KFC BIG BASH T20 is back for 2012-2013! With some awesome posts in forum by thokash I thought it would be much better (and easier) to put them onto the front page! If you are playing for first time or even coming back for 2nd season make sure you have a read over the break for all the awesome information and preview of all teams and best players in each position!

Official BBL - http://fantasy.bigbash.com.au/

League Codes:

BigBash TooSerious -  Code: 292859 - FULL

Way Too Serious - Code: 875940 - FULL

Too Seriously -Code: 166649 - FULL


Not Too Seriously - Code:  177179

Feel free to make leagues and post code in comments and ill add them to here.

 

FoxSports BBL - http://bigbashfantasy.foxsports.com.au/

League Codes:

Please post any league codes in comments and ill add them to post.

We will now open this post up so people can get feedback on their teams! Thoughts on my team.

Finch, Ponting, Harris, Ferguson, Khwaja
D.Hussey, Botha, Hopes
Haddin, Paine
Faulkner, McKay, Rimmington, Nannes, Putland

Just not sold on any of the bowlers! Reckon Ponting is decent option now that he’s retired from Test cricket. Harris is apparently going open for Renegades. Would love take punt on Phil Hughes as he’s in ripping form this summer so far.

 

Over the break is hands down the most comprehensive preview of the BBL you can find on the world wide web!

<!--more-->

TEAM PREVIEWS

Melbourne Stars

Likely Starting XI:
Brad Hodge
Rob Quiney*
Luke Wright
David Hussey
Cameron White
Glenn Maxwell
Matthew Wade* / Peter Handscomb (WK)
James Faulkner
Shane Warne
Clint McKay
Lasith Malinga
John Hastings (12th man)

Hastings very unlucky to miss the 11, he could virtually replace any player on this list though.

Squad: Jackson Bird, Alex Keath, James Pattinson, Clive Rose

Australians:
Quiney could still be in the test team and might not be available, so that spot is up for grabs. Interestingly the Stars dont have any batting depth what so ever, due to having so many all-rounders (and this is the reason why the lineup looks very strong, batting comfortably down to 8). Wade will obviously be first choice keeper if available, so he might be in the match 1 lineup, but will be replaced by Handscomb for the rest. Pattinson unlikely to get a gig due to the selectors most likely wanting him to rest in between Tests.

Internationals:
Malinga is available for every match except finals, so dont be scared of the Sri Lankans touring. Wright again should be available unless he gets an unlikely call up to England.

Melbourne Renegades

Likely Starting XI:
Aaron Finch
Daniel Harris
Tom Cooper
Marlon Samuels*
Ben Rohrer
Peter Nevill (WK)
Brendan Drew
Nathan Rimmington
Jayde Herrick / Darren Pattinson
Fawad Ahmed
Murali
Aaron OBrien (12th man)

Its possible they want another bowler or all-rounder in this lineup. Flip a coin which Victorian bowler starts out of Herrick / Pattinson / Sheridan, I would guess that Drew and Rimmington are ahead of all of them.

Squad: Meyrick Buchanan, Alex Doolan, Michael Hill, James Muirhead, Will Sheridan

Australians:
No Australian selections going on here so the lineup is likely to be pretty straight forward.

Internationals:
As with every West Indian player, Samuels is likely to miss game 1 so one of Doolan, Hill or Buchanan might get a start.

Sydney Sixers

Likely Starting XI:
David Warner*
Brad Haddin (WK)
Michael Lumb
Nic Maddinson
Daniel Smith
Moises Henriques
Steven Smith
Stephen OKeefe
Brett Lee
Mitchell Starc*
Josh Hazlewood
Dominic Thornely (12th man)

The returning champs still look as strong as ever.

Squad: Luke Feldman, Daniel Hughes, Josh Lalor, Ian Moran, Sunil Narine*, Kurtis Patterson

Australians:
David Warner is the main man here - could be close to slipping out of the Test team ready to tear up the T20 scene, although should be available for Round 1 regardless.. Starc also could be very close to selection so be wary - he should be released to play the matches he is 12th man though.

Internationals:
Sunil Narine becomes available after week 1 (probably to replace Warner), while Lumb has locked himself.

Sydney Thunder

Likely Starting XI:
Martin Guptill
Michael Clarke* / Chris Gayle*
Usman Khawaja
Rhett Lockyear
Cameron Borgas
Sean Abbott
Ryan Carters (WK)
Luke Doran
Scott Coyte
Chris Tremain
Dirk Nannes
Mark Cosgrove (12th man)

In the off-season the Thunder stocked up on bad batsmen, and hardly have any bowlers

Squad: Adam Coyte, Jason Floros, Matt Prior, Chris Rogers, Gurinder Sandhu

Australians:
Michael Clarke is the only Australian player, and isnt T20 relevant anyway - should play Game 1 though while waiting for Gayle.

Internationals:
Afiridi is OUT! Gayle arrives for Game 2, when the one-man team should start firing.
Guptill will be the main international, and they also have signed Matt Prior from England who I think is only available for one match mid tournament (whats the point?).

Brisbane Heat

Likely Starting XI:
Shane Watson*
Chris Hartley (WK)
James Hopes
Peter Forrest
Daniel Christian
Luke Pomersbach
Andrew Robinson
Mitchell Johnson
Daniel Vettori
Ben Cutting
Kemar Roach* / Dale Steyn*
Nathan Hauritz (12th man)

Super strong bowling lineup, including good bench coverage.

Squad: Joe Burns, Cameron Gannon, Ryan Harris, Chris Lynn, Alister McDermott

Australians:
Watto will likely be back playing for Aus in all forms, so that rules him out except for Round 1. Probably replaced by either Burns or Lynn to sure up batting.

Internationals:
I assume Dale Steyn might play the first match, before he is replaced by Kemar Roach. Vettori should be around for the first couple of games before heading back to NZ.

Adelaide Strikers

Likely Starting XI:
Michael Klinger
Phil Hughes
Callum Ferguson
Nathan Reardon
Michael Neser
Kieron Pollard* / Saeed Ajmal*
Tim Ludeman (WK)
Johan Botha
Kane Richardson
Nathan Lyon*
Shaun Tait
Gary Putland (12th man)

Andrew McDonald and Jon Holland are both injured, dont pick them! I assume they will be replaced in the squad which makes this starting XI a bit tough. P.S. Ludeman is their keeper right? Cant find him in the Fantasy Big Bash.

Squad: Cameron Boyce, Theo Doropoulos, Jon Holland*, Andrew McDonald*, James Smith

Australians:
Nathan Lyon is the only player on Aussie watch, I imagine he will play Round 1 as they love their spinners, but probably replaced by the pace of Gary Putland for Round 2.

Internationals:
Botha is back again, and this time for the full season. Pollard teased us last year before getting injured, and will be fit and firing to go - he misses game 1 though where Saeed Ajmal will take his spot.

Hobart Hurricanes

Likely Starting XI:
Tim Paine (WK)
Aiden Blizzard
Travis Birt
Ricky Ponting*
George Bailey
Owais Shah
Scott Styris
Jason Krejza
Xavier Doherty
Doug Bollinger
Ben Hilfenhaus*
Ben Laughlin (12th man)

Squad: Ed Cowan, Ben Dunk, Michael Hogan, Timm van der Gugten, Jonathan Wells

Australians:
Punter and Hilfy will be in the Australian squad so stay away. Most likely to be replaced with Laughlin and either Wells or Dunk I imagine.

Internationals:
Shah returns after his suprise performance last year, but his partner in crime Rana is a no show - instead replaced by Kiwi Scott Styris.

Perth Scorchers

Likely Starting XI:
Herschelle Gibbs*
Shaun Marsh
Adam Voges
Michael Hussey*
Marcus North
Simon Katich
Tom Triffit (WK)
Nathan Coulter-Nile
Brad Hogg
Jason Behrendorff
Michael Beer
Ben Edmunson (12th man)

Cummins and Marsh are out for an extended spell, and should be replaced in their squad at some stage. Bowling might be a bit weak so Edmunson could come in for a batter.

Squad: Ashton Agar, Tim Armstrong, Pat Cummins*, Mitchell Marsh*, Joe Mennie

Australians:
Mr. Cricket is the only Aussie here.

Internationals:
Morkel has been called back to SA, and there are fears that Gibbs will be as well. Keep an eye out for who Morkels replacement is.

&#160;

A few notes on players to try and help the newcomers this year, I know it certainly helped me out last year

Batsmen

Before I get into names, a bit of strategy - it might seem simplistic, but when possible you should favour batsmen higher up the order - you get 0 points if they dont bat, so picking an opening batsmen over a middle order batsmen is a good choice when tossing up between two players.

Chris Gayle ($95,000) - arguably in the best T20 players going around, his record speaks for itself as the most damaging opener in the game, not to mention he can sneak in a few overs here and there - beware him missing match 1, but lock him in after that as he is likely to easily be top 4 batsmen by the end

Aaron Finch ($81,000) - I started this guy last year and he got off to a slow start. This year however, he has already smashed 2 centuries in Ryobi Cup and is looking dominant as he easily leads the run scorer early.

Brad Hodge ($80,000) - when you think domestic T20, you think of Brad Hodge. Hes made a name in every T20 competition hes been in as a constistent performer. He made the move from the Renegades to the Stars citing he wants to play games at the MCG, wanting to prove himself even at 37 as a big game player.

Daniel Harris ($59,800) - before the BBL when state teams existed, South Australia won the T20 competition in 2011 based on the performance of this man almost single handedly. He had a poor performance last year, and has changed teams from the Strikers to the Renegades, watch out for him wanting to stamp his impact on the game again.

Ben Rohrer ($48,700) - didnt get a huge go of it last year batting down the order for the Sixers, but he now moves to the Renegades who have a much weaker batting lineup - could be just what he needs to pull out some big scores!

Luke Pomersbach ($48,500) - wasnt sighted in last years competition, but has basically made a name for himself as a bit hitting limited overs specialist - needs to find consistency and not try to whack every ball out of the park

Callum Ferguson ($44,700) - we all know this guy has talent, after all he has played for Australia, but will we ever see it again? at a rookie price this year he seems a great value pickup if he can find form

Mark Cosgrove ($42,500) - could barely even manage a game in BBL01 last year for the Hurricanes, will his move to the Thunder give him some more opportunities?

Usman Khawaja ($38,300) - another Thunder player, Usman played all the games last year but couldnt quite find his touch. Like Ferguson, his talent is unquestionable, he just needs to put it all together on the pitch

Peter Handscomb ($36,000) - I like this guy as a smokie, Ive already mentioned him a few times, but being backup keeper to Matthew Wade is nothing to scoff at. Might not play week 1, but keep an eye out - as the keeper he will hopefully get some juicy catch/run out points, even if he does bat down the order

All-Rounders

All-rounders are where the points are at, having an opportunity to double dip and get points for batting and bowling is awesome. Pick your premiums here and enjoy it as they rack up the points!

David Hussey ($120,000) - the best performed player last year, and is always at the top of the T20 echelon. Intersetingly is an AR this year rather than a batsmen (Im sure he would be flattered), but that doesnt mean you should avoid him - he is the perma-captain of this game!

Johan Botha ($112,900) - a bit of a surprise packet last year, with good bowling economy and wicket taking a lethal combination, let alone his ability with the bat. Had to go home mid-tournament last year but should be around for the long haul this time around, so pick him with confidence!

Kieron Pollard ($100,300) - the tragedy story of last year after getting injured just prior to the tournament and missing the whole thing. As mentioned in Harris notes, SA won it in 2011 and this bloke loves carving up bowling attacks. Like Gayle misses Game 1, otherwise he would be a lock for everyones team.

Moises Henriques ($72,400) - boy can this guy his a ball! He has a disappointing BBL but we only need to look at his Champions League form to see that he can play. I dont really like his bowling all that much but theres no denying he can clear a fence and pick up those sixes.

Glenn Maxwell ($69,500) - Maxwell started last years comp in fire before fading along with the Renegades. He finds himself moving across to the Stars again this year, but due to their bowling/AR strength might find it hard to get a bowl, but that doesnt mean he wont get the runs with the bat.

James Hopes ($59,800) - there arent really that many rookie priced AR, so this is as good as you will get. Hopesy played 1 game last year before getting injured, but he is a superb option as he is an upper order batsmen as well likely to get in his 4 overs every match

John Hastings ($55,200) - was injured for the whole tournament last year but has a good record for Victoria, Ive already mentioned in the Stars breakdown that spots are tight but if he locks himself into the 11 will be a great option

Wicket-Keepers

You want a WK that bats up the order so you can enjoy his batting points. We didnt really have anyone that fit that criteria last year, but this year we have 2 unbelievable options as listed below.

Brad Haddin ($55,800) - the un-envious job of replacing Adam Gilchrist in the Australian team, Haddin could still match him on his day. Hes enjoying the domestic scene currently, and opening the batting for the Sixers seems like a guarantee - lock him in and enjoy his points!

Tim Paine ($46,500) - another super talented keeper-batsmen that has represented Australia, Paine has fallen off the radar in recent times due to injury. Hes back playing now and like Haddin is opening the batting for his state, which means easy batting points.

Peter Nevill ($42,100) - hardly lit the world on fire last season, but he should always be kept on the short list due to his abilities. I dont see him as better options as the above two, but there are always those who like a POD pick.

Ryan Carters ($36,000) - I think hes the pick of the $36k options as he is the teams first keeper, not too much else to it
Bowlers

COMING SOON

&#160;

Some pretty important information bout the fixture, that certainly makes it interesting. In summary:

Round 2
BYE - Sydney Sixers
2 matches - Melbourne Stars

Round 3
BYE - Melbourne Stars
2 matches - Perth Scorchers

Round 4
BYE - Perth Scorchers
2 matches - Sydney Sixers

So dont start with any Sixers players (except maybe Haddin) - they wont go up in price until a round after all the other players, and you can get them in R4 for a double game week straight away. Saying that, you probably want 1 player from each of those teams to captain during the double game weeks

&#160;

International schedule

AUSTRALIA:
Test series vs Sri Lanka (14 Dec - 7 Jan)
ODI series vs Sri Lanka (11 Jan - )

SRI LANKA:
Test series vs Australia (14 Dec - 7 Jan)
ODI series vs Australia (11 Jan - )

SOUTH AFRICA:
Test series vs New Zealand (2 Jan – 15 Jan)

NEW ZEALAND:
Test series vs South Africa (2 Jan – 15 Jan)

ENGLAND:
Test series vs India (until 17 Dec)
T20 series vs India (20-22 Dec)
ODI series vs India (11 Jan - )

INDIA:
Test series vs England (until 17 Dec)
ODI/T20 series vs Pakistan (start 25 Dec)
ODI series vs England (11 Jan - )

PAKISTAN:
ODI/T20 series vs India (25 Dec – 6 Jan)

WEST INDIES:
ODI/T20 series vs Bangladesh (until 10 Dec)

Australian schedule:

3rd Test vs SA (Nov 30 - Dec 4)
1st Test vs Sri Lanka (Dec 14 - 18)
2nd Test vs Sri Lanka (Dec 26 - 30)
3rd Test vs Sri Lanka (Jan 3 - 7)
1st ODI vs Sri Lanka (Jan 11)
2nd ODI vs Sri Lanka (Jan 13)
3rd ODI vs Sri Lanka (Jan 18)

BBL Round 1 (Dec 7 - 9)
BBL Round 2 (Dec 12 - 15) [Stars play twice, Sixers bye]
BBL Round 3 (Dec 16 - 20) [Scorchers play twice, Stars bye]
BBL Round 4 (Dec 21 - 23) [Sixers play twice, Scorchers bye]
BBL Round 5 (Dec 26 - 29)
BBL Round 6 (Dec 30 - Jan 3)
BBL Round 7 (Jan 4 - 7)
BBL Round 8 (Jan 8 - 12)

So it appears all the Australian players will be available for BBL Round 1 (like last year). There might be a chance to play in between the 1st and 2nd Test against SL, but it would be risky. I dont think theres a big enough break in between any other matches for players to be available.

&#160;