As the upcoming BBL season rolls around, I saw it as fitting to come back to the SuperCoach Big Bash game and build my starting 2023/24 team. With the excitement of the ODI World Cup now behind us, I wanted to give this new BBL SC season the best crack I ever have, hopefully improving upon my previous seasons of old.
Wicketkeepers:
In each wicketkeeper slot I have tried to target the most opportunity, with the additions of double/triple game players, which is why I have gone with Sam Billings and Sam Whiteman.
Billings returns to the Heat with a $116k price tag and the English import should bat in the top order, due to many other Brisbane players away on national duties. I see Billings as a helpful stepping stone and cash generator in the Heat's opening triple game round, possibly allowing for an eventual swap for De Kock of the Renegades, as they have a round three double in future.
Similarly, Sam Whiteman has an opening round double and could open the batting for the defending champions Perth Scorchers. Coming in at $62k, I see Whiteman as a lock with his combined role, round one double game status and form he has shown in the Marsh Cup with a recent century for WA. He slots straight into my bench wicketkeeper spot over other popular choices, such as Ben McDermott and Josh Philippe.
Batsmen:
Throughout this line my aim was to include as many all-rounders as possible, as well as continuing to add double/triple game players. I want to capitalize on all-rounders as they offer a multitude of avenues to score, with both bat and ball, compared to pure batsmen who rely on making quick runs. Four out of my five on-field picks are all-rounders, being Tom Curran, Aaron Hardie, Will Sutherland and World Cup hero, Glenn Maxwell.
Coming in at $180k, Curran returns to the Sixers and adds further star power to their lineup. Curran collected 42 wickets in three seasons with the Sixers, accompanied by an average of under 20 with the ball across his spells. Despite his recent injuries, I am willing to add him in for at least the first round as his upside is too high in my opinion.
Two players that had breakout seasons last year are Aaron Hardie and Will Sutherland. Hardie averaged 41 with the bat in BBL12, combined with a strike rate of 141.1 and a total of four half centuries to go with it. From recent reports, Hardie is also expected to take further responsibility with the ball and bowl more, which he hardly did last season. Also across BBL12, Sutherland averaged just over three overs with the ball and accumulated 7 wickets, whilst averaging 30 runs with a 150 strike rate. I see both of these two improving with another summer under their belt, alongside their growing promise as all-rounders.
Lastly from my all-rounders, the 360 degree master Glenn Maxwell enters my team at the discounted price of $118k. Combined with his incredible batting feats, pinch-hit spin bowling and fielding attributes, I see Maxy as the ultimate SC lock. It is also possible that as a result of the Stars poor previous season, Maxwell will want to bring his team back to finals and push for the Stars elusive first title.
My only pure batsmen choice on-field comes in the form of South African-New Zealand opener, Colin Munro. Munro is an established star import in the BBL, averaging 34.75 runs in BBL12 with a 150 strike rate, alongside a high score of 98. For me, his main appeal is the Heat's triple game in the opening round, giving him three chances to score large when opening the batting.
On my bench, I have included both Overton and D'Arcy Short from the Adelaide Strikers, as their side has a double game in round 2. Also Short is an easy choice in my eyes, for both his cheap price and damaging batting ability. Overton arrives from England as another all-rounder inclusion and hopefully he will offer some early points with bat and ball for the Strikers.
Bowlers:
My aims with my picks here are mainly safety in wicket-taking ability and guaranteed maximum overs per game (4 overs). I have also chosen to take slight risk to maintain a sufficient amount of double/triple game players.
My first choice bowler had to be Sean Abbott, the leading BBL wicket-taker and death overs specialist returns from the ODI World Cup with added confidence after aiding his country. Against Bangladesh, Abbott had figures of 2/61 from 10 overs, at an economy rate of 6.1 . As the Sixers star bowler is guaranteed four overs along with bowling at the death, I see him as a strong starting choice.
Similarly, Adam Zampa starred for Australia in the recent World Cup, managing to collect 23 wickets across the tournament. I can see him bringing back this form to the BBL and his new team, the Renegades. Along with Abbott, he should get four overs a match with the fruits of the Renegades early double game rounds, he is an essential pick for me.
The main low ownership player I have chosen is Afghanistan spinner, Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Mujeeb is another established import that has been a solid performer in BBL. In BBL12, he took a total of 8 wickets at a measly economy rate of 6.64, from nine innings. With the Renegades fixture and potentially dangerous partnership with Zampa, I am willing to join the other 7% of Mujeeb owners.
Lastly, my on-field team is rounded out by two all-rounders, Marcus Stoinis and Paul Walter. Stoinis is purely chosen due to his destructive ability with the bat, his return to bowling and cheap price. Overall his upside is what I see as attractive and if you accompany that with the Stars fixture, I believe he is worthwhile picking. Walter will arrive as an unknown quantity on Australian soil, but the Englishman impressed with a SC average of 40.9 in the Hundred competition this season. As the Heat have a triple game round, I needed to include at least a third player from their squad. This is why I am willing to take a gamble on their new all-rounder.
To complete my bench I chose two young guns of the BBL, in Tanveer Sangha and grand final hero Cooper Connolly. Sangha returns after missing the entirety of BBL12, at a low and bargain price of $83k. The young spinner has grown his international experience by joining the Australian team in the ODI World Cup, as well as averaging 55.3 SC points in the Hundred tournament this year. He will hopefully come in handy as a cash generator on the bench, while also being a playable option when the Thunder have their double game round in round 4.
Finally, the Scorchers new cult hero Connolly, slots into my final bench spot. Priced at $70k with dual-position status, Connolly comes with the possibility that he could open the batting for the Scorchers, as well as bowl. With Perth's opening double a sweetener to his prospects as a pick, I am happy to run with him on my final bench spot as an upside pick.
Hopefully this was entertaining for all readers and would be a massive bonus if new eyes were brought to Supercoach BBL. I have made a Lineball SC BBL group if any readers would like to join, the code is 228300.
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