POD Hunter: Unique players to find an edge

<ul><li>SC PLAYBOOK PODCAST: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://13.210.220.211/podcast/episode-44-sc-playbook-podcast-rd-7-8/" target="_blank">Thunder/Heat analysis, trades, skippers</a></li><li>GUN SHOW: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://13.210.220.211/2021/01/03/gun-show-star-players-to-target-and-avoid-rd-7/" target="_blank">Last year&#8217;s champ finds the guns to target and avoid</a></li></ul>



2020 has come and gone, but SuperCoach is still the same. Curveballs left, right and centre!



Another thing that hasn’t changed is the need to ‘get ahead of the curve’ by picking the right POD players to climb the SuperCoach rankings.



Tim Williams has nailed this in the last few weeks, picking up Shaun Marsh in Round 5, plus bringing in the world’s no 2 T20 bowler, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, for a 150-point game. These were both POD picks with a high upside. Tim took his chances and it paid off big time!



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The focus for all of us is now on the Heat and Thunder double game weeks. I’ll start with these players.&nbsp;



Thunder quick Adam Milne (1.9% owned) remains a massive POD. However, he was rested last round. Therefore, I’m a little bit cautious as to whether he can get through two games in three days for the Thunder DGW.



Alex Hales (8.8% owned) has been a regular feature in the POD articles. Hales is set for another price rise this round. Now looks like the time to jump on.



I have to think that Usman Khawaja (19% owned) will be popular for the DGW. However, in SuperCoach terms, Callum Ferguson (10.9% owned) seems to be the forgotten man of the Thunder top 3.



Prior to this round he was averaging a whopping 27 points more than Khawaja. On the other hand, Ferguson will cost you about $50k more.



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Chris Green (6.5% owned) and Ben Cutting (14% owned) are both PODish options for the DGW. Unfortunately, they look to be sharing overs with the ball.



Green looks to be the preferred fifth bowler and did claim 4/34 a couple of rounds back.



Meanwhile, Cutting already has two 25-point SR bonuses this season.



The latter’s price is going down, whilst the former’s is going up. So, you can afford to wait a week on Cutting whilst you’d probably need to get Green this week. I’d probably prefer to wait on both this week, then consider Cutting next week.



England international Sam Billings (1.4% owned) is in the Super-Pod bracket of ownership. Keeping and batting at four for the Thunder, he didn’t get much opportunity this round, as Hales and Khawaja did most of the work in the shortened match.



Billings impressed in the September ODIs vs Australia, racking up a century and a half-century in the three-game series. He looks a good option if you need a wicket-keeper at this point.



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The Heat could have troops returning at the same time the team’s found form. Both Mitch Swepson (5.7% owned but yet to play a game) and Chris Lynn (25.7% owned) are a chance to return in the coming games.



I’ve written before about Swepson as a player who I see as capable of matching Adam Zampa’s 60+ SC average. My only concern with Swepson is the lack of recent game time. However, at only $106k I think it’s worth the risk if he returns.



Whilst Chris Lynn’s ownership looks relatively high, this likely includes a number of inactive SC teams. Therefore, I still consider the all-time BBL leading run-scorer a POD if he returns from injury in time for the DGW.



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Morne Morkel (2.3% owned, $138k) is another who’s yet to play a game for the Heat. He has a decent T20 record, striking with a wicket every 19.9 balls at an E/R of 7.5.



However, he hasn’t played a whole lot of cricket in the last year. I’d like to see him get a game under his belt before considering him. &nbsp;



Even after these three, there are a stack of other POD options from the Heat. Lewis Gregory (2.5% owned) has been a regular feature of POD articles in recent rounds, although he’s expensive at $188k pre price changes.



Mark Steketee (5.3% owned) grabbed four wickets in the last match. He looks to have really matured as a bowler, having plenty of BBL experience now under his belt.



Steketee has 10 wickets from five matches this season. Although he can be expensive at times (generally going at 8-9 an over) his strike-rate with the ball makes him a great trade-in option. &nbsp;



Joe Burns (1.2% owned) is extremely cheap for a quality player, albeit that he’s out-of-form.



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Joe Denly (0.1% owned) could anchor the Heat’s batting line-up at three for the coming matches. He’s an option, particularly if Lynn’s return is delayed.



The Perth Scorchers and Melbourne Stars are the other two sides with a double game week remaining this season. They have a couple of POD options who I’m considering.



I think Billy Stanlake (20.9% owned) has found his radar with the ball. That ownership % looks deceptively high to me, as I suspect many active SuperCoaches will have traded him out earlier in the season.



Stanlake claimed 3/25 with the ball (four overs) this round and two wickets prior to that (two overs). At around $100k he’s well priced and could get on a roll.



Much the same as the SC Spy, the POD that I continue to have my eye on from the Scorchers is Jhye Richardson (13.4% owned). He was man-of-the-match for the Scorchers in round 5, claiming 3/19 with the ball (four overs).



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Unfortunately, J Richo has dropped down the order again with the bat. However, I’m still considering bringing him in sooner rather than later. Particularly if he looks like getting the occasional opportunity as a pinch-hitter.



There are also a few options worth keeping an eye on from the Hurricanes, although they have no double game weeks remaining. Dawid Malan (5.2% owned) continues to fly under-the-radar due to no prior or upcoming DGWs. Malan registered 95 SC points this round thanks to 75 runs of 56 balls.



Plenty of SuperCoaches would have taken notice that Nathan Ellis (11.3% owned) came in at 4 for the Canes with the bat, above Colin Ingram! Unfortunately, Ellis skied one off Billy Stanlake to be out for a golden duck.



Ellis was outstanding with the ball though (2-11 from 4 overs). He’s another to consider, especially if he gets more pinch-hitting opportunities.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Verdict</h2>



It looks best to focus on PODs from the Thunder with the Heat’s team make-up still settling.



Alex Hales won’t be a POD for long whilst rising in price, so it looks time to get him in this round.



Sam Billings is a solid POD option if you need a wicket-keeper. It would be great if he was batting a spot or two higher, but he’s a quality player nonetheless.



Of the Heat players, Steketee is another who’s rising is price, so may not be able to be traded in by many SC teams for the next round. I’d get him in now if he fits into your double game week plans. &nbsp;



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Outside of the Heat/Thunder players, Billy Stanlake is a player who could rise in price to become unattainable for some SuperCoaches, resulting in a POD for the Stars’ Round 10 DGW.



Dawid Malan is worth trading in if you can fit him into your trade plans. However, I think it’s going to be tricky with so many options from the Heat and Thunder.



Excitingly we’ve still got 10 rounds left (including finals), so plenty of time to make-up ground! Good luck for Round 7.

POD Hunter: Unique players to find an edge, Rd 7

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