BBL Supercoach | The Biggest Pre-Season Watches

When it comes to BBL Supercoach, role is everything.

Moving one spot up or down the batting order can have a dramatic impact on how many balls a batter faces.

And picking up even a single over of bowling is all you need to start bringing in the big Supercoach points.

So in this article we’re looking to identify the big ‘what ifs’ that could send some good Supercoach prospects into the upper echelons of the game’s elite.

With no TLT for BBL Supercoach and squads dropping less than 24-hours before the first ball, predicting roles is critical for building your Round 1 sides.

So here’s some names that I’m paying close attention to in preseason who could have elite roles this season.

Embed from Getty Images

Jack Edwards – Sydney Sixers – BAT/BWL – $113.7k

Playbook fans know how much I like JED, and BBL15 could be a breakout for him for a couple of reasons.

Last year he bowled bulk overs and got opportunities with the bat that he didn’t capitalise on, but there’s some things happening at the Sixers which I am paying close attention to because of the potential impact on him.

For starters, his teammate Sean Abbott is in contention for a spot in the Test squad.

And if he’s unable to play for the Sixers, we could see some high value death bowling overs open up for Jed.

The second permutation is to do with his batting.

Since the retirement of Dan Christian, Jed has been fashioned as a number 6 but began his BBL career as an opener and has the ability to bat in the top 3.

Embed from Getty Images

The Sixers have never truly had a settled number 3, with Dan Hughes and Kurtis Patterson sharing the role last season to middling effect.

Which means they could opt for Jed to move up the order this season and give the number 6 role to up-and-coming batters Lachie Shaw or even Joel Davies.

If this all came to fruition, we could be looking at a top 3 batsman who is bowling his four overs including at the death.

Which would be an absolutely elite role and put him right up there with the best in Supercoach.

Now at this affordable price and with a Round 1 double, Jed is a bit of a no-brainer to select anyway.

But should his potential role eventuate, you could be looking at a season long hold.

Embed from Getty Images

Rehan Ahmed – Hobart Hurricanes – BAT/BWL – $117.5k

At just 21-years-old Ahmed has already had one of the most fascinating careers of any modern cricketer.

He’s a three-format International who was the youngest English Test debutant ever.

He made his name famously as a leg-spinner coming through the system and even had the blessing of Shane Warne.

But in the last 12-months he has turned his ‘potential’ as an all-rounder into real world results. 

The bloke has six First Class centuries to his name and spent their ‘Hundred’ tournament scoring runs for fun in the top 3.

He even batted at 6 for England in their latest T20 series.

But with the batting skills only truly newly minted it’s unclear just how the Hurricanes will use him.

When looking at their title winning side from last summer, the gaps in their lineup are at number 3 and the spin bowler’s position.

Embed from Getty Images

But they’ve signed Jake Weatherald and Bangladeshi Rishad Hossein who are both specialists at those roles.

Weatherald is arguably a better batsman than him and has been a force in the BBL at times.

Hossein is a slightly superior leg-spinner than him – at least on paper – and had huge wraps from Ricky Ponting at his time of signing.

So will Hobart plug the specialists in ahead of Ahmed?

Or can Rehan force his way ahead of them?

Could we see another outcome, like Ahmed replacing the Nikhil Chaudhary role in the middle order?

It’s hard right now to see just how he fits in and if he fits in at all.

But if he locks down the type of role he had during the English Domestic Season you will need to lock him into your team for the long term as his prodigious ways could continue in the Supercoach realm.

And, like Edwards, with a Round 1 DGW – not the mention the fact Hobart play five times in the first three rounds – if named, you just bring him in. 

Embed from Getty Images

Mitch Owen – Hobart Hurricanes – $192.8k – BAT/BWL

I don’t need to tell you about his exploits with the bat.

But what you might’ve missed over the offseason was an increased role with the ball for the towering Taswegian.

In fact on route to player of the tournament honours in the US based Major League Cricket tournament, Owen took 14 wickets at the impressive strike-rate of 12.8 whilst bowling in 10 of 12 matches.

Now Hobart might not exactly need him to bowl much this tournament.

Between the likes of Ellis, Meredith and Jordan their pace bases are well covered.

And between the likes of Hossein, Ahmed, Chaudary, Bird and Stanlake there’s uality options to throw the ball to.

But should he up his involvement with the ball from the three innings and nine overs he delivered last year, his scoring potential could elevate even more.

And again, with the Hurricanes draw, don’t dilly dally – just get him in!

Embed from Getty Images

Nathan McSweeney – Brisbane Heat – $120.3k – BAT

Last summer McSweeney made a bit of a splash in the Bash when he returned from his Test debut.

And there is no reason why he shouldn’t have a solid role as opener for the Heat again this season.

Where it gets interesting for the Brisbane Heat is the absence of the much loved ‘Tall’ Paul Walter.

The Englishman hasn’t been retained after a subpar second season and the impact of team balance could be significant.

Part of the Heat’s success has been their six solid bowling options carried, made possible by Paul’s ability to bat at number 6.

With him gone plus the injury to Spencer Johnson (he’s not expected back until at least Christmas), there’s overs available in the lineup and McSweeney’s off spin could be the answer.

He’s at a tricky price and there’s a lot of question marks about how exactly the Heat lineup, but with a Round 2 double game round it’s well worth paying attention.

Embed from Getty Images

Will Sutherland – Melbourne Renegades – $167.7k – BAT/BWL

There’s still potential for the big Chief to get better.

He’s at a premium price, but with the departure of noted middle order options Jono Wells (unsigned) and Mack Harvey (Strikers) we could see him officially elevated to the number 6 role.

The Renegades have a huge amount of batting options and it is near impossible to figure out just how it’s all going to shake out.

But as it stands, aside from Hassan Khan there is no specialist middle order sticks.

Now on the contrary, an elevation like this might mean the ‘Gades are rolling out six bowling options would could hinder him.

But the more balls Sutherland can potentially face bodes well for his output.

The ‘Gades poor draw for Supercoach counts against him.

The ‘Gades extremely poor batting lineup is in his favour as he could come in early.

Embed from Getty Images

Tom Curran – Melbourne Stars – $106k – BAT/BWL

There’s nothing too new about this role for Curran – he performed it at the Sixers with aplomb. 

But with the departure of Beau Webster to the Hobart Hurricanes, the Stars are aligning for Curran to resume his high impact Supercoach role bowling his four overs and batting at number 6.

The Stars list remains one of the most perplexing in the competition and there’s been no attempt to recruit any middle order batting options to-date.

Should that happen, at worst Curran would bat at 7.

But a shift up the order to number 6 could unlock the potential he flashed at the Sixers where he averaged over 70 in his first two seasons.

Curran’s returns were modest during his first season with the Melbourne Stars with just five wickets and 82 runs from his six matches.

But his price reflects that and with a round 3 double game week he’s a big preseason watch.

Embed from Getty Images

Aaron Hardie – Perth Scorchers – $74,800 – BAT/BWL

Make no mistake, Hardie is the cannot miss cheapie this year despite the ordinary draw.

He’s had a good role in years gone past and he looks set for an awesome one again this year.

At this pomp, Hardie batted three and chipped in with a few overs of pace bowling.

And while it remains to be seen exactly where he’ll bat in what is the best and most stacked batting lineup in the competition, it’s his bowling which is the really exciting room for growth this year.

Jason Behrendorff has left for the Renegades.

Lance Morris is out for the season with stress fractures.

Jhye Richardson is also hurt and struggles to stay fit.

Become a member of the SC Playbook community by subscribing for less than $2 per week! Gain access to additional premium articles on site every week, our Whatsapp community, prize money and plenty more. Check it out here.

New recruits International David Payne also isn’t around until the latter stages of the tournament and Joel Paris is also hurt again.

It means there’s not only a lot of overs available, they’re death bowling and power play overs as well.

And what’s better is the fact that the replacements for the three experienced quicks are young, which means they may prefer to lean on the experience of Hardie for those death overs where wickets fall often.

At his price it doesn’t matter if he’s batting in that 6/7 spot and bowling one or two, but the opportunity could present itself for an even bigger role.

And he should be 100% owned in Round 1.