Thommo’s Takes: SuperCoach BBL Round 6 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. An old-fashioned single game round for each side.

Some massive scores and some underwhelming scores from players over a round that lasted just two days!

Regular and reliable captains scored low, whilst we also unearthed some potential new BBL stars.

The most farcical rule in cricket reared its ugly head and perhaps robbed us of a classic last ball finish! This round had just about everything!

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Thunder vs Hurricanes

Result: Thunder won by 62 runs

Takes:

• Cutting came in for the Thunder for his first game of the season. He actually bowled some overs for the Thunder and picked up 2/16 off 2. He replaced the injured Sandhu who hopes to be back around finals time. McDermott was still not totally right to go for the Hurricanes and missed his second straight match. Predictably, Wade was back after suspension, replacing Paine.
• This game was played at Lavington Sports Ground in Albury. A small ground and just like a match at the Junction Oval earlier this tournament, plenty of runs were scored. It could be worthwhile picking some power hitters on these small grounds with decent pitches.
• Many batters took full advantage. For the Thunder, Hales 77 off 45, Davies 65 off 32 and Gilkes 33 off 16 all delivered some lusty blows. For the Hurricanes, the best by far was Matty Wade with 67 off just 30 balls! Nice form to show before the approaching double!
• Nathan Ellis has bottomed out and his price will be on the rise before the round 8 Hurricanes double. He finally put it together from a SC perspective claiming 4/37 off his 4 overs. When under siege from Gilkes in the powerplay, Wade turned to Ellis and he picked up a wicket straight away. He continued to take wickets during the surge and the death. Well done to people who jumped on early!
• D’Arcy Short bowled one over for the first time in the tournament and it went for 15 runs. He also couldn’t get amongst the run action, making only 2 before drilling one to point. Will he drop down the order at some stage like last year?

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• Two expensive overs for fan favourite Dooley. Clearly this was due to ground size and pitch surface. Do not overreact with the upcoming double and consider an early sell, especially with Shadab leaving for international duty.
• It was not just Shadab Khan’s day. The only bowler to show control and be economical. That was until his final over where batsmen where able to find the boundary and he finished with 0/41 off his 4 overs. He had a chance at about 3 tough caught and bowled opportunities during this spell too. One of them struck him awkwardly on his hand and thus he had to move down the batting order due to him having difficulty gripping onto the bat. He ended up coming in at number 7. Much lower than the number 3 he was listed at, or even the opening position that he was even considered during the innings break. When he did eventually come in (it might have even been around power surge time), he caught a hold off a leg-side slog, but it went straight to a fielder on the long boundary! That’s the SC BBL rollercoaster!
• Shadab was not the only SC gun to have an off day. Just a single SC point for Daniel Sams. He is highly owned so it was unlikely to make much difference, but if you had him on the bench for whatever reason… well done! Only 1 run and 1 expensive over for Sams.
• Doggett showing he has the sneaky ability to take bulk wickets in a single game, which he has done sporadically over the years. 4/35 off 4 overs.
• Joel Paris with another wicketless game. 0/35 off 3 overs. In fact he has overtaken wickets in 1 match so far in this BBL. This, combined with the fact he has only bowled out his overs once, means I am unlikely to consider for their DGR, even though he will be cheap!

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Strikers vs Stars

Result: Stars won by 8 runs.

Takes:

• The annual NYE game at Adelaide Oval. One change for both sides. Nathan Coulter-Nile was out, replaced by Hatcher and Manenti was replaced by Wes Agar. Wes was the best bowler for the Strikers. 3/29 off 4 overs, including bowling the 20^th over. A sneaky one perhaps to keep an eye on before the Adelaide double in round 9.
• Thornton was good early picking up a couple of wickets. He was also highly economical. That is until his last over where a rampaging Stoinis took 29 off a single over!
• Talking about Stoin, this was the innings we have all been waiting for. Moved up to number 4, he had a few balls to get his eye in and was finally there when a power surge was called. 74 off 35 with 5 fours and 6 sixes!
• This Stoinis innings was remarkable and built off a solid opening partnership from Clarke and Rogers. 42 off 32 for Clarke and 30 off 24 for Rogers. Rogers did look to suffer a nasty shoulder injury when fielding, however, so it looks like he could miss some time.
• Webster again failed to fire at number 3, scoring only 3 off 8. The Stoinis / Webster bowling game was at full swing again. Webster bowled one over of spin just after the powerplay, but went for 11 runs. Stoinis then bowled an over in the middle of the innings conceding 10 runs. Webster then returns towards the end of the innings but is now bowling pace. Talk about versatility! Webster picked up a wicket in his second over but again was expensive conceding 10 runs. Stoinis then returns in the 19^th over and went for 15 runs as Adelaide made a late charge for an unlikely win. If you can see a pattern, or make any sense with that, please let me know! I haven’t studied the fixture but I’d be looping both players (if you have them in your side) because their roles are just so random!
• Luke Wood bowled in a different role. Not used in the powerplay where he has been bowling 1 or 2 overs. He was saved for more the middle overs, like the Thunder have been using Daniel Sams at times. He then bowled his customary power surge and then later over. It wasn’t his night at the bowling crease however finishing with figures of 0/41 off his 4 overs.

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• Short had another off night with the bat. Again he had only the 2 overs with the ball. We have mentioned it before, but it was perplexing to see him only given the 2 early overs, considering he only conceded 8 runs. Not good for people like me who had the C on him!
• In better news, the Strikers found an opening partner for him. Fresh off a first ball duck in his last outing, Henry Hunt has earnt himself a spot until the Australian boys come back with a great knock of 49 off 40.
• Two expensive overs for Siddle. 0/41. He has only taken wickets in one of his matches this season!
• Rashid Khan was entertaining on the mic with some friendly banter with anyone who crossed paths with him. Not his greatest night with the ball. 0/32. It is not long before he departs and it looks like he might be at a reduced price when/if he returns next season. There is still plenty left in this season though! It was good to see him with a batting cameo making 24 off 14 to rescue his score for owners.
• 4 overs bowling for CDG. Yes, wicketless but 4 overs is encouraging. Batting at 5, he scored 13 off 8. Is that a genuine all-rounder role?
• Typical Zampa. 1/25 off his 4 overs, conceding just the one boundary.
• Trent Boult didn’t put up a massive SC score, but his last over in the third last over deserves a shout out, execution was perfect and he was practically impossible to get away!
• Adam Hose with a very good middle order knock. An unbeaten 56 off 41!
• Lynn yet again made a start but would be disappointed with his dismissal. Pumping a very average deliver from Zampa straight down the throat of a fielder on the leg side boundary. He is in decent form so surely we get a big Lynn innings before he departs to go an play in the ILT 20!

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Renegades vs Scorchers

Result: Scorchers won by 5 wickets

Takes:

• One change for each side for this game. Marsh was managed for the Renegades, replaced by Harvey. Agar is on Test duty and was replaced by Bancroft. Bancroft continued on with some of the impressive form he displayed in the internal matches for the Scorchers. Batting at number 3, he complied 46 off 32 and looked good! His inclusion meant Hobson moved down to number 7.
• The Scorchers juggernaut rolls on. They are a class side!
• Finchy showed us why he is clearly their best batter. 65 off 48, batting at number 4. He is really adapting to this middle order role this year!
• Again the openers cannot get it done for the Renegades. The first game against the Heat when they had a decent opening stand seems a long time ago!
• Handscomb at number 3, but surely that is temporary until Marsh is back.
• Tye, the pick of the Scorchers bowlers. 3/32 off his 4 overs. Very predictable role which includes bowling after the powerplay, but bowling middle overs, surge and some death.
• Behrendorff again predictable and economical with 1/17 off his 4 overs. Most overs bowled early and I think he finished all his overs by about the 11 over mark!

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• Jhye Richardson again was predictable bowling overs up front, a surge over and a death over. It just wasn’t his day with 1/35 off his 4, but with his quality you’d expect him to bounce back next outing.
• Hardie bowled 4 overs but was expensive with 0/39. Monitor to see if that remains the same or changes while Agar is on Test duty. How different those figures may have been after he almost dismissed Finch with a false shot on the very first ball of his spell that was just out of reach of deep point.
• Inglis continued his fine batting form. 47 off 34 with the bat and the quality of the Perth bowling line up means he will pick up points in the field too with more ease compared to some other keepers in the competition.
• No wickets for either spinner from the Gades.
• Will “Chief” Sutherland continues to bowl overs. He looks like a genuine all-rounder role!
• Fingers crossed for two Renegades players who had to leave the field during the Scorchers batting time. The Marvel Stadium outfield looked patchy and horrendous and you would have to think that contributed to Maddinson going down with what unfortunately looked like a nasty and long-term knee injury. Handscomb looked like he was struggling with some dehydration, heat stroke or something similar. Hopefully after some water and a freezing ice bath, he is feeling better.
• As well as looking patchy, the outfield at Marvel was horrendously slow. Something to take note of for future games to come at the venue this season.

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Heat vs Sixers

Result: Heat won by 15 runs.

Takes:

• Changes for both sides in what was one of the most entertaining games so far in the BBL. Brown and McSweeney (minus the names of their shirts!) were in for the home side replacing Bryant (dropped) and Renshaw (Test squad). For the away side Abbott was back after being managed and replaced Jordan who himself was being managed. Hughes played his first game for the side in magenta replacing Patterson who missed with a quad injury.
• The inclusions for the Heat were massive and have earnt a spot for the rest of the season. Bat maker by day, ball destroyer by night, Josh Brown (opening the batting) got the Heat innings off to an absolute flyer making 62 off 23 balls including 4 fours and 6 sixes. It wasn’t just crash and bash either. It was clean, calculated and impressive hitting. Nathan McSweeney (first drop) also was just as valuable for the Heat, He fed the hot hand in Brown early on and once Brown was dismissed he built an impressive partnership with Billings. Once the power surge was taken, he then accelerated and found the boundary. He finished with 84 off 51 until he was unfortunately run out for 84 off 51 balls. He did leave the field early due to some cramp, but hopefully he will be all sweet for the return match against the Sixers at North Sydney Oval.
• Small cameos from Billings (28 off 21) and Peirson (19 off 13) led the Heat to an imposing total on a cracking pitch off 5 for 224.
• Predictably, the Sixers bowlers were all expensive expect for Dan Christian. How he only bowled one over and finished with figures of 1/5, whilst all others went the journey has me totally puzzled! Only 3 overs for Kerr is something to note too. As was Abbott bowling the final over of the innings.
• Credit to the Sixers, they showed intent early to give themselves a chance to reach the imposing Heat total. It was a real team batting effort for the Sixers with almost every player contributing with the bat to take the game to the final over. They seemed to have a knack of hitting a boundary every time they needed it in order to keep the required run rate in check.

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• Philippe and Vince got the ball rolling with 27 off 12 and 41 off 24 respectively.
• As a side note, I also loved how the Sixers took the power surge at the earliest possible opportunity to keep the required run rate achievable and keep themselves in the game for longer. Taking it after the 10 over mark and early was a great tactical decision, rather than waiting and waiting till the required run rate is virtually unachievable.
• By the same token, promoting Ben Dwarshuis to try and target a shorter boundary showed initiative. From a SC perspective, we love dependability and predictability, but to see a team take the initiative and give themselves the best chance of winning considering the match situation is also something I would like to see more of!
• A bit like the Sixers, most Heat bowlers went the journey. Neser did pick up some wickets though and finished with 3/41 off his 4 overs. Kuhnemann was clearly the best bowler for the whole match. He finished with 2/31 off his 4 overs and bowled a crucial over at the end where the Sixers could only really hit him out to point and couldn’t get him away for a boundary!

This is fascinating.

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• Another wicketless game for Swepson. If we thought he was value this year, his price next year will be extreme at this rate!
• Whiteley bowled a handy last over when the game was on the line. 2/2 off his single over!
• Quick comment on the dismissal of Jordan Silk. Firstly, handy work from Neser on the boundary, but, that rule is absolutely farcical. There is no way you should be able to walk a marathon whilst juggling and jumping the ball over the rope. Simple fix. Make it like basketball where you must jump from in the field of play. If you jump from outside and touch the ball at any stage, it should be a six. We come up with solutions here at SC Playbook!