BBL Supercoach squad preview | Adelaide Strikers

The Adelaide Strikers enter the Big Bash 15 campaign desperate to overturn a recent poor record in the competition.



New coach Tim Paine has a big job to do with a franchise that’s claimed just the one title back in BBL07, their lone appearance in a BBL final.



The Strikers have failed to qualify for finals in two of their past three seasons under Dizzy Gillespie.



Jake Weatherald and D’Arcy Short are out, as Jason Sangha and Mack Harvey come into the top order.



Internationals Luke Wood and Hassan Ali will add strike to the bowling attack alongside Strikers stalwart Jamie Overton.&nbsp;



While they won’t be among the more relevant Supercoach teams early without a double until round 7, they do boast a number of genuine guns that have the ability to go huge on the Adelaide Oval road, which makes them options.



Let’s take a look at their Supercoach BBL prospects to begin the tournament.



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">FIXTURES</h3>



The Strikers have no double until round 7, and no bye in the entire tournament.



They play in game three of round one, game four in round two, and game three in round 3.



This reduces any real ability to use them as looping options early in the tournament.



Game one is in Sydney, which is relatively even for batters and bowlers.&nbsp;



They’ll only play one of their first three game in Adelaide.



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">GUNS</h3>



Matt Short || BAT-BWL II $214,300 II SC BBL14 Ave: 81.3



81.3, 103.0, 78.8, 68.1…



Those numbers aren’t Harry Neilsen’s historical T20 strike-rates, they’re Matty Short’s Supercoach averages…



The man is a bona fide gun that is among the most complete players in Supercoach, aided by a home deck in Adelaide reflective of a freshly rolled highway.



If he weren’t playing on Adelaide Oval, he’d be a straight-up ignore, but he is, so he deserves attention.



The fact that they play just one of their first three there makes me very reluctant to start Short at the huge price of $214k.



There’s never certainty around his role with the ball, while one low score early will see a fairly hefty price drop.



He averages 64.7 in Adelaide and just 34.3 at the SCG, where he’ll begin his campaign.



He hit 236 runs last season at 33.71, striking at 171.01 while also taking six wickets.



Personally, I find it very hard to start him at the price and will look to avoid, barring a plethora of gun cheapies to start that may potentially free up enough cash to start the Strikers’ star.



Short is currently owned by 37% of Supercoaches.



Verdict: I’ll likely be avoiding him, however, it’s impossible to ignore the upside.



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Jamie Overton&nbsp;|| BAT-BWL II $194,600 II SC BBL14 Ave: 73.8



While Short tends to get the majority of the attention, English teammate Jamie Overton is a star in his own right.



His past two Supercoach seasons have produced averages of 73.8 and 70.3.



Likely to bat at six and bowl key overs, he’s tailor-made for Supercoach success.



Like Short, the price tag will be the issue with no early doubles.



I can see merit in starting Overton with his class and role, but personally, I’ll be looking to utilise that sort of cash on double game week players.



Verdict: Avoid to start the season



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">MID-RANGERS</h3>



Henry Thornton&nbsp;|| BWL II $123,900 II SC BBL14 Ave: 47.0



I’m a huge fan of Thornton, who has been in and out of the Strikers squad in recent campaigns with injury niggles.



He took 12 wickets in eight games last season, with an economy of 8.71.



His best Supercoach season to date came in BBL11 with an average of 62.8.



While I’ll be keen closer to the double, I won’t be starting with Thornton.



Verdict: Avoid



Chris Lynn || BAT II $118,700 II SC BBL14 Ave: 45.0



Lynn-sanity is certainly one of the most exciting players in Supercoach to own, but with his bat-only role, it does tend to be all or nothing with his scoring.



With just one early Adelaide Oval game, I won’t be considering him to begin the tournament, and while he can go off on any given day, I’d advise the 10% starting with the veteran to look elsewhere.



Verdict: Pass



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Luke Wood || BWL II $117,500 II SC BBL14 Ave: DNP



English quick Luke Wood returns to Aussie shores for a campaign with the Strikers.



He has a career T20 strike-rate of 18.4, with an economy of 8.41.



I find it very hard to own bowlers with the Strikers due to the nature of the Adelaide Oval deck.



While he has class, he’ll be nothing more than a watch early for me.



Verdict: Avoid



Hasan Ali || BWL II $117,500 II SC BBL14 Ave: DNP



The Pakistani quick is a crafty bowler who’ll bring plenty of excitement to the BBL on arrival.



In career T20s, he has an excellent strike-rate of 15.1 with an economy of 8.17.



He’ll be an excellent watch early, but will also be hard to own until later in the tournament.



Verdict: Avoid



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">CHEAPIES</h3>



Jason Sangha&nbsp;|| BAT II $77,800 II SC BBL14 Ave: 59.0



Sangha is a class cricket that will benefit enormously from the move to Adelaide.



Despite not looking like your prototypical T20 great, he’s had success in Supercoach over the years.



<ul>
<li>BBL14 avg: 59, 1 game</li>



<li>BBL13 avg: 25, 2 games</li>



<li>BBL12 avg: 24, 4 games</li>



<li>BBL11 avg: 61, 11 games</li>
</ul>



While I’ll struggle to start him unless we’re lacking early cheapies, I can see him being one of the big improvers this season.



He can also roll the arm over from time to time, which would change his Supercoach prospects significantly, but I’d need to see it first.



Verdict: Avoid barring a lack of early cheapies



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Mackenzie Harvey || BAT II $58,500 II SC BBL14 Ave: 17.0



Rinse and repeat the above from Sangha.



Mack Harvey comes over from the Renegades, where he batted on a minefield when on home turf.



He’s the third top run-scorer in domestic one-day cricket this season with 240 runs at an average of 60.0.



At the price, he’s a genuine starting option as a cash grab; however, you’d be very reluctant to play him in your starting team on any given week.



Verdict: Potential buy pending early cheapie scene



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Adelaide Strikers Predicted XI via Maxy Bryden</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td> Starting XI</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Matt Short || BAT-BWL II $214,300 II SC BBL14 Ave: 81.3</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Mackenzie Harvey || BAT II $58,500 II SC BBL14 Ave: 17.0</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Chris Lynn || BAT II $118,700 II SC BBL14 Ave: 45.0</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Jason Sangha&nbsp;|| BAT II $77,800 II SC BBL14 Ave: 59.0</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>Alex Ross || BAT II $94,000 II SC BBL14 Ave: N/A</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>Jamie Overton&nbsp;|| BAT-BWL II $194,600 II SC BBL14 Ave: 73.8</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>Harry Neilsen || WKP-BAT II $58,500 II SC BBL14 Ave: 8.0</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>Luke Wood || BWL II $117,500 II SC BBL14 Ave: DNP</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>Henry Thornton&nbsp;|| BWL II $123,900 II SC BBL14 Ave: 47.0</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>Hasan Ali || BWL II $117,500 II SC BBL14 Ave: DNP</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>Lloyd Pope || BWL II $101,400 II SC BBL14 Ave: 38.5</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Reserves</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>Jordan Buckingham</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>Alex Carey</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>Thomas Kelly</td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>Cameron Boyce</td></tr><tr><td>16</td><td>Liam Scott</td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td>Travis Head</td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>Tom Straker</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



With the departures of top-order options in&nbsp;D’Arcy Short&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jake Weatherald, two new recruits look set for roles in the top order.



Mac Harvey&nbsp;has had a stop-start career to date in the Big Bash for the Renegades, but could be used as an opener, as he has been for his adopted state of South Australia in One Day cricket.&nbsp;



Off the back of a Supercoach average of only 17 last season, should he land the role, he’d be a lock as a cheapie in a batter slot.



Jason Sangha&nbsp;has similarly joined the Strikers after a successful move to South Australia last summer and looks an obvious candidate to bat in the top 4.



He’s a productive T20 cricketer who could offer some overs of spin at times.



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Internationals&nbsp;Luke Wood&nbsp;and&nbsp;Hassan Ali&nbsp;are new and should provide eight overs of pace, while Englishman&nbsp;Jamie Overton&nbsp;has shown himself to be one of the best Supercoach players in the whole league.&nbsp;



Having&nbsp;Harry Neilsen&nbsp;as the only wicket keeper in the team means&nbsp;Overton&nbsp;should be locked into a top 6 role with the bat.



Alex Carey&nbsp;is a good chance to join the team for the backend and Finals, pending how he pulls up post-Ashes.



Henry Thornton&nbsp;has been electric at times in the tournament and has been in fine form. Picking the right time to own him could result in a huge upswing.



Unfortunately, with&nbsp;Ali&nbsp;and&nbsp;Overton&nbsp;in the side, he’s not likely to bowl many death overs, but that’s never really stopped him from being productive in the past.



Matt Short&nbsp;remains an absolute premium off the back of a BBL14 campaign, which saw him average 81.3 Supercoach points.

BBL Supercoach squad preview | Adelaide Strikers

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