Final Word: Trades, tactics, weather, RD 3

• GUN SHOW: Last year’s champ on the stars to target and avoid
• POD HUNTER: Unique players to find an edge in Round 3

With Round 3 of SuperCoach Big Bash looming, our teams are slowly beginning to take shape.

Many of us learnt a valuable lesson in Round 2 on the importance of tracking the weather, with the Scorchers v Stars clash being called off due to rain after just 1.1 overs in the second innings.

There’s more wet weather lingering in Round 3, so keep a close eye on the forecasts throughout the week.

We’ve had a rare breather between Round 2 and 3, so we’ve been given some additional time to assess our trade options.

Here’s the Final Word ahead of the last game week before Christmas, starting at 11.10AM on Saturday.

*Please note that due to the quick turnaround of BBL SuperCoach rounds that many articles will be published before the current round has ended, meaning teams/analysis are subject to change. We’ll update as soon as possible when required.

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WEATHER WATCH

All weather is courtesy of the Bureau of Meteorology as of Friday, 1PM. All times are in AEDT. Forecasts are subject to change.

SATURDAY

11:10AM: Hurricanes v Renegades, Blundstone Arena, Hobart

Forecast: Possible late shower, 17 degrees, 40% chance of 0-1mm of rain.

SUNDAY

7:15PM: Sixers v Strikers, Blundstone Arena, Hobart

Forecast: Possible shower, 19 degrees, 50% chance of 0-1mm of rain.

TUESDAY

7:15PM: Thunder v Scorchers, Manuka Oval, Canberra

Forecast: Shower or two, 24 degrees, 60% chance of 1-6mm of rain.

WEDNESDAY

7:15pm: Heat v Strikers, The Gabba, Brisbane

Forecast: Partly cloudy, 34 degrees, 30% chance of 0-1mm of rain.

SUPER PODS

Each week one of our contributors will provide a full analysis on the point of difference (POD) players to consider.

In the Final Word, we’ll look at the super POD options, the players at under 5% ownership (or around about) that could send you soaring (or falling) up the overall ranks.

They come with big risk, but the reward is immense if it comes off.

In last round’s article, Kane Richardson delivered 89 in Round 1 (post publish) and 51 in Round 2.

Colin Munro scored well with 49 runs for 59 SuperCoach points at under 3% ownership.

Both of these players remain solid options with huge upside.

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Joe Clarke

Another Englishman makes the list in Clarke who belted 34 off 16 at a mind-blowing strike-rate of 212.50 in his last outing against the Stars.

He’s batting at three for the Scorchers and is at just 0.6% ownership!

He’s reasonably priced at $115k and enters the competition with decent form in the UK’s Vitality Blast.

Across 68 career T20s he averages 27.81 with the bat at a strike-rate of 150.04, very nice.

Steve O’Keefe

O’Keefe is in just 4% of all team and tonned up in Round 2 for the Sixers.

He’s an extremely effective short-form bowler and has had some big single round SuperCoach over the years.

He’s well priced at $117.5k and is a sneaky option for those interested.

LOOKING AHEAD

It’s a relatively simple few weeks coming up for SuperCoach in terms of fixture planning.

In Round 3, the Stars are on the competition’s sole remaining bye, while the Strikers are the only side with the double game week, making them the obvious trade targets.

I’d imagine plenty of sides will still have a handful of Stars players in their side and may be struggling for numbers this week, so the three trade out options will be relatively well straight forward.

Following this round we have two consecutive game weeks with NO teams on double games.

That’s exciting as it’ll allow us to target a few more POD options and hopefully makes sides a little more unique.

The next notable game week is Round 6 in which the Sixers and Renegades have the double, so start weaving them into your plans.

However, we have 12 trades between now and then so there’s no need to start recruiting them in a rush based on that information alone.

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TRADES

I’m personally a little slim on numbers this week which limits my trade out options.

I’ll have to move on three Stars players, which is fine, except it means I’m stuck with Will Jacks and Peter Handscomb as starters in my side who I’m hanging to trade out, come on lads!

Nathan Coulter-Nile is out which I was a little hesitant to do with more money to be made with a breakeven of -3, but while he’s not playing I think $187,300 is far too much coin to have sitting on the bench.

Ditto Marcus Stoinis who I’d ideally hold, but need to free up cash for other trades. He’s likely to start bowling again soon and will be back in my team sooner rather than later.

Round 1 fixture pick Dilbar Hussain is an easy out with news he’ll miss an extended period through injury.

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Alex Carey is straight in having hit 55 off 40 balls in his first game of the tournament, and taking two catches to help his score along to 95.

The Australian ODI wicket-keeper looked a class above at the crease and you’d bank on him putting up at least one decent score in the double game week.

My next pick is Jack Wildermuth which is somewhat frustrating for many SuperCoaches, including myself, who had him locked into Round 1 teams prior to his Australia A call up.

The Heat are pretty low on bowling options, so he opened in his first game in Round 2, bowling four overs and taking 3/23 with an economy of 5.75 and scoring a whirlwind 31 runs off 11 balls, resulting in 151 SuperCoach points.

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Wildermuth also scored an unbeaten century against India in the lead up tour game for Australia, along with returns of 3/13 and 1/79 with the ball.

While he doesn’t have the double game week, he’s priced at the bargain rate of $94.7k and has a breakeven of -91, so he’ll make serious coin which should never be overlooked.

While they’re the more obvious choices, I’m tossing up between Matt Renshaw and Dan Worrall.

I’d love to throw Peter Siddle in the mix, but he’s a touch expensive for me as I’m holding Glenn Maxwell on my bench, while I feel Wes Agar is the POD pick with big upside but he’s an awkward price.

Despite Worrall’s lower breakeven, I’m leaning towards Renshaw at this stage who will bat at three or four and has bowled a few overs.

Even if he can pick up one wicket it’d be a huge bonus to his scoring, while I liked what I saw with the bat in his 33 against the Hurricanes.