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The form of a player can be the difference between starting or fading them in SuperCoach BBL.
Where formlines are easier to read in NRL and AFL pre-season, the different levels and format of cricket make comparisons to the BBL more difficult.
Most players will join the BBL competition after featuring in longer-form cricket.
While that’s not always the most reliable indicator of who’s set to take the BBL by storm, it does provide a strong guide to who’s seeing the ball well and who’s in lethal form with the ball.
SuperCoach BBL experts Damo and Azza analyse the players who are running hot and who’s not ahead of BBL13.
WHO’S HOT?
Jason Behrendorff (Perth Scorchers $117,600 BWL) is in ripping bowling form in India with the Australian squad. He recorded figures of 1-12 (4), including a maiden, in the third T20 game (76 SuperCoach points), then 1-25 with a maiden over in the first game (56 SuperCoach points). Behrendorff would’ve been the only Australian bowler to qualify for the economy rate bonus in those matches too.
We can’t not talk about Glenn Maxwell (Melbourne Stars $118,300 BAT-BWL). There’s a reason he’s called “The Big Show” and his recent form will tell you why he’s earned such a nickname. He blasted 104 off 48 balls (147 SuperCoach points) against India in game three of the T20I series, a performance that including 16 boundaries. And that was just one of his many unbelievable performances in recent weeks. Maxwell’s bowling of 0-30 from one over in the same game wasn’t a great return, but he made up for it with his batting to get Australia over the line.
While the availability of Josh Inglis (Perth Scorchers $179,200 WKP-BAT) is still up in the air, a monster 110 off 50 including 19 boundaries (155 SuperCoach points) against India was a mighty effort to give Australia a red-hot chance in the first game of the series.
Colin Munro (Brisbane Heat $156,100 BAT) — currently playing the Abu Dhabi T10 league, hit 36 off 15 balls with five boundaries for Northern Warriors against Samp Army.
Prior to entering that competition, Munro featured in four games in the Caribbean Premier League. The opener managed 72 off 51 (92 SuperCoach points) in his second last appearance for St Lucia Kings, hitting nine boundaries.
Sam Harper (Melbourne Stars $130,100 WKP-BAT) — had an incredible innings, hitting 151 off 104 against South Australia in a Sheffield Shield game. By reaching 150 off 99 balls, he recorded the second-fastest 150 in Sheffield Shield history.
Ollie Davies (Sydney Thunder $117,100 BAT) — received man of the match for NSW after hitting a monster 129 off 141 in a Sheffield Shield game against Western Australia, NSW won the game by 5 wickets.
Sam Whiteman (Perth Scorchers $62,500 WKP-BAT) — averaging 40.12 from eight innings in Sheffield Shield and currently leading the Marsh Cup run scorers list with 367 runs from five innings including a knock of 137 not out.
WHO’S NOT?
Popular starting selection Sean Abbott (Sydney Sixers $197,600 BWL) hasn’t had the greatest start to the T20 series against India, conceding 43 and 56 runs from four overs in match one and two before being left out of game three.
The second-most expensive player in SuperCoach BBL, Matt Short (Adelaide Strikers $244,100 BAT-BWL), hasn’t exactly done enough to make you feel good about investing almost an eighth of your starting salary either. The Strikers opener has been cheaply dismissed in two of the games (13 off 11 and 19 off 10) against India and was not included in the squad for game three. If we go back to August, when Short featured in England’s The Hundred competition, he would’ve only qualified for the bowler’s economy rate bonus once in eight appearances.
Jason Sangha (Sydney Thunder $113,600 BAT) has had modest returns for NSW with only one innings in his last 10 games returning more than 30 runs.
Tim David (Hobart Hurricanes $158,400 BAT) scored just 231 runs from 15 innings in IPL back in May and has only five totals above five runs in his 13 T20 games since. His form in the longer series hasn’t been much better either, with an innings of 35 off 34 balls his best return during Australia’s ODI series against South Africa.
Sydney Thunder import Alex Hales (Sydney Thunder $125,600 BAT) has been anything but a big hitter, with some very low returns over the last few months, appearing in the Caribbean Premier League and The Hundred. He’s averaged 25.1 SuperCoach across his last 11 appearances, an average that drops to 16.5 SuperCoach if you remove his fielding points.
INJURY WATCH
Kane Richardson (Melbourne Renegades $143,300 BWL) suffered an injury to his right glute in Wednesday’s T20 match against India. After bowling three overs, he left the field for treatment and did not return. It’s one to keep an eye on, as scans and assessments have yet come through, but he may miss round 1. That would open the door for Peter Siddle to line up for the Renegades after returning from South Australia.
James Bazley (Adelaide Strikers $165,900 BAT-BWL) is currently recovering from a hamstring injury, so it’s likely he’ll miss Round 1 of the BBL, but could be available for the all-important Adelaide Strikers double game round in Round 2. Wait for more information before thinking about stashing him on your bench.
It’s been nearly 11 months to the day since Nic Maddinson (Melbourne Renegades $87,200 BAT) suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the New Year’s Day match the Perth Scorchers. But he’s making great strides in his recovery, making his Premier Cricket return with St Kilda recently. Maddinson not only batted but bowled as well. Given the lack of all-rounders at the Renegades, Maddison could be a welcome inclusion if fit come Round 1.
Ashton Agar (Perth Scorchers $106,300 BAT-BWL) will definitely miss Round 1 of the BBL with a calf injury, but should feature in the early rounds once fully fit. Popular cheapie Cooper Connolly (Perth Scorchers $70,500 BAT-BWL) missed some time due to an unfortunate boating accident, but was welcomed back for WA’s Marsh Cup game on November 20. The Scorchers youngster bowled 10 overs that included taking a wicket, and then hit 13 off 23 in his return game.
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