Thommo’s Takes | BBL Supercoach round 4 wrap

Welcome to our review article at SC Playbook, where we review the action from the previous round and see what impact it had on our side and what we can learn from it.

Round 4 has been completed, and it showed the value of two bites of the cherry with the likes of Mitch Marsh going big in a second chance.

Lynny wound back the clock and past 4000 BBL runs in style, and the Sixers probably named the strongest batting eleven in BBL history.

The alternate or POD VC also showed up, and it is possible to go against the crowd if you choose carefully and wisely!

Double game selections proved the lever to pull with 6 out of the 10 top scoring players from the round from the West!

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Thunder vs Scorchers

Result: Scorchers won by 71 runs

Takes:

*One change for the Scorchers. Hobson the unlucky, temporary omission for the returning Inglis, who did take the gloves. One change for the Thunder with McAndrew back to open the bowling in place of Hadley. 

*Ashton Turner was batting on a different pitch to anyone else! 99 not out off just 41 balls as he was desperately stranded at the non-striker’s end for the last few deliveries. The ultimate POD pick (super, super POD really) with 144 SC points after his first game of the round. The theory behind him as a trade in didn’t make sense, batting 5, not bowling, but it does go to show that someone in the middle order can go off during surge and death if seeing them well!

*Sams bounced back from his very, very quiet previous game with a mammoth 114 SC points and showed how vital the 20th over can be for wicket-taking. 4/51 off his 4 overs. Not great figures in the traditional sense, super figures from a SC perspective. He was also promoted to number 6 in front of Shadab. Will this stay like this? We need to see who replaces Shadab in their lineup for the next few games. Will they select a spinner or a batter? In any case, Sams has a very, very SC role which will see him pump out ceiling scores when conditions suit.

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*Perth all-rounders and popular selections Hardie and Connolly with very good starts with 98 and 85 SC points respectively. Both are getting opportunities to earn some points with bat and ball. Hardie in at number 7 and probably the best he has looked with the willow so far, making 28 off 16. I assume he will be back to number 4 next game when Inglish returns to test duties. 2 tidy overs (2/7), it was a shame not to get that 3rd over in! Connolly was not as fluent with the bat (no one apart from his captain was though, to be fair) with 28 off 27, but he bowled frequently once again (2/26 off 3 overs) and seemed to be preferred over Agar, which was interesting to note. Batting 3 and bowling overs, can we somehow hold him for the whole tournament, or will his cash be too helpful to bring in big-name Stars and Sixers in the near future?

*Only 2 overs and 21 SC points for Ashton Agar for those who went with the bowler who can possibly bat option for their trade-in. I can hear Maxy cheering from here, enjoying his vindication. Hopefully, for owners, he can get busy during their second game down in Hobart.

*The consensus from the SC Playbook contributor crew was that Paris was their best bowler. He bowled very well during the power surge and finished with 2/28 off his 3 overs and 44 SC points. Those who went for the cheaper options like Beardman and Couch would be reasonably happy with 52 SC points for both and a game to play. A couple of nice junk-time wickets for Couch!

*Mitch Marsh again struggled with the bat. Only a huge six before nicking off to McAndrew. Hopefully for owners can get going on what should be a decent Tassie batting deck. Likewise for Finn, but he did boost his score with some tidy outfield catches. 

*Thunder look like they are struggling this year. With no more doubles and patchy form, it is hard to see any players apart from Sams in our SC sides. Gilkes is going okay and is worth holding onto at a keeping position for those who have him. 

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Strikers vs Heat

Result: Strikers won by 7 wickets

Takes:

*One change for the home side. Batting was preferred as Nielsen was dropped and Mac Harvey took the gloves. Sangha was back in the lineup. More injuries for the decimated Heat. Hearne and Patterson in for the injured international duo Alsop and Afridi.

*A poor batting display from the Heat. Kuhnemann making his highest BBL score, the only real highlight. 

*Overton reaching the SC century with just bowling and fielding. 2 catches and 3/19 off his 4 overs, including quite a few wides. He didn’t even get to bat! A target potentially sooner rather than later with the role he has. He also might be at the cheapest point we can get him soon after a poor score last round.

*Short with a floor score of 42 SC points. A rare night where he struggled to hit or picked out fielders directly with the bat. Only 1 over too, but of course he bowled some dot balls and got a wicket! I am not too worried about only 1 over because it was heavily match-influenced. In how many other games this season are the Adelaide bowlers going to dominate and be economical for the first 10 overs?

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*The other sneaky all-rounder who scored very well was Scott. Batted at 5 (not normal 4) due to the power surge wicket, I assume, and did get 4 very tidy overs in for the first time this year. 2/12. He is a real Andrew Langley pick! Batting 4 and the chance of overs and/or wickets 

*Wildermuth not many runs and no wickets, but at least tidy with his 3 overs. 28SC points. Some discussions will be had after a lower-scoring game, I am sure. The role is just too good for me to sell, I think. Role trumps pure cricket ability in SC for sure!

*Lynn hurting his old side. A run out (it really was his night if that is happening!) and an epic 79 off just 41 balls, including 6 fours and 6 sixes. 134 SC points and someone who will have a very negative breakeven next round. It is the only time he has got runs this tournament, but he does play in Perth and then has the struggling Thunder at Adelaide. One for the fanboys!

*Internationals Wood and Ali did nothing wrong and look reasonable bowling options once Adelaide has the double game round.

*Pope got smacked around by the Heat bowlers when they were batters (if that makes sense). Could he be under the radar as an option when the Adelaide double comes around? He does like to take poles usually!

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Renegades vs Sixers

Result: Sixers won by 6 wickets

Takes:

*One change for both sides. Zampa out and Spores in. Kane Richardson out and Kerr in.

*Starts for a few Renegades batters, but none could go on with it. Brown with his best knock of the season with 43 off 19 balls.

*A vintage Abbott performance. 3/16 off 4 overs, including powerplay and surge overs. He fielded in boundary hotspots too and recorded 127 SC points. He will be the most traded in when the Sixers have their next double.

*Edwards, Benny D, and Kerr each with 2 wickets in a Sixers side loaded with all-rounders.

*Babar anchoring the innings with not an explosive 58 not out, but enough to help guide the Sixers to the win.

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*A lowish score of 26 SC points for Philippe, but he still looked in good touch with the bat.

*The Sixers jumbled up their batting order (not for the first time) this season. Dwarshuis and Davies were promoted for left hand / right hand batting combinations. Something to remember when trading in, because big-name batters like Silk and Edwards were shuffled down the order.

*Davies with an impressive 34 off 15 balls. Bowled overs and fields in good positions to pick up fielding points. 76 SC points and a great cheapie for those that jumped on.

*All-round roles for Khan and predictably Sutherland. Khan is bowling more with Zampa out.

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Hurricanes vs Scorchers

Result: Scorchers won by 40 runs  

Takes:

*One change for both sides. Both Webster and Inglis back into the Australian fold, with Wright and Hobson the replacements for their respective sides.

*An epic Marsh and Hardie partnership. 175 SC points for Hardie and 167 SC points for Marsh. Yes, they had some luck and catches were put down by the Hurricanes, but that is the nature of the T20 beast. Marsh showed the importance of two goes at batting during a round and also why a cheap bat only opening can be the way to go! Big price rises incoming!

*Hardie! Well done to those who VC’d / C’d him! 273 SC points across the round.

*We can’t get too greedy. 161 SC points without a great batting innings from Connolly is very decent across the round! Bowling overs again (1/23 off 4), he looks a season-long hold. He would have to be getting you an absolute gun across a double game week to consider being on the trading block.

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*Lots of starts for Canes batters, but they never looked like doing a Heat and hunting down a large Scorcher total.

*Paris was expensive but took 2 wickets, Agar was the leading wicket taker with 3, and he bowled the 20^th in an added bonus for owners. The importance of a 20^th over when the game is over cannot be downplayed. 

*Expensive Meredith again, Ellis the only multiple-wicket taker for the Canes.

*5th bowler duties shared between Owen and Ahmed. If Owen’s form with the bat improves, he will be on radars again for next men in purple double. Just take your time and watch the ball big fella!