SuperCoach BBL trade guide: Best Sydney Thunder players to target for round 9 double

Sydney Thunder's BBL finals hopes might be over — but they are as relevant as ever in SuperCoach BBL as the only team with a round 9 double. Here are the best players to target with your final trades.

The time for chopping (or choppering in David Warner’s case) and changing is over.

And in a few days, so is SuperCoach BBL for another summer.

The last round of the season has arrived and whether you’re in the running for the $25k overall prize, a personal best finish or bragging rights against your mates, getting your last three trades right will be crucial.

Sydney Thunder is out of finals contention but the most relevant team in SuperCoach, with matches against Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Renegades to come.

The Thunder’s top-four aspirations were dashed last round and one important factor to monitor will be what it means for selection.

Alex Hales and Tom Kohler-Cadmore are both bound for the UAE after the BBL and could depart soon with the Thunder no chance of playing finals.

Hales would feature as one of our suggested targets for round 9, but due to uncertainty about when his last game will be, he has been left out.

Table-topping Brisbane Heat has the bye in round 9, so unless you intend to use any Heat players as loopholes, move them on and target the Thunder’s best scorers for the double.

Here are our top targets.

Daniel Sams is Sydney Thunder’s leading wicket-taker. Picture: Simon Sturzaker/Getty Images

1. DANIEL SAMS

If you’ve made it this far into the SuperCoach BBL campaign, you know all-rounders are where the big points are at. Sams has struggled to make an impact with the bat in BBL13, hitting 90 runs at an average of 13 — which includes a score of 30. But he has made up for his struggles with the willow by taking a team-high 12 wickets with a strike rate of a wicket every 12 balls. Sams has claimed back 20th-over duties after Zaman Khan’s departure and if he can match his strike rate from the rest of BBL13, would be on for at least four wickets across the double. That’s a huge start to the round for a player who has more talent with the bat than he has displayed this tournament and can score points in the field as well. Expect him to be the top captaincy choice.

Chris Green will be well worth a look if he jumps to No. 6 in the battling line-up. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

2. CHRIS GREEN

The Thunder skipper was listed at No. 6 last game, but eventually came to the crease at No. 7 behind Sams. Green has played several important cameos with the bat this season, striking at 162.7 runs per 100 balls and scoring 96 runs. One problem SuperCoaches have confronted this summer has been the Thunder choosing six bowlers ever game. Their bowling mix has been hard to pin down, but Green has delivered more balls than any other bowler. He only has five wickets in eight matches and SuperCoaches would be hoping for a return of at least three wickets in the double. He scored 94 points in his last outing against the Renegades.

David Warner was the most traded-in player during round 8. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

3. DAVID WARNER

Warner struggled to get going on his BBL return in the Sydney Smash, eventually succumbing for 37 off 39 balls. The now-retired Aussie opener was the most-traded in player in round 8, coming in to more than 6000 SuperCoach teams. It would be a huge risk to fade Warner in a double. If he goes big in either of the Thunder’s two matches, your overall rank would suffer considering his popularity among the top SuperCoaches.

Nathan McAndrew has found form in recent matches. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

4. NATHAN MCANDREW

After struggling for wickets in the first half of BBL13, McAndrew has five in his last three matches including hauls of 2-27 and 2-17 in his last two games. He was pushed down the batting order to No. 8 in the Thunder’s last game against the Sixers, but is always a chance to bat in a team which has struggled for runs.

Tanveer Sangha appeals for a wicket. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

5. TANVEER SANGHA

The leg-spinner’s ceiling isn’t as big as many of his teammates, but Sangha is almost always good for a score of at least 30-40 points. Sangha’s score of 62 points against the Sixers was his best since opening the season with 94 points against Brisbane Heat. Between those matches he went 25, 13, 33, 0 (due to rain), 44 and 44. His scoring has been capped in most games due to a heavy relying on his bowling to score, but there’s no doubting his talents.

Originally published as SuperCoach BBL trade guide: Best Sydney Thunder players to target for round 9 double