The Melbourne Renegades will host reigning Big Bash League Champions Perth on Sunday night as both teams look to assert themselves on BBL13.
This will be a tough assignment for the men in red, as the Scorchers have been heavily backed to win a third consecutive title.
We'll have a heap of BBL13 content for you this season including BBL tips for every match and regular fantasy BBL for contests on Draftstars to help you land the big cash in the $50,000 Big Bash Star 2024 Final!
Draftstars have put up a huge $20,000 contest for this clash, as well as a Big Bash Star Qualifier.
And if you haven't already, make sure to check out our full Renegades vs Scorchers preview and betting tips!
BBL13 Fantasy Tips: Melbourne Renegades vs Perth Scorchers
Renegades Squad: Nic Maddinson, Will Sutherland, Joe Clarke, Jordan Cox, Harry Dixon, Aaron Finch, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mackenzie Harvey, Quinton de Kock, Fergus O'Neill, Kane Richardson, Tom Rogers, Peter Siddle, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Jon Wells, Adam Zampa
Scorchers Squad: Ashton Turner, Jason Behrendorff, Cooper Connolly, Stephen Eskinazi, Laurie Evans, Aaron Hardie, Nick Hobson, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kelly, Hamish McKenzie, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye, Sam Whiteman
The Renegades kicked off their BBL13 campaign with a tight loss in Sydney, going down by eight runs to the Sixers at the SCG.
Electing to bowl first, Melbourne overcame a poor start to restrict the Sixers to 6/175 off their 20 overs, with Will Sutherland (2/21) and Adam Zampa (2/24) starring. Something tells me that those men will be crucial players for the Gades this season, and without them the total would have been a lot more daunting.
Unfortunately for the Renegades, the chase was never on course as the top order failed miserably beside rising star Jake Fraser-McGurk (48 off 24). Will Sutherland (51* off 30) did his utmost to will his team home, but his efforts were in vain.
Despite the loss, there is cause for optimism given some of the individual efforts, and the squad will be massively boosted by the inclusion of South African star Quinton De Kock for this encounter in Geelong. Fresh off the plane after a stint in the Abu Dhabi T10 league, De Kock will slide straight into the XI, adding dynamism to the top order.
On the other hand, the Scorchers are yet to launch their BBL13 campaign, but they are expected to reach the pointy end of the competition as per usual.
The reigning champions will boast a similar list to the squad that conquered all last season, with the only notable absentees being the two Cameron’s, Bancroft and Green.
Josh Inglis, Jason Behrendorff, Jhye Richardson, Aaron Hardie, Ashton Agar and Ashton Turner, all Australian internationals, make up the core of local player, while overseas recruits Zak Crawley, Laurie Evans and Stephen Eskinazi should elevate Perth’s batting significantly.
Ashton Agar, Crawley, Mitch Marsh and Lance Morris will be unavailable for this first fixture, but the Scorchers have such enviable squad depth that it matters little.
Fantasy Plays
Love It – Will Sutherland ($19,600)
Sutherland displayed what he is capable of in the season opener, scoring 182.5 DFS points to break the slate. As such, his price has been bumped up to nearly $20k, but I still think he is worth the plunge here. There aren’t many players around who are guaranteed to bowl four overs and play a big role with the bat, and Sutherland is one of those. Furthermore, his power hitting has come a long way, giving him a huge ceiling.
Love It – Aaron Hardie ($17,900)
Playing in a very similar mould to Sutherland, Hardie is a burly all-rounder who is made for BBL DFS. One of Perth’s key players, Hardie averaged 42 runs per game in BBL12 and should see some bowling opportunities with Lance Morris and Mitch Marsh out of the side. As such, expect him to have a massive impact again in BBL13.
Don’t Love It – Aaron Finch ($12,900)
Once an absolute titan of the T20 scene, Finch is starting to lose his shine as his career nears its end. The veteran hitter has shuffled down the order in the last few years and the addition of De Kock could see Finch sacrifice his role further. Even if Finch does spend time in the middle, his strike rate has fallen away in recent seasons, so I can’t make a case for him here.
Don’t Love It – Ashton Turner ($12,600)
Like Finch, Turner is a victim of squad depth, leaving him as a questionable fantasy asset. Considering Perth’s batting riches, Turner is likely to bat between 5-7, and I can’t see him getting much of a hit given the talent above. While Turner’s price isn’t exorbitant, Laurie Evans represents far better value at $9.5k if you’re after a Scorchers middle order hitter.
Who Knows – Quinton De Kock ($19,000)
De Kock arrives as one of the marquee players of the competition after a fruitful ODI World Cup campaign in which he struck 594 runs at nearly 60. The explosive left-hander is known for his carefree attitude to batting and whilst that often results in extraordinary performances, it can also produce some stinkers. What will it be on Sunday?
Suggested Draftstars Line-up
