After two rounds where every team played twice, double game rounds are back in KFC SuperCoach BBL – in a big way.
In round 8 the Sydney Sixers and Hobart Hurricanes both play twice.
There are no byes in round 8 but the Sixers have a buy in round 9 while the Strikers, Stars and Scorchers are all the double – something to keep in mind when loading up on Hobart and Sydney players this round.
Here are the players to have on your shopping list before round 8 starts with the Strikers v Hurricanes clash at 7.15pm Thursday (AEDT).
Nathan Ellis (Hurricanes) $125,300 BWL
Well done if you jumped on the Hobart speedster before round 6. Ellis was the only Hobart bowler who prospered in Albury as the Thunder amassed one of the biggest scores in BBL history, taking 4-37 in the face of an Alex Hales and Ollie Davies onslaught. He backed that up with another two wickets against the Strikers to jump $16k in value and shapes as a prime target for the Hobart double.
Matthew Wade (Hurricanes) $174,300 WKP/BAT
After going ballistic with 112 KFC SuperCoach points when he scored 67 from 30 balls batting at No.3 against the Thunder in round 6, Wade couldn’t get going against the Strikers, meaning his price actually dipped $300 heading into round 8 – a big relief for non-owners. He’s so destructive it would be a big risk to go without him when Hobart plays twice. While some other Hurricanes options are still at very affordable prices, Wade is nowhere near his starting quote of about $120k, but a player of his class is worth finding the extra bank for.
Ben McDermott (Hurricanes) $130,300 WKP-BAT
The breakout superstar of BBL11 had dropped more than $80k from his high starting price after scoring a total of 34 points in the first three rounds before returning to the team against the Strikers and blasting 53 off 33 deliveries for 98 KFC SuperCoach points. Amazingly, he lost another $5600 after last round, which helps explain why he’s clearly the most popular traded player on the eve of round 8. He’s still not exactly cheap but we know what he’s capable of – last summer his scores included a 206 and an insane 347. If you have less money to spend, his opening partner Caleb Jewell is $98,100 also fresh off a quickfire half-century.
Hayden Kerr (Sixers) $180,900 BAT-BWL
He won’t come cheap, but Kerr looks a must-have for KFC SuperCoach sides. The Sydney Sixers seamer was the second-leading wicket taker in the BBL last season and has added quickfire batting at the death to his repertoire, highlighted by knocks of 42 (34 balls) and 27 (15) against the heat in round 6. Coupled with his consistent scalps and a great bowling role, this has made him a reliable option for the single games and a genuine captaincy pick for the Sixers’ round 8 double.
Josh Philippe (Sixers) $133,300 WKP-BAT
Most KFC SuperCoaches would already have Philippe in their team after he was a popular trade-in before the Sixers’ round 5 double. But if you didn’t nab him before then, then now is a great time to snap him up at a big discount. A modest start to the season caused his price to plummet but he has returned to form in recent matches with knocks of 43 and 55 in two of his past three innings. After bottoming out at $127k his price has started heading north again and considering his high ownership and scoring power, you don’t want to miss out.
Sean Abbott (Sixers) $151,900 BWL
Like Philippe, Abbott looms as an underpriced option and is worth bringing in if you overlooked him in round 5. He hasn’t really hit his straps in BBL12 and has dropped $53k with a Break Even of 152. But fading the top wicket-taker in BBL history would be a huge gamble with the Sixers playing twice. Sydney has rotated its bowlers all tournament so tread with caution but others to consider include Chris Jordan ($135,700 BWL), Jackson Bird ($123,500 BWL) and Steve O’Keefe ($148,000 BWL). Also don’t forget the Sixers have the bye in round 9 so you don’t want to be stuck with too many.
Paddy Dooley (Hurricanes) $149,900 BWL
Dooley has lost his title as the top wicket-taker of BBL12 after a stunning start to the season that included a return of 4-16 against the Scorchers. But he’s still a front-line weapon for the Hurricanes and took two wickets last round against the Strikers – the team the Canes open round 8 against on Thursday night. Has gained more than $87,000 in value since round 1 but actually dipped in price last round.
Riley Meredith (Hurricanes) $148,100 BWL
Meredith’s value is on the rise after a score of 108 KFC SuperCoach points when he took 3-12 from four overs against the Renegades in round 4. He hadded another $10k to his price tag after scoring 32 against the Strikers and has taken wickets in every round but one in BBL12. With any luck he might add to the seven batting points and 10 fielding points (one catch) he has scored for the entire tournament.
D’Arcy Short (Hurricanes) $81,200 BAT-BWL
Maybe we’re being a bit nostalgic here, but a KFC SuperCoach favourite at almost rookie price seems too good to be true. Short hasn’t come close to the heights he produced in 2019-20, when his KFC SuperCoach price eclipsed $300k. That is partly due to not bowling in the first half of the tournament (Shadab Khan and Paddy Dooley have taken the spin overs). But that could change when Shadab Khan is away on international duties. Short bowled two overs against the Strikers although his figures weren’t amazing (0-28), he only needed a boundary catch to add to his 27 not out with the bat to produce a score worth well more than his price tag.
Matt Short (Strikers) $211,500 BAT-BWL
Short has his first failure of the season against the Stars, scoring just 19 points, but bounced back with 58 points in round 7 and if you don’t have him, it might pay not to wait until the Strikers’ round 9 double. Often opening the batting and the bowling, Short has amassed single-round scores of 119 and 102 and is a weapon even when the Strikers only play once.
Josh Brown (Heat) $76,900 BAT
Looking for a cheap downgrade target to free up cash for other trades? Brown is your man.
Unfortunately, he’s not available at basement price any more after returning for his second game of the season in round 6 and smashing 62 off just 23 balls against the Sixers. He managed just six in the rain-impacted fixture against the Sixers and the Heat play every round for the rest of the season, including twice in round 12.
Joel Davies (Thunder) $55,700 BAT-BWL
The younger brother of hard-hitting batsman Ollie Davies was a post-Christmas addition to the Sydney Thunder squad and is a cheaper option that Brown if you’re really strapped for cash. Amazingly, he scored 70 points on debut despite not getting a bat or taking a wicket, scoring almost all his points from fielding (two catches and two run-outs). At the under-19 national carnival he peeled off scores of 50, 68, 55no, 185no (from 124 balls) and 100 to help NSW Metro to the title. He also took wickets across four games and bowls left-arm orthodox. If you thought Ollie was a talent, his younger brother might be even better. He’s a player KFC SuperCoach teams will be talking about for years to come, not just in BBL12.
Originally published as KFC SuperCoach BBL trade guide: Best targets for round 8
