BBL08 CONTEST PREVIEW GAME 10: SIXERS v STARS
“I’m breaking several rules of lineup construction here including my #1 rule in Sixers game of ‘always take your SOK to Sydney.”
The Re-cap
It looked like we got pumped, and we did, but our game script and selection tactics were very solid. They just worked TOO well. Ingram and Wells had every chance last night at great ownerships. That they collapsed too soon meant there were no more wickets for Tye to take, no need for Agar whatsoever with bat or ball and no run rate pressure helping Laughlin and Khan.
Kudos to last night’s winner of the $15,000 contest RBS23, he picked four Perth seamers, Carey, Turner and Valente and the game went 100% to script for him. Bold move but well played.
Likely XI’s
Sixers – Denly, Edwards, Henriques, Hughes, Silk, Phillipe, Manenti, Abbott, Curran, Dwarsius, O’Keefe, (Avendano, West)
- Two changes with Pope and Fallins making way for West/Manenti. Manenti likely to get a run here. Kid can bat too.
Stars – Dunk, Stoinis, Maxwell, Larkin, Handscomb, Bravo, Gulbis, Zampa, Coleman, Bird, Lamichane, (Beer, Boland)
- Handscomb in and Dean out which very likely means Stoinis will shift up the order to open. Larkin has been playing well and should hold the #4 spot with Handscomb and Bravo the paid tasked with the rebuild should early wickets fall. Expect Handscomb to slide if things go well and Gulbis/Bravo to come in ahead of him.
- Can’t see Boland retaining his spot, expect that Bird will get his chance for the new club on a deck he knows very very well.
Selection Committee
To take down a GPP you have to take a few risks and so far our sides have been fairly stock standard with a few pods sprinkled in. Not tonight. I’m breaking several rules of lineup construction here including my #1 rule in Sixers game of ‘Always wearing SOK’s to Sydney.
This team is a combination of SOK being too expensive, me not rating the Sixers bowling attack very much (or at all) and a strong desire to play a Stoinis/Maxwell team. These two guys are guns when firing and if they see O’Keefe off they will murder the Sixers.
Returns to form for Dunk and Bravo complete a full-blow Stars stack
Selection
Marcus Stoinis ($21,100): Not sure why he is so expensive still but if you want Maxy and you want SOK then Stoinis is getting left on the selection room floor which means massive POD time for a guy who will likely open the innings tonight. Just needs to see off O’Keefe to feast on this Sixers ‘pace’ attack that is decidedly lacking in pace. Good chance for a wicket or two with the ball tonight too.
Ben Dunk ($11,000): I have zero faith in Dunk here let me be clear, but he fits my team build and game script. Just needs to see of O’Keefe and I can see he and Stoinis putting on a big opening partnership and what should be POD ownerships. Surely he is due!
Glen Maxwell ($17,600): Anyone who watched the Hobart game saw that Maxy is in form. Maxy is my insurance from an early wicket falling. If he doesn’t get himself out he will get every chance to raise the fantasy bat here against the lines of Abbott, Pope and Dwarsuis.
Josh Phillipe ($9,800): This team is built around the Sixers losing early wickets and plenty of them. It is easy to overlook the fact Phillipe is batting in the top 6, he is still a good chance to see 6-7 overs at the crease at, again, POD ownership.
Jackson Bird ($8,000): I don’t see why they won’t play Birdy here on his home deck against his former team. For my game plan to work I need early wickets hen the Sixers are batting and Bird can deliver them. Yes he can go for a few, but I have seen him bowl some frightening opening spells here at the SCG in this format. Right price and will likely be low-owned.
Sandeep Lamichhane ($16,700): The perfect deck for him against what looks a pretty fragile middle order for the Sixers with Henriques and Silk in particular susceptible to Sandeep here. Possible to go overlooked by a few given SOK and Zampa are also in this field as well as the Stars gun all-rounders.
Dwayne Bravo ($15,400): If Bird and Lamichhane do their jobs, then Bravo will get access to a very long Sixers tail that likes to hit big – that is the perfect spot for him. Likely to be under-owned for a guy that can raise the fantasy bat in 2-3 overs with the ball.
Final Thought
Look everything has to go right for this team to win. If the Sixers make 150+ with the bat and take early wickets then this team is dead, but if the opposite happens (against what I think the field will select for) then we are right in the mullah here. If taking multiple line-ups I’d be throwing Denly in who has seen a big price drop and is too cheap for his potential scoring.
BBL08 Balance
Games: 9
Spend: $135
Win: $114
Profit: -$21