It’s here! The end of the regular season is here. Many will be looking forward to the back of BBL SuperCoach after not captaining Mitch Owen, whilst others are looking to finish in style.
If you confine to the latter category, this article is for you, as we look at the highest ceilings for players in Round 9 of BBL SuperCoach
Matt Short $261k BAT/BWL
The Strikers season is on the line, if they lose, they’re out. Big game scenarios bring out the big game players, and it’s safe to say that Matt Short is one of those. The most destructive batter on his day, Short has a ceiling that others cannot hit. He takes wickets, he takes catches, he scores bulk runs at a lightning pace, it’s the perfect storm for a monster ceiling. His average at Optus Stadium is just 43, but his average against Perth is 55. A reasonable matchup, but an excellent role, very hard to ignore M. Short this round.
Will Sutherland $186k BAT/BWL
The blonde Christian Bale, Will Sutherland has really broken out this year, carrying his side with the bat and the ball, and in the field. Sutho bowls himself the important overs, bats in key situations and fields in hotspots. Marvel Stadium however, is not his favourite ground, averaging just 45 there this season. On the flip side: he’s capable of 150+ scores on his day regardless of where he plays.
Finn Allen $128k BAT
Finn Allen has had a very up-and-down season, never really fulfilling his potential in the BBL. At one point, it looked like he had taken off but he came crashing back to earth. With nothing to play for, that may break the shackles on Finn Allen and bring about a monster innings, against an opposition he has scored well against already this season — the Adelaide Strikers. Something to think about.
Glenn Maxwell $202k BAT/BWL
You can never mention ceiling and not mention Maxwell. One of the most talented cricketers of all time, Maxi has been batting at 6 and not bowling. However, with the season on the line, one shot to save the Stars from the bottom 3, give me Maxwell. Whilst the role isn’t perfect, he has still managed a 65.7 average this season, and it is very hard to ignore him knowing what he’s capable of. I’ll be trading him in, because I am terrified of not owning. That’s the presence that Glenn Maxwell has on SuperCoaches. Keep an eye on him replacing Ben Duckett as opener too.
Mitch Owen $163k BAT/BWL
I understand they just played the double, but he went back-to-back tons, and made a mockery of this double game round. What a gun player, what a season it’s been for Owen, and his newly found bowling role has made him a very desirable option for SuperCoach, as he’s quickly turning into a pace-bowling Matt Short. He’s got genuine captaincy material about him since he plays in the final game of the season. I reckon there’s another monster score in him, especially against a Stars bowling lineup that can be rather suspect.
Michael Neser $143.9k BAT/BWL
I’ve saved my most speculative high-ceiling option until last, because combining the amount of misfortune that has gone against Neser in these recent games, as well as a 66.8 career average against the Renegades, and Neser has a compelling case. That Renegades top order has been failing regularly, and they’ve been 3 down very early on. Neser takes wickets with the new ball and would feast on guys like Josh Brown and Jake Fraser-McGurk, whose footwork is non-existent to swing bowling. Then, there’s the walking wicket himself, Marcus Harris and Tim Seifert, whose faded away as the season has progressed. Then there’s the batting, the Heat are significantly weaker in the batting than what they’ve been in the past, and there’s a very outside chance that Neser opens the batting as a pinch hitter. It’s a great formula for a very high ceiling.
Editor’s (Ben Somerford) POD picks
In terms of some POD picks (ownership 10% or lower), here’s a few suggestions for a one-off Round 9 hit.
Stars all-rounder Tom Curran ($140k BAT/BWL) is set to return from a calf injury and resume his role batting 7 and bowling death.
There’s interest in Fergus O’Neill ($112k BWL) at Marvel Stadium, where he’s scored well with economical figures this season, while those conditions could suit Paul Walter ($135k BAT/BWL) if he gets a recall and good role.
Keep an eye on Alex Carey ($131k WKP/BAT) as a wicketkeeper solution if it’s a batting paradise at Optus with Chris Lynn and Jake Weatherald out, while teammate Lloyd Pope ($112k BWL) has been prolific with wickets this season and tormented the Scorchers at that venue last season in the finals.
Keep an eye on Andrew Tye ($120k BWL) if recalled and the Scorchers are bowling first, as he’s underpriced for a player of his pedigree who can take bulk death overs wickets.
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There you have it, the final Devil’s Advocate for BBL14. Thank you for your support and thank you to the crew at Honeyball for giving me an opportunity to write Devil’s Advocate. All the best for the final round, where things will inevitably go wrong, and the player you trade out will inevitably do well.
Cheers, Nathan (SuperCoach Guns)
