The budget available to every team will have changed in the opening seven rounds of BBL10 — hopefully for the better thanks to price rises to cash cows. That cash generation will be crucial in Round 8 as KFC SuperCoaches try to fit the top targets from Brisbane Heat and Sydney Thunder into their teams.As of Round 7, there were 10 players from the Heat and Thunder worth more than $140,000, headlined by all-rounders Daniel Sams and Lewis Gregory. Unless you’re among the lucky coaches who already have either Gregory or Sams, you’ll need to manoeuvre your budget to squeeze the pair in.
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All-rounders with a double are gold, as Dan Christian showed in Round 6. Jack Wildermuth is the other all-rounder KFC SuperCoaches need, but he already features in most teams as he started at $62,000. The problem KFC SuperCoaches are going to confront is which players to sacrifice to make room for Sams, Gregory and potentially Alex Hales ($183k in Round 7). Glenn Maxwell has a double in Round 10 and outscored every player on the double in Round 6 with a score of 150 against Hobart Hurricanes. Rashid Khan could be the player who makes way, although there’s still a chance the Strikers spin wizard features against a shaky Melbourne Renegades batting line-up before heading to the UAE. Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi have been selected in Afghanistan’s squad to face Ireland later this month and the trio are expected to depart Australia between January 8-10. Trading Khan might be the necessary evil to ensure you have the big guns required for Round 8. The other issue for KFC SuperCoaches in Round 8 will be which wicketkeeper to go with. Sam Billings and Jimmy Peirson both bat in the middle-order and their role doesn’t appeal for KFC SuperCoach. Billings is a quality batsman, but it’s no good if he’s stuck behind Hales, Usman Khawaja, Callum Ferguson and either Alex Ross or Oliver Davies. Ditto Peirson, who could be relegated to No. 6 or No. 7 when Chris Lynn returns. That could mean opting for a player such as Perth’s Josh Inglis, who has the Round 10 double and is still available for less than his starting price. He won’t play twice in Round 8, but you’ll get the reward for planning ahead in two rounds. TOP TARGETS
*Projected Round 8 prices calculated on projected Round 7 scores
Alex Hales (Sydney Thunder) BAT
Projected price: $200,000-$210,000
A Hales storm has hit the BBL with the Englishman blasting scores of 35, 71 and 46 in his past three innings to Round 7. Hales got as cheap as $126,700 in KFC SuperCoach after Round 4 but scores of 80, 136 and 70 in successive games caused his price to skyrocket to more than $180,000 for Round 7. A break even of -19 will ensure coaches need to pay a premium to grab Hales for Round 8.
Daniel Sams (Sydney Thunder) BAT-BWL
Projected price: $180,000-$190,000
Sams is likely to be available for his cheapest price of the season in Round 8 — perfect timing for KFC SuperCoaches who have been waiting patiently to add the Thunder all-rounder. Sams started at $196,000 and jumped to a peak of $230,200 after Round 4 due to his score of 153 against Brisbane Heat. Three of his other games to Round 7 resulted in scores of 63-70. KFC SuperCoaches will be hopeful of a triple-figure return in the double and Sams will be a top captaincy pick.
Lewis Gregory (Brisbane Heat) BAT-BWL
Projected price: $185,000-$190,000
The Englishman has wasted no time displaying his all-round talents in the BBL, taking four wickets and contributing 61 runs in his opening three games. Gregory bowled at least three overs in each of those matches, the trigger to be eligible for the KFC SuperCoach economy bonus. He’s featured as high as No. 5 in the batting line-up but will be relegated at least one spot when Chris Lynn returns from a hamstring injury. Regardless, he’s a top target along with Sams.
Callum Ferguson (Sydney Thunder) BAT
Projected price: $135,000-$145,000
One of the most consistent batsmen in the BBL, Thunder skipper Ferguson reached 30 in four of his first six innings in BBL10. The only time he was dismissed cheaply was against Brisbane Heat when he was out caught for a duck. Ferguson otherwise had three fifties to his name by Round 7 and three KFC SuperCoach scores of 71-84. That sort of reliability is hard to come by in SuperCoach and you’d be mighty unlucky if Ferguson failed in both innings of the double.
Usman Khawaja (Sydney Thunder) BAT
Projected price: $115,000-$125,000
Usman Khawaja and $80k or Alex Hales? It’s a question many KFC SuperCoaches will be asking ahead of Round 8. While Hales has been in incredible form, that $80k could be the difference between adding another top target or settling for a mid-pricer. Khawaja scored 31, 59, 37 and 63 between rounds 3-6, a four-round average of 47.5. If he reproduces that in the double, he’ll be great value for money.
Sam Billings (Sydney Thunder) WKP-BAT
Projected price: $120,000-$130,000
The barnstorming form of Hales — and to a lesser extent Khawaja — has limited Billings’ opportunities since arriving at the Thunder. He was in with seven overs left against Melbourne Stars and was 10 not out when rain intervened against Melbourne Renegades. The pleasing factor of that innings was Billings was elevated to No. 4 ahead of whiz kid Ollie Davies. If that continues, he’ll be ripe for the picking come Round 8 as coaches search for a wicketkeeping alternative after banking on Alex Carey and Josh Philippe for much of the campaign.
Jimmy Peirson (Brisbane Heat) WKP-BAT
Projected price: $95,000-$105,000
The Heat gloveman is enjoying his best BBL campaign with the bat, buoyed by his 69 not out which almost willed Brisbane home against Adelaide Strikers. Peirson scored at least 14 in five of his first six innings and had 138 runs at 46 to Round 7. Billings looms as the better option of the wicketkeepers with the Round 8 double but if you’re strapped for cash, Peirson has done enough to be considered.
Chris Lynn (Brisbane Heat) BAT
Projected price: $140,000-$150,000
The Heat captain is set to return to the top order just in time for Brisbane’s double. Lynn entered the season in remarkable hitting form and franked that with knocks of 20 and 69 to start the BBL. Leave him out in Round 8 at your own peril.
Mark Steketee (Brisbane Heat) BWL
Projected price: $160,000-$170,000
More renowned as a red-ball bowler, Steketee has become a pace weapon for Brisbane Heat this season. The big quick took a wicket in each of his first five games, which included hauls of 2-31, 2-36 and 4-33. If Ben Laughlin is still absent and he’s bowling at the death, Steketee needs to be considered — even at possibly $80k more than his starting price. POD PICKS
Joe Denly (Brisbane Heat) BAT Ownership, as of Round 7: 0 per cent (88 teams)
Projected price: $105,000-$115,000
The English batsman went straight into Brisbane’s team at No. 3 on debut, although Lynn was missing. He might be more likely to bat at No. 4 when Lynn is back, but even then Denly will be cheaper than most of the Round 8 batting options. Whether you can trust him after a lean BBL08 campaign for Sydney Sixers two summers ago is another matter.
Nathan McAndrew (Sydney Thunder) BWL Ownership, as of Round 7: 2 per cent (1029 teams)
Projected price: $135,000-$145,000
You can certainly make a case for Adam Milne as a POD, but the major concern is the Kiwi quick could be rested during the double after missing a game in Round 6 as a precaution. After largely being bowling insurance in recent seasons McAndrew showed his capabilities with seven wickets in the first six games, including 3-41 against Melbourne Renegades.
ROUND 8 FIXTURES (Times AEDT) Hurricanes v Thunder — Thursday, January 7, Optus Stadium, 6.10pm Heat v Stars — Thursday, January 7, Metricon Stadium, 9.20pm Strikers v Renegades — Friday, January 8, Adelaide Oval, 6.10pmScorchers v Thunder — Saturday, January 9, Optus Stadium, 7.15pmSixers v Heat — Sunday, January 10, Metricon Stadium, 7.15pm
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