KFC SuperCoach trade guide: Best Sixers, Renegades for Round 6

The KFC SuperCoach round thousands of coaches have been waiting for is almost here. These are the top trade targets for the all-important Round 6 double.

Tim Michell

@tim_michell

5 min read

December 30, 2020 - 11:36AM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

Dan Christian is one of the key trade targets for KFC SuperCoach Round 6.

SuperCoach BBL

Don't miss out on the headlines from SuperCoach BBL. Followed categories will be added to My News.

One of the most important KFC SuperCoach rounds of the summer is almost here.

After two rounds without a team on the double, Melbourne Renegades and Sydney Sixers both play twice in Round 6.

That has presented a challenge for KFC SuperCoaches in recent rounds, especially considering the recent form of the Renegades.

Those who have planned ahead and stocked their team with at least 2-3 players from the Sixers and Renegades should be rewarded when those teams feature twice this round — the Sixers taking on the Heat and Strikers and the Renegades up against the Thunder and Scorchers.

Big guns such as Aaron Finch, Josh Philippe, Kane Richardson and Shaun Marsh will be in hot demand, although there’s at least two serious POD options if you want to set your team apart.

The ONLY place to watch every match of the 2020/21 KFC BBL Season Live & Ad-Break Free During Play is on Fox Cricket, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your free trial now & start streaming instantly >

Watch for English quick Jake Ball, who is only $125,000 and could make his BBL debut when the Sixers take on Brisbane on Saturday night.

Another international, Imad Wasim, showed his quality in the Renegades’ last-over loss to the Sixers last round.

Double game weeks don’t guarantee a points bonanza, but if you’ve been stashing Sixers and Renegades in preparation for Round 6, you’ve given yourself the best chance of a rankings surge.

Kane Richardson is one of the must-have KFC SuperCoach players for Round 6.

TOP TARGETS

Kane Richardson (Melbourne Renegades) BWL

There aren’t many Renegades worth declaring as ‘must-have’ for Round 6 but Richardson is one. He has four scores of 51 or better in five BBL10 matches and if he can replicate those numbers in Round 6 a triple-figure return would be the result. Expect him to be a popular vice-captaincy option for those using the captain’s loophole in the opening game of Round 6. Richardson has nine wickets in five games and has been a shining light in what has been a forgettable start to BBL10 for the Renegades.

Dan Christian (Sydney Sixers) BAT-BWL

Christian has made a mockery of being used as a bit-part player in his last season with the Renegades and has reminded BBL fans of his quality in T20 cricket. He’s playing an important role as a power-hitter late in the innings for the Sixers and bowling in the death overs — when most wickets fall. It’s always frustrating as a KFC SuperCoach to pay significantly more than other coaches did for a player, but with Christian you might have to eat humble pie and be prepared to pay up (Christian started at $105,000 and is now above $150,000).

Josh Philippe features in 54 per cent of KFC SuperCoach teams.

Josh Philippe (Sydney Sixers) WKP-BAT

Philippe is the second most-popular player in KFC SuperCoach behind Glenn Maxwell, featuring in 54 per cent of teams. That is an ominous number for coaches still going without the Sixers gloveman ahead of their double. While he’s got scores of 16, 22 and 26 in his five matches this season, if he produces a total like his 140 from Round 2 in either game of Round 6 that’s significant ground to make up. You can’t win SuperCoach by following the pack but sometimes it’s wise to be part of the flock rather than a wandering sheep.

Carlos Brathwaite (Sydney Sixers) BAT-BWL

The West Indian all-rounder is batting too low to be a KFC SuperCoach factor, although he should be elevated to No. 7 when Jason Holder departs. He’s been doing enough with the ball to be considered for Round 6, taking two wickets in three of his five games. Sixers skipper Daniel Hughes has been prepared to call on Brathwaite in the death overs too — a factor which enabled him to boost his score to 49 against the Renegades last round.

Shaun Marsh bounced back to his best form just in time for Round 6.

Shaun Marsh (Melbourne Renegades) BAT

A timely return to form for Marsh in Round 5 will make him a priority target for many teams. After posting 17 runs across three innings the Renegades opener blazed 67 from 48 balls against the Sixers to pocket 87 KFC SuperCoach points. That was still 30 points below his Round 5 break even and will ensure Marsh is available for a serious discount on his starting price. He’s one of the most consistent batsmen in BBL history and is likely to burn SuperCoach teams who overlook him.

Jack Edwards (Sydney Sixers) BAT

If you’re short on cash but determined to add an extra double game week player, Edwards is your man. He’ll be available for less than $70,000 in Round 6 despite an opening-round SuperCoach score of 82. Since then the young opener has posted 1, 17, 0 and 21, so there’s no doubt he’s a risk. But at that price and with two opportunities at the top of the order, coaches struggling for cash generation might have little choice.

Renegades skipper Aaron Finch launches against the Sixers in Round 5.

Aaron Finch (Melbourne Renegades) BAT

See a trend developing here? Opening batsmen are gold in KFC SuperCoach and none of the four openers available in Round 6 have a higher ceiling than Finch. His price has plummeted from more than $180,000 in Round 1 and those who showed patience and have waited for the Australian captain are about to be rewarded. It’s a tough call between Finch and Marsh if you can only afford one — in a perfect world you’d have both Renegades openers.

Mohammad Nabi (Melbourne Renegades) BAT-BWL

The Afghani all-rounder recorded his best SuperCoach score of BBL10 last round, amassing 62 points against the Sixers thanks to two wickets and 18 runs from 11 balls. He performs the same role Dan Christian does at the Sixers for the Renegades. The frustration so far for Nabi owners has been his full complement of overs aren’t guaranteed. In his three BBL10 games he’s bowled a total of seven overs, failing to bowl four in any match. Renegades skipper Finch has preferred Peter Hatzoglou and Imad Wasim in the past two games.

Mohammad Nabi celebrates a wicket.

Nabi has been batting in the top-six for the Renegades.

Ben Dwarshuis (Sydney Sixers) BWL

Dwarshuis has fallen to an affordable price just in time for Round 6 after getting as high as $189,400 after Round 3. He opened the campaign with scores of 87 and 94 but hasn’t gone higher than 32 in the past three rounds with totals of 24, 28 and 32 in successive matches. It was a slight concern Hughes preferred Carlos Brathwaite and Jason Holder at the death against the Renegades in Round 5, although Dwarshuis should resume his regular role when Holder departs. If those scores of about 25 are his floor, that would still provide a minimum of about 50 points in a DGW.

PODS (point of difference picks)

Jake Ball is due to make his Sixers debut in Round 6.

Jake Ball (Sydney Sixers) BWL Ownership: 0.1 per cent

Ball has replaced Tom Curran in the Sixers squad and appears likely to debut in Round 6 after fulfilling his mandatory quarantine period. The big English quick has 89 wickets from 75 T20s and an impressive strike rate of a wicket every 16 balls. While Jason Holder was $175,000 and difficult to add outside a double game week, Ball is only $125,000 and his debut looks like it will be perfectly timed for KFC SuperCoach teams.

Imad Wasim is playing an important role with the ball for the Renegades.

Imad Wasim (Melbourne Renegades) BAT-BWL Ownership: 0.8 per cent

The 11th-ranked T20 bowler in the world, Wasim found his rhythm in his second outing for the Renegades after conceding 0-35 in his first BBL game. The Pakistani all-rounder snared 2-20 from four overs against Sydney Sixers and was entrusted with bowling in the power surge by Finch. He’s not guaranteed to bat at No. 7 so if you’re trading him in for Round 6, it should be with an expectation of bowling points rather than banking on his batting.