KFC SuperCoach BBL: Shane Warne reveals team, must-have players for BBL11
Our World Cup heroes are primed to dominate BBL11 and KFC SuperCoach ambassador Shane Warne has identified the best picks from the triumphant Aussie squad.
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Spin king and KFC SuperCoach BBL ambassador Shane Warne has identified World Cup heroes Marcus Stoinis and Mitch Marsh as two of the must-have players for BBL11.
Warne says Scorchers skipper Marsh, a $132k BAT-BWL in KFC SuperCoach, will be one of his first-picked players for this summer — pending Test or Australia A duties.
“He’s probably the most powerful hitter we have in Australia, with Stoinis,” Warne said. “Those guys really do bash it.
“He plays half his games in Perth, he loves those conditions. The fast, bouncy conditions. He can clear the fence (and) plays a huge role for the Scorchers.
“Coming back with the ball he also takes some very handy wickets.”
Despite being restricted by injury last summer, Marsh finished BBL10 with 382 runs, a strike rate of 145.2 and five wickets from 21 overs.
Marsh finished last season with a KFC SuperCoach average of 42.5 but it would have been much higher if not for an injury-affected score of one point in the middle of the season.
Stoinis has cemented himself as one of the leading KFC SuperCoach scorers in recent tournaments despite only bowling eight overs for three wickets in BBL09 and BBL10.
The Stars opener has plundered more than 1100 runs during that time and averaged 52.2 points last summer.
It’s not hard to remember his heroics from BBL08 though, when he averaged an incredible 96.9.
That’s how dangerous it can be too leave him out and why more than 43 per cent of teams have picked Stoinis for Round 1.
“The leading run scorer of the last few years in the BBL. He bowls some handy overs,” Warne said.
“Gets a bit of tap and gets whacked a bit, but takes wickets which is really, really important. The hulk, he’s probably my favourite.”
Here are Warney’s five must-have players to fit into your KFC SuperCoach team for BBL11:
D’Arcy Short (Hurricanes) $179,600 BAT-BWL
Warney says: “We have seen how destructive he can be at the top of the order. He’s underrated, his left-arm wrist (spinners). I think he has got an extremely good wrong-un.
“I think he could maybe come into calculations for the Test matches as well for the Ashes. Great performer.”
Daniel Sams (Thunder) $203,700 BAT-BWL
“With the bat and the ball, he’s evolving all the time. His numbers are outstanding in BBL. He bowls in the tough overs. He bowls at the end. He can bowl in the middle. Sometimes up front as well. And his batting is dangerous at the end. He can clear the fences. He’s always a good performer.
Marcus Stoinis (Stars) $163,200 BAT-BWL
“The leading run scorer of the last few years in the BBL. He bowls some handy overs. Gets a bit of tap and gets whacked a bit, but takes wickets which is really, really important. The hulk, he’s probably my favourite.
Glenn Maxwell (Stars) $195,500 BAT-BWL
“I just think he’s the most dangerous player we have in T20 cricket. He bats, he bowls, he can run you out. He’s probably the best fielder in Australia as well. He’s always a good performer in the BBL.
Mitchell Marsh (Scorchers) $132,700 BAT-BWL
“Bat and ball, he’s probably the most powerful hitter we have in Australia, with Stoinis. Those guys really do bash it. He plays half his games in Perth, he loves those conditions. The fast, bouncy conditions. He can clear the fence (and) plays a huge role for the Scorchers. Coming back with the ball he also takes some very handy wickets.
SHANE WARNE’S KFC SUPERCOACH TEAM REVEALED
I have two goals in KFC SuperCoach BBL this season.
Firstly, to improve on my best ever ranking of 500th of 70,000 players last year — I’m aiming for top 10 in the upcoming season.
Secondly, and most importantly, is to beat main rivals in the Fox Cricket commentary crew — Mike Hussey, Isa Guha and Michael Vaughan — and also emerging KFC SuperCoach guru Callum Ferguson.
I smashed them all last year and they are all playing catch-up in 2021/22.
Hussey is probably the biggest threat. He does very well in both KFC SuperCoach AFL and BBL and you can guarantee Mr Cricket is studying during every single waking moment, and probably while asleep.
Isa studies every night over a glass of wine and in between commentary stints. She absolutely loves the game and will be tough to beat.
No-one needs to worry about Vaughan because he’ll just name every English player possible and therefore come last.
Ferguson is new to the KFC SuperCoach BBL crew. I’ve heard he is very good but he’ll need to pull out the big guns and make an impression early.
WICKETKEEPERS
Josh Phillippe (Sydney Sixers) $177,300 WKP-BAT
Matt Gilkes (Sydney Thunder) $62,500 WKP-BAT
Josh Phillippe is an extremely talented young cricketer and a genuine chance of playing for Australia in all three formats in the not-to-distant future. Also has the double in the opening round.
BATSMEN
D’Arcy Short (Hobart Hurricanes) $179,600 BAT-BWL
Chris Lynn (Brisbane Heat) $172,500 BAT
Ben McDermott (Hobart Hurricanes) $163,200 BAT-WKP
Marcus Stoinis (Melbourne Stars) $163,200 BAT-BWL
Aaron Finch (Melbourne Renegades) $62,500 BAT
Ollie Davies (Sydney Thunder) $74,200 BAT
Matt Renshaw (Adelaide Strikers) $67,400
The Hulk, Marcus Stoinis, is my first player picked. He is one of the leading runscorers in the BBL over the last few years and bowls some handy overs. He gets a bit of tap and gets whacked but takes wickets, which is really important. Also quite cheap this season after barely bowling last year.
We’ve seen how destructive D’Arcy Short is at the top of the order, but his left-arm wrist spinners are also extremely underrated. He could even come into calculations for Test matches this summer.
Chris Lynn has been through a tough period with injuries but I feel he still has plenty to offer in BBL. Ben McDermott is a player I’ve always rated for his hitting ability, while for a player of his calibre, Aaron Finch is outrageously cheap after a poor BBL and impossible to ignore.
Ollie Davies makes the cut based on hitting potential shown last year, while Matt Renshaw is very cheap for a guy who has played for Australia and gone well in the Big Bash previously with both bat and ball.
BOWLERS
Daniel Sams (Sydney Thunder) $203,700 BWL BAT
Rashid Khan (Adelaide Strikers) $198,700 BWL
Glenn Maxwell (Melbourne Stars) $195,500 BAT-BWL
Mitch Marsh (Perth Scorchers) $132,700 BAT-BWL
Joel Paris (Hobart Hurricanes) $62,500 BWL
Josh Kann (Hobart Hurricanes) $42,000 BAT-BWL
Spencer Johnson (Adelaide Strikers) $42,000 BWL
Daniel Sams is evolving all the time and his numbers are outstanding in the BBL. He bowls in the tough overs and his batting is dangerous at the end.
I’ve never played a KFC SuperCoach season without Rashid Khan and I’m not planning on changing this year. His prowess with the ball is well known and he’s turned himself into a handy lower order hitter.
Glenn Maxwell is Australia’s most dangerous player in T20 cricket and simply must be a part of the Club 23 Legends. He bats, he bowls and he’s probably the best fielder in Australia.
Mitch Marsh is my pick for the most powerful hitter in Australia. He plays half his games in Perth and loves those fast bouncy conditions and also takes some very handy wickets. Joel Paris is a talented player who has never got off the ground due to injury, while Josh Kann and Spencer Johnson are my cheapies.
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