Michael Fisher
SC expert, NRL best 9th overall, BBL 14th
Positional analysis: All-rounder breakdown, verdict
We take an in-depth look at the all-rounder position, assessing the best options to get you off to a flyer.
Pre-season
December 9, 2020
- POSITIONAL ANALYSIS: Full batting breakdown and verdict
- POSITIONAL ANALYSIS: Full bowling breakdown and verdict
I’m very much pro all-rounders when it comes to BBL SuperCoach.
Perhaps a little too much, given that BWL only players are more prevalent than any other position in the top 20 averaging players in the last two years (as covered in the batsman analysis).
I’ve also mentioned in earlier articles that I think the scoring changes to batting and bowling for this season will pretty much offset each other.
However, if there’s one group who I think can benefit from the point scoring changes, it’s bowling all-rounders.
Embed from Getty ImagesA quickfire 20 looks gold this season due to the S/R bonus. This is often what is required of a bowling all-rounder late in the innings.
Bowling all-rounders could even benefit from the BBL’s new ‘power surge’ rule, which is required to be used between the 11th to 20th overs.
On the other hand, an issue for batting all-rounders could be that a minimum of three overs are now required for economy rate bonuses.
An additional benefit of all-rounders in BBL SC is being able to move them around in your side.
This can often enable a better trade or on-field selection. I try not to underestimate this when comparing a dual player to a non-dual player.
| Strike Rate Bonus | |
| Strike Rate of 160+ | 25 points |
| SR of 150-159.99 | 20 points |
| SR of 140-149.99 | 15 points |
| SR of 130-139.99 | 10 points |
| SR of 120-129.99 | 5 points |
| (must score 20+ runs for SR bonus) |
| Economy Rate Bonus | |
| 4 or less r.p.o. | 25 points |
| 4.01 – 5 r.p.o. | 20 points |
| 5.01 – 6 r.p.o. | 15 points |
| 6.01 – 7 r.p.o. | 10 points |
| 7.01 – 8 r.p.o | 5 points |
| (must bowl at least 3 overs for ER bonus) |
Premiums ($140k plus)
Marcus Stoinis ($185.7k) and Glenn Maxwell ($185k) were both SuperCoach guns last season and I see no reason why this shouldn’t continue. Maxwell was a bit out of form recently but found it again playing for Australia.
Stoinis picked up a side injury in the first ODI. This could affect his bowling prospects for the Stars. Nonetheless, he showed last season that he doesn’t need to bowl to score well.
I’ll be starting with both for their round 1 double game week. Maxwell looks the better captaincy prospect for mine, as I think he’s more likely to bowl a few overs.
Embed from Getty ImagesD’Arcy Short ($245.2k) is the most expensive player in BBL SuperCoach and rightfully so.
He racks up the runs in each BBL season and his left arm wrist spinners jag plenty of wickets.
I can’t imagine going without him, especially given the Hurricanes’ round 2 double game week.
Fellow Hurricanes’ allrounder Will Jacks ($148k)was the Vitality Blast player of the tournament and looks like he’ll fill both the batting and bowling stat sheets to put up enormous numbers for SC. The only question is how he’ll adapt to Australian conditions.
Travis Head ($173.2k) is a gun when available but will miss most of the season on Australian duties.
Michael Neser ($142k) is also likely to also miss at least the early part of the season on Aus A / Australian duties.
It’s a shame, as he would have been a great option with the Strikers early double game week fixtures. He has a century and a 5 for to his name from his three Shield games this season.
Heat recruit Lewis Gregory ($175k) is away for the opening rounds. He’s probably a wait and see in any case.
His numbers were okay in this year’s Vitality Blast, averaging 23.6 at a S/R of 157.33 with the bat, and taking nine wickets at an E/R of 9.26 with the ball.
Embed from Getty ImagesRenegades’ star Mohammad Nabi (191.5k) is the type of player I’ll be looking at as a possible beneficiary of the point scoring changes.
His career batting S/R is 141.3, averaging 22.6. He’s also very economical with the ball (6.9) at the same time as striking every 20.3 balls.
Nabi was even more difficult to get away in the recent Caribbean Premier League, going for only 5.1 runs per over. Unfortunately, it looks like he’ll miss the start of the season due to being in quarantine.
Imad Wasim ($160k) is another Renegades’ bowling all-rounder. He’ll only be available for the second half of the season though.
As a slow left arm orthodox bowler, Wasim could compliment Nabi well. He’s also very economical, going for 6.5 runs per over across his T20 career.
His strike rate with the ball is good without being exceptional at 23.3.
His career batting stats also aren’t quite as good as Nabi’s, but still handy, averaging 19.4 at a S/R of 126.2
Scorchers’ allrounder Liam Livingstone ($166k) will also miss the start of the season. He’s one to target later in the season, especially if he can get a few more opportunities with the ball.
Mitch Marsh ($164k) isn’t expected to bowl early in the tournament and may miss the first game. This combined with his middle-order batting role will make him hard to select to start with.
Jason Holder ($175k) has signed on for a three-game cameo with the Sixers from 20 Dec – 29 Dec. He would be difficult for only three games and has a relatively low batting average of 14.7 in T20s.
Fellow West Indian Carlos Braithwaite ($160k) should be available for the entire tournament for the Sixers. He also has a fairly low career T20 batting average of 15.7.
Braithwaite is very capable with the bat though. In the 2016 T20 World Cup final he hit Ben Stokes for four consecutives sixes.
More recently, he scored an ODI century off 82 balls against New Zealand in 2019.
His form in the CPL was so-so, averaging 12 with the bat and claiming 10 wickets with the ball at a S/R of 18.2 and E/R of 8.2.
Embed from Getty ImagesDaniel Sams ($196k) has stormed onto the BBL scene over the last three years.
Sams has been a SC gun for back-to-back seasons, averaging 59.1 in 2018-19 and 68.5 last season.
The majority of his SC points are due to an exceptional career bowling strike-rate of 13.5.
He’s capable with the bat as well, although he’s yet to have much success in the BBL (batting average 8.6).
I’ll be keeping an eye on him throughout the season to see if I can pick him up at a discount.
Ben Cutting ($153.3k) is an intriguing prospect following his move down south to join the Thunder.
He bowled less than three overs on eight occasion’s last season. Therefore, I see upside If he can get a regular four overs at the Thunder. At his price and with no early double game weeks though, I’m going to wait and see what his role is.
Embed from Getty ImagesMid-rangers ($80k – $140k)
Former Australian Test batsman Matt Renshaw ($137k) is one who caught my eye following his move to the Strikers.
His T20 game has improved immensely in the last few years. Renshaw tallied 348 runs at an average of 29, striking at 123.3 in his last BBL campaign.
Renshaw was used quite effectively in the powerplay by the Heat last season. He claimed four wickets in nine overs and may do similar at the Strikers.
However, for me it’s still too uncertain whether he’ll bowl enough to claim many bowling points.
The Renegades recently signed Englishman Benny Howell ($138k). His game looks very SC friendly, with 132 career T20 wickets in 103 innings, striking every 16.6 balls at an E/R of a tick under 7.
He’s handy with the bat as well, averaging over 22.9 at a S/R of 125.1 in T20s.
His recent form in the Vitality Blast supports these figures. I’m going to wait to see what his role is and how he adapts to the BBL. He looks a decent POD to start though.
Jack Prestwidge ($93.9k) has moved from the Heat to the Renegades. He bowls 140k+ and hits a long ball.
In his few opportunities in the BBL he’s struck regularly with the ball resulting in a S/R of 14.4.
However, he can be expensive at times, going at 8.3 an over. Unfortunately for SC, it looks as though he’ll have lots of competition for starts at the Gades, so is no certainty to play long-term.
Embed from Getty ImagesScorchers spinner and Australian limited overs rep Ashton Agar ($102.7k) is one who could benefit from the new point scoring as a bowling all-rounder.
However, his BBL career batting S/R is probably a little low at 114.9 to claim many bonus points
Two players I’m heavily considering are Sixers’ duo Dan Christian ($105k) and Moises Henriques ($100.4k).
Christian is on the radar of many SuperCoaches following his move to the Sixers.
He is a SuperCoach gun when given enough opportunity with bat and ball. With no Tom Curran for the entire tournament for the Sixers, Christian could fill this role.
Christian was in good form in the Vitality Blast, where he was regularly bowling his four overs and scoring those quickfire 20+ scores that are going to be gold with S/R bonuses this season.
He also scored a century off 33 balls in a recent intra-squad trial for the Sixers.
Henriques has been in excellent form recently. He has two centuries to his name in the Shield this season.
It was also exciting to see him play a key role with bat and ball for Australia in the first T20 vs India, claiming 3/22 and notching 30 off 20 balls. He only bowled one over for 9 runs in the second T20 though.
Henriques should bat at three or four for the Sixers. It will be interesting to see how much he bowls in the third T20 vs India. I still think Christian will play the greater role with the ball for the Sixers.
Arjun Nair ($109.3k) could be an option at some stage if he can grab a starting spot with the Thunder. He averages 21.5 with the bat, striking at 118 and S/R of 21 with the ball at an economy rate of 7.7.
Embed from Getty ImagesCheapies ($80k or less)
Jack Wildermuth ($62.5k) comes in at a bargain price due to limited opportunities last season.He was expensive with the ball when he did get the chance, going at 9.8 per over.
Wildermuth is very capable with the bat but hasn’t translated it to the BBL so far, with a BBL career batting average of 9.35.
His batting form has been excellent in Queensland Premier Cricket, averaging 63.25 at a S/R of 193.1 in T20s.
He looks like he’ll bat at six or seven for the Heat and be the fifth bowling option.
Hopefully he sees more overs, but the Heat do have Dan Lawrence and Tom Cooper who can role the arm over.
Wildermuth’s dual status could be very handy to move him around as you trade in players through the season. I like him as a bench option, but not to start for week 1.
Will Sutherland ($79.9k) is a talented all-rounder who is currently on Australia A duty.
His game should be quite SC friendly given the opportunities, as he showed with a 153-point SC score in his final game last season. Nonetheless, he’s another Renegade whose role I’d like to see before purchasing.
Embed from Getty ImagesCam Green (62.5k) looks an amazing prospect for Australian Cricket. Plundering runs for fun at the moment and appears very hard to handle with the ball, getting steep bounce from his height.
Most of his success has been in long-form cricket, with five centuries (including one in the current Aus A match vs India) and a batting average a tick under 50.
Funnily enough I’m actually interested in him as a non-player for SuperCoach, as he looks likely to be on Australian duty for most of the summer.
A majority of the time, the Scorchers play the last or second-last game in the round (thanks to Brice Mitchell on Twitter for his awesome fixture analysis that shows this).
This is perfect for the emergency and VC loopholes, as players aren’t locked out until they play their match.
Green’s dual status also means you can move him around to do this in either the batting or bowling position, depending on the makeup of your team.
For those who aren’t familiar with the emergency loophole, this is an opportunity to see how a player goes before deciding whether you wish to take their score.
For example, say you have Dan Christian in your team for round 1, you can select him as an emergency on your bench for the first game of the round.
Say Christian scores 100 and you want to take his score, you simply bring in the non-playing player (e.g., Cam Green, Matt Short etc.), so that at the end of the round Christian comes on as your emergency.
If Christian doesn’t score well, you leave the playing player on the field (e.g, Max Bryant).
There is some risk involved, as you only get three emergencies each week for your team, which need to be spread across three positions.
So, if there are any late outs after you’ve used the loophole, you risk a 0 from one of your players.
Most SuperCoaches will be familiar with the VC loophole. This is similar to the above. Except you VC a player who plays early in the round, then captain a non-playing player if you want to lock-in the VC’s score.
Finally, I will be keeping an eye on Oliver Davies ($42k) from the Thunder. He has been pressing for a spot through his Premier Cricket performances, including a 116 not out in one of his T20 matches and figures of 3 for 15 in another.
Embed from Getty ImagesVerdict
D’Arcy Short, Will Jacks, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis effectively picked themselves for my team with their early double game weeks.
Of the others, I like Christian or Henriques. Christian’s probably my pick of those two as I think he’s likely to bowl more overs than Henriques.
One of the last decisions I have to make for my team is whether to run with Christian and a Strikers player on the bench in round 1, or a genuine gun and a cheapie.
I’m still undecided, but the free swing at Christian using the emergency loophole is very tempting.
From the cheapies, I’m likely to run with Wildermuth on my bench, unless any better options crop up in the next few days.I’m also planning on running Cam Green to utilise the emergency loophole.
If Green does happen to play for the Scorchers, I’ll be quite happy to give him a run on-field, as he looks an absolute weapon. As I write he’s ripping through India’s top-order in the Australia A match.
I’m really looking forward to the start of the season now. I think we’re going to see lots of Australian players star in this Big Bash, including the likes of Maxwell, Lynn and Short. Enjoy the opening round and good luck with your selections!
Thanks Michael. I like your thinking re Cam Green, and would love to see him play a few games for the Scorchers.
What is the name of your team, as I would like to set up a rivalry with your team.
Cheers,
Cheers Louie!
Team name is The Wendells.
Good luck for the season.