No Go Zone: SuperCoach BBL players to avoid for 2024-25

SuperCoach BBL players are making some serious mistakes. Reach for that ‘Trade’ button because we’ve picked apart the credentials of a host of popular buys.

SuperCoach BBL players are making some serious mistakes.

A quick scroll through the list of most popular players shows the crowd has it blatantly wrong on a number of names - for reasons ranging from injuries, unavailability, schedule and just plain old poor form.

So reach for that ‘T’ button because below we pick apart the credentials of a host of popular purchases.

Glenn Maxwell, BAT/BWL, Stars, $247,400, 44% ownership

Keep a close eye on this one. Maxwell is either the buy of the season or a complete avoid. He is racing the clock for the Stars’ opening Big Bash game due to a hamstring injury and if out his ownership will plummet. But if named, Maxwell is close to a must given he has two doubles in the first three rounds. With a solid injury timeframe not yet available, it’s wise to pick two teams for now - one with Maxwell and one without. More on that here from our resident guru Tim Michell.

Glenn Maxwell picked up a hamstring injury while playing for Australia. Picture: AFP

Matt Short, BAT/BWL, Strikers, $304,200, 44% ownership

Yes, Short has a strong early draw (two early doubles in rounds 2 and 4) and he was the best player in SuperCoach BBL last year by a considerable distance. But he comes with the price tag to match. There is a serious argument to avoid Short for round 1 and chase value elsewhere. But make sure you have a plan to get him in for round 2.

Sam Harper, WKP/BAT, Stars, $58,500, 36% ownership

Harper starts extremely cheap and is therefore in a massive 36 per cent of teams. This is overs for a guy who is far from an automatic selection. Harper’s best bet for a game may be as a specialist batsman given the arrival of English superstar Ben Duckett, while fellow Englishman Joe Clarke has been signed as Duckett’s replacement for the opening two games. Harper’s return to the Stars last season was nothing short of a disaster. The Victorian gloveman scored 27 runs from five innings in BBL13 and eventually found himself batting in the lower-order.

Most popular players in SuperCoach BBL.

Cooper Connolly, BAT/BWL, Scorchers, $118,700, 21% ownership

A bright young star of Australian cricket, Connolly has a double in round two and is very popular at 21 per cent ownership. But he is expected to miss the opening rounds due to a hand injury.

Josh Inglis, WKP/BAT, Scorchers, $140,600, 27% ownership

The West Australian pocket rocket is in over a quarter of teams. But Inglis is currently in the Australian Test squad. With the third Test starting on December 14 - just a day before the BBL gets underway - he’s unlikely to be available for the Scorchers unless Aussie selectors have a change of heart.

Josh Inglis may not be available for the Scorchers due to Test duties. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Sean Abbott, BWL, Sixers, $131,800, 15% ownership

Abbott comes in at a bargain price for a man of his pedigree (most wickets in BBL history). But like Inglis above, Abbott is currently in the Australian Test squad. Although that could change if Josh Hazelwood (side strain) proves his fitness for the third Test.

Ashton Turner, BAT, Scorchers, $70,400, 12% ownership

The former Australian short-form regular missed most of last year’s Big Bash with a knee injury and therefore starts very cheap. But he’s in doubt for the opening round due to a side strain.

Ben Duckett, WKP/BAT, Stars, $152,000, 9.1% ownership

The gun English opener joins the Stars as the BBL’s top draft pick and has therefore attracted plenty of SuperCoach interest. However, he will miss the opening two games due to England duties. Keep him up your sleeve as an option for the Stars’ double in round 3.

Originally published as No Go Zone: SuperCoach BBL players to avoid for 2024-25