paul the previous day. Lamichhane, a left-arm wrist spinner, has claimed 26 wickets in 20 matches across two Big Bash seasons for the Melbourne Stars, but will not join the Hurricanes’ camp until January – meaning he will miss their Round 2 double. Meanwhile, right-arm quick Paul has snared 24 wickets in 18 T20Is at an average of 20.3 and is set to join the Hurricanes after the completion of the West Indies’ tour of New Zealand, having been selected in both the Test and white-ball squads. Paul took nine wickets in his first Indian Premier League season last year.
The decorated pair join international signings Jacks ($148,000, BAT/BWL) and Ingram ($125,000, BAT). Jacks, an exciting English all-rounder who once blasted a 25-ball century in a practice match, was named player of the tournament in the 2020 Vitality Blast, starring with both bat and ball. Experienced South African Ingram is a familiar face in the BBL, playing 25 matches for Adelaide and scoring 610 runs at a healthy strike rate of 138.95. Both will enter calculations ahead of Hobart’s Round 2 double, with Jacks looking like SuperCoach Gold.
Australian Test captain Tim Paine ($90,000 WKP/BWL) will also return to the Hurricanes but is unlikely to be available for most of the tournament.
Spent today’s isolation putting together Paine’s Power.
— Tim Paine (@tdpaine36) November 18, 2020
Very strong squad. https://t.co/SWfXaEynYQ
RENEGADES
Rilee Rossouw ($160,000, BAT) will form a strong top-order with Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh at the Renegades. The South African international turned Kolpak cricketer has been lighting it up in the Pakistan Super League and Bangladesh Premier League in recent years, among the top all-time scorers in both competitions. He scorched a hundred off 44 deliveries in the PSL earlier this year and could justify his high asking price. Rossouw will be available for the full BBL season and joins fellow overseas signings Mohammad Nabi, Noor Ahmad and Imran Tahir on the Renegades roster.
Josh Lalor ($134,300, BWL) and Jack Prestwidge ($93,900, BAT/BWL) were both prized from the Heat in the last fortnight, with Lalor having SuperCoach relevancy as a consistent Big Bash wicket-taker.
STARS
Afghan spinner Khan ($129,900, BWL) will join the Melbourne Stars in a massive boost for SuperCoaches ahead of the Stars’ Round 1 double. The Stars announced the signing of the 21-year-old left-arm wrist spinner on Wednesday, saying he is expected to be available for the full tournament. Khan claimed eight wickets in as many matches for the Brisbane Heat last season.
It comes after the Stars secured two T20 international stars in keeper-batsman Nicholas Pooran ($175,000, BAT/WKP) and Jonny Bairstow ($175,000, BAT/WKP). Bairstow will not feature for the Stars until after Christmas, while Pooran is expected to be available after the West Indies’ T20 series against New Zealand, which finishes at the end of November. It is unclear whether he will be able to play in either of the Stars’ Round 1 matches on December 11 and 12. If he features, he becomes a must-have with the double game round, coming off a formidable 521 runs at a strike-rate of 165 in the IPL for Kings XI Punjab.
Joe Clarke signs as a temporary replacement for Jason Roy 💪 #BBL10 #MADETOUGH pic.twitter.com/ccSwi4cK2D
— Perth Scorchers (@ScorchersBBL) November 13, 2020
SCORCHERS
While English duo Jason Roy and Liam Livingston will miss the first three games as part of the England white-ball squad, the Scorchers have secured two damaging reinforcements. New Zealand big-hitter Munro ($160,000, BAT) and emerging English batsman Clarke ($125,000, BAT) – who joins the Scorchers as a replacement – were signed last week. Munro is the fifth-ranked T20I batsman and boasts the fourth highest T20 strike rate (156.44) in the world. Meanwhile, Clarke, 22, burst onto the scene in the Vitality Blast this year scoring the fifth most runs at a whopping strike rate of 175.
SIXERS
Dab enthusiast Carlos Brathwaite ($160,000, BAT/BWL) will return to the Sixers in BBL10, proving to be quite the entertainer in his four Big Bash matches in the 2017/18 season. Brathwaite has a career strike rate of 136 with the bat and 20 with the ball across 174 T20 matches and will arrive before the beginning of the tournament. With Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc and Sean Abbott all part of the Test squad and Tom Curran on England’s white-ball tour of South Africa, Brathwaite should receive plenty of opportunity with both bat and ball early this summer.
THUNDER
The Thunder locked in their three international stars early, with star English keeper-batsman Sam Billings ($160,000, BAT/WKP) joining big-hitter Alex Hales and express Kiwi Adam Milne. Billings, who raised the bat for a century against Australia in their ODI series earlier this year, is another English player who will feature in the BBL after England’s tour of South Africa.
In other SuperCoach news, a captaincy loophole option has emerged in Baxter Holt ($42,000, WKP/BAT). While he is unlikely to play with Matthew Gilkes and then Sam Billings set to take the gloves, he will allow coaches to get two bites of the cherry with their captaincy.
INTERNATIONAL CALENDER: WHEN ALL THE BIG NAMES ARE AVAILABLE
HOW TO USE SC PLUS
One of the best features of SC Plus is the coaches’ choice filter. It allows you to see the ownership percentage of every player in KFC SuperCoach. Use it reinforce you view or, more importantly, pick and player the rest of the competition hasn’t caught onto yet and gain that vital edge. You can also zero in on the most popular captain’s choices of the week and look at the most-traded players.
MORE SUPERCOACH BBL
‘Best people’: Former Test captain in shock new role
Three years after he was forced to quit the Australian captaincy, Tim Paine is back in a key cricket role.
Heat unveils teen quick as latest signing
One of Australia’s most promising young fast bowlers has signed a deal with BBL champions Brisbane Heat.