KFC SuperCoach BBL: Predicted teams and selection late mail for Round 1 of BBL12

You can still make changes to your team in KFC SuperCoach, and a new signing for the Adelaide Strikers has come at the perfect time. See latest squads and BBL news.

Adelaide Strikers have delivered a cheapie gift to KFC SuperCoach players on the eve of their opening game of the season.

Victorian-born fast bowler Jordan Buckingham has been signed as a replacement player while Travis Head and Alex Carey are on Australian duties, and he has been rushed straight into the squad for Wednesday night’s game against the Sixers.

And the best part – he’s expected to be listed as a $42,000 BWL in KFC SuperCoach.

“We love the way Jordan goes about it – he runs in hard all day and trains as hard as he plays,” Strikers coach Jason Gillespie said.

“He deserves an opportunity at this level and we look forward to seeing how he goes.”

SCROLL DOWN FOR LATEST SQUADS AND PREDICTED TEAMS

Buckingham’s best figures this summer came for the Redbacks against Victoria, when he took 3-67 and 4-78. He played for Australia A against South Africa last week, claiming 2-59 in the second innings after going wicketless in the first innings.

Jordan Buckingham has joined the Adelaide Strikers. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Images

With a rolling lockout you can make as many changes to your team as you like until the end of round 1, with only Stars and Thunder players locked after game one.

That means you can grab Buckingham for your bench or pull a change if you had a bench player from the Stars or Thunder nominated as an emergency who scored well, like Fazalhaq Farooqi (79 points). He’s locked on the bench but by moving a zero-scoring player on to the field you can still take his score this round.

Some coaches will look to trade in a Scorcher to guarantee that zero and get a jump for round 2 when Perth has a double.

STOINIS IN COVID SHOCK

SuperCoachers were thrown a huge curve ball just hours from the first ball of the season when the Melbourne Stars revealed that Marcus Stoinis and Joe Burns had tested positive for Covid.

Both played against the Sydney Thunder in the season opener, a relief for owners of Stoinis, the most popular player in the competition.

But that was short-lived after Stoinis lasted just one delivery at the crease, skying a catch to Fazalhaq Farooqi.

He sat on the sidelines wrapped in a blanket for the entire Thunder innings and returned a score of zero points in game one.

For Burns the night went even worse. He made 18 runs but had to retire hurt with a hamstring injury and is set to miss 4-6 weeks.

The Stars’ second game is on Friday night at the MCG against the Hurricanes and SuperCoaches will be wishing Stoinis a quick recovery.

Melbourne Stars batters Marcus Stoinis and Joe Burns are recovering from a Covid-19 infection. Both are available for selection against the Sydney Thunder tonight.

A decision will be made closer to the bat flip.

— Melbourne Stars (@StarsBBL) December 13, 2022

Adelaide Strikers

STRIKERS SQUAD v SIXERS

Adelaide Oval, Wednesday 7.15pm AEDT

AZZA AND DAMO’S PREDICTED XI

Matt Short
Chris Lynn
Jake Weatherald
Adam Hose
Colin de Grandhomme
Tom Kelly
Harry Nielsen
Rashid Khan
Henry Thornton
Wes Agar
Peter Siddle

THE BIG QUESTION: How many overs do Matt Short and Colin de Grandhomme bowl as Adelaide’s fifth and sixth bowler respectively? At $125k, de Grandhomme is firming as a potential bargain if he does get the opportunity with the ball.

TIM MICHELL SAYS: Pretty clear picture now with the Strikers batting. Weatherald looks set to return to the top and partner Matt Short, at least until Alex Carey and Travis Head return. Chris Lynn at three, Adam Hose at four and either De Grandhomme or Kelly at five depending on game situation. Peter Siddle and Rashid Khan are the only guarantees in the bowling line-up with Henry Thornton, Harry Conway, Wes Agar and Cameron Boyce vying for two spots. Thornton and Agar seem most likely to get the nod for Round 1.

Can Harry Conway force his way back into the Strikers’ best team?

BRISBANE HEAT

AZZA AND DAMO’S PREDICTED XI

Colin Munro
Max Bryant
Matt Renshaw
Sam Billings
Ross Whiteley
Jimmy Pierson
James Bazley
Michael Neser/Matthew Kuhnemann
Xavier Bartlett
Mark Steketee
Mitchell Swepson

THE BIG QUESTION: Michael Neser – will he or won’t he? Time will tell if Neser is available for Round 1, with a place in the test squad for South Africa all but guaranteed. It’s just a matter of CA releasing him if he doesn’t make the starting XI

TIM MICHELL SAYS: Most interest at the Heat is how their top-order shapes up. Max Bryant has shifted into the middle-order for Queensland, possibly hinting at a change for the Heat. If not Bryant, then Sam Heazlett and Colin Munro might get first crack. KFC SuperCoaches would love Josh Brown to open but I think we’ll have to wait a while to see the biggest hitter in Queensland. Sam Billings at four, Ross Whiteley at five or six and James Bazley in as the first-choice all-rounder. Michael Neser might miss Round 1 if he has Test duties. If he does, that could mean Xavier Bartlett, Mark Steketee, Mitch Swepson are joined by Jack Wildermuth. Don’t rule out Matt Kuhnemann in a dual-spin attack though. Jimmy Peirson is set to keep and Billings will field.

REVEALED: OUR EXPERTS HAVE SETTLED ON THEIR SUPERCOACH TEAMS

Josh Brown is a chance to make an early debut for Brisbane Heat.

HOBART HURRICANES

AZZA AND DAMO’S PREDICTED XI

Ben McDermott
Matthew Wade
Jimmy Neesham
D’Arcy Short
Caleb Jewell
Tim David
Asif Ali
Shadab Khan
Joel Paris
Riley Meredith
Nathan Ellis

THE BIG QUESTION: Where will D’Arcy Short bat? His position is likely to have a domino effect on the rest of the order.

TIM MICHELL SAYS: Should be one of the more predictable teams. Wade, McDermott and Short top three, Shadab Khan, Tim David, Asif Ali and Jimmy Neesham floating from 4-7 and a bowling attack of Nathan Ellis, Joel Paris and Riley Meredith. The fourth bowling spot is the one in question. With Shadab, Neesham and Short as all-rounders Hobart could feasibly play an extra batter. But it might come down to Billy Stanlake (if fit) or young spinner Paddy Dooley. Faheem Ashraf is unavailable due to Test duties.

Jimmy Neesham will add even more power to a formidable Hobart batting line-up.

MELBOURNE RENEGADES

AZZA AND DAMO’S PREDICTED XI

Aaron Finch
Nic Maddinson
Sam Harper
Jono Wells
Peter Handscomb
Andre Russell
Will Sutherland
Akeal Hosein
Tom Rogers
Kane Richardson
Mujeeb Ur Rahman

THE BIG QUESTION: With Shaun Marsh out with injury, will the Renegades opt for the experience of Peter Handscomb, who is in fine form domestically, or young star Mackenzie Harvey to solidify that middle order?

TIM MICHELL SAYS: Practice match against the Stars gave a strong indication of how the Renegades will line-up. With Shaun Marsh unlikely to be fit for Round 1, Sam Harper looks set to return to the top of the order. Nic Maddinson partnered Harper in that match but could easily drop to No.4 or No.5. Experienced heads Aaron Finch and Jon Wells at three and four, and then Mack Harvey and Jake Fraser-McGurk filling out the batting spots (see below). Andre Russell is the wildcard but he could bat anywhere from five to seven. A bowling attack of Richardson, Rogers, Hosein and Mujeeb looks certain. The last spot probably comes down to whether Fraser-McGurk bolsters the batting or Will Sutherland plays as an all-rounder. Maddinson’s increased bowling load gives the Renegades options.

Jon Wells warmed up for his first season with the Renegades with a 50-ball ton against the Stars.

PERTH SCORCHERS

AZZA AND DAMO’S PREDICTED XI

(First match in Round 2)

Adam Lyth
Faf du Plessis
Josh Inglis
Aaron Hardie
Cam Bancroft
Ashton Turner
Ashton Agar
Andrew Tye
Jason Behrendorff
Tymal Mills
Peter Hatzoglou

THE BIG QUESTION: Aaron Hardie’s ability as an allrounder will be important in the absence of Mitch Marsh but how much will he be used with the ball?

TIM MICHELL SAYS: All the noise from the West suggests Inglis bats at No.4. Expect Adam Lyth to open with Faf Du Plessis. If not Du Plessis will bat at three. Nick Hobson has done nothing wrong in pre-season and Aaron Hardie is pushing for greater opportunity but I have Cam Bancroft ahead to partner Lyth or bat at No.3. He’s been one of the best-performed domestic batters all summer. So let’s say a top-four of Lyth, Du Plessis, Bancroft and Inglis, followed by Ashton Turner and Hardie. Hobson is the unlucky man to miss out. Jhye Richardson’s fitness is a concern and I don’t think he will be risked early. I’ve got Andrew Tye, Jason Behrendorff, Tymal Mills and Matt Kelly being unleashed with Agar as the spinner. But Peter Hatzoglou could easily play instead of Kelly. Be mindful only three of Lyth, Mills, Du Plessus and fellow international Stephen Eskinazi can play in each game.

Adam Lyth was a late inclusion in Perth Scorchers’ BBL12 squad.

SYDNEY SIXERS

AZZA AND DAMO’S PREDICTED XI

Josh Philippe
James Vince
Kurtis Patterson
Moises Henriques
Jordan Silk
Dan Christian
Hayden Kerr
Sean Abbott
Ben Dwarshuis
Chris Jordan
Steve O’Keefe

Ben Dwarshuis is in doubt for the opening rounds of BBL12.

THE BIG QUESTION: Will the Sixers play a second spinner in largely unknown Afghanistan leggie Izharulhaq Naveed?

TIM MICHELL SAYS: The Sixers are battling several injury and availability concerns as they prepare for the start of BBL12. Ben Dwarshuis could reportedly miss the start of the tournament, while there is uncertainty about when James Vince and Chris Jordan will play their first games of BBL12, with Jordan left out of the squad altogether. There’s whispers from the Sixers camp that young Afghani spinner Izharulhaq Naveed could be a bolter for Round 1 after impressing in a recent trial match. If Dwarshuis misses, Jackson Bird looms as likely inclusion. Dan Christian could also take on more responsibility with the ball than in recent seasons. If Vince was unavailable early, Jack Edwards would likely replace him at the top. There’s suggestions Kurtis Patterson and Todd Murphy are also under a cloud but both are probably fringe players anyway.

Originally published as KFC SuperCoach BBL: Predicted teams and selection late mail for Round 1 of BBL12