It's very cold and dark here in the UK which can mean only one thing...
It's time to watch some Big Bash cricket!
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It'd be fair to say that the BBL has slipped in regards it allure for spectators and players alike in recent years. Competition from the UAE and South African franchise leagues have lead to a bit of talent drain for the BBL. Backed by the IPL, those 2 leagues which start in the new year, are able to offer bigger money to the extent that even a few of the Aussies are jumping ship and heading there rather than staying loyal to the BBL.
Fans too are often thin on the ground at the games and with the vast capacity of the stadiums that many of the matches take place at that doesn't lead to a great atmosphere.
Still, the BBL will always hold a special place for me for several reasons.
Firstly, it's still a very popular destination for English cricketers so there are plenty of familiar names even if they're not necessarily the top white ball players in this country.
Secondly is the timing of the games. Most matches start at 8:15am here so they're perfect to watch on a cold dark winter's morning with the central heating cranked up and a strong pot of coffee on the go.
Finally, the fantasy game via Supercoach is still one of the best around. I love the regular double game weeks (something you rarely get in FPL) and the dynamic pricing which means that while some play for points, others play for the most valuable team, trading players in and out based on whether they think they're good value for money.
The first game of BBL 24/25 starts this Sunday with the first round of the fantasy game spanning 5 fixtures.
Round 1 Fixtures
As you can see, the big factor for fantasy players to consider here is that both Melbourne franchises play twice meaning that you want to stack your squad with those players.
As you'll see below I've gone particularly big on Melbourne Stars players who also have a double game week in round 3 meaning that I'll probably retain a good chunk of these guys for the early part of the game.
Of course, as with any decent fantasy game, it's not just about picking for the here and now, you've got to plan ahead. In that regard, as well as having a strong Stars contingent, I've also invested in players from Adelaide Strikers and Perth Scorchers who both a double game week in round 2.
With 3 transfers every week, it's also very likely that I'll add even more players from those clubs for round 2.
Initial squad
With a few days to go until the squad is locked in it's always worth keeping up to date with the latest injury and selection news. After all, you want to pick players who are going to play!
Glen Maxwell is probably the player attracting the most attention in that regard. The Aussie T20 star is out with a hamstring injury and it's already been confirmed that he won't play in the opening match while Cricket Australia are to be consulted on whether he'll be able to play against the Heat next week.
Given that Maxwell is the 2nd most expensive player in the game then that sounds like too much of a risk to take in my opinion but I have kept enough cash in the bank to potentially bring him back for the double in round 3 if he's fit and firing by then.
The other Stars player I'm still keeping an eye on is big Beau Webster who's been called up a cover for the Test squad. Another significant issue for the BBL is that it clashes with the Aussie Test summer so the very biggest names in Australian cricket don't play.
In Webster's case, there's a good chance that he'll be released from the national squad in time to play in this match so he might yet be a late additional in place of Hilton Cartwright.
The other thing to look for in as far as availability is concerned is that many of the international players don't sign contracts for the full season. In fact, some of them, like Joe Clarke, are flying out to Australia for just 2 matches! He's there as cover for fellow countryman Ben Duckett who won't arrive until after the completion of England's Test series in New Zealand next week.
With the batsmen, I've splurged on Matt Short, the most expensive player in the game. That's partly based on his points haul last season and partly to ensure that I've got him in for round 2 when the Strikers play twice.
I've also gone big on all-round options as well to maximise the possibility of points scoring with either discipline.
In that regard, I've got another couple of Englishman that I know well as a Surrey supporter. However, it's not just national.county bias when it comes to selecting Curran and Overton, both have really good records in the BBL.
Speaking of dynamic pricing, Marcus Stoinis looks like a bargain at $84.2k. He's not had a great couple of years in BBL cricket despite some very good knocks elsewhere on the T20 franchise circuit. He's been named as the new captain for the Stars which means there's no doubting his place and you wonder if he might bowl himself a bit more than has been the case in recent BBL seasons.
Bowling wise, Adam Zampa also represents very good value for money at $80.lk. Hardie and the 2 Richardsons are also quality options. There's no reason that those 4 can't form the core of a squad for the remainder of the season.
Joel Paris played 9 matches for the Stars last season. He's not got a great BBL record but seems like a decent, affordable pick for round 1 and maybe round 3 too.
Hamish McKenzie made 4 appearances for the Stars last year and was fairly economical. He'll likely benefit from the absence of Usama Mir who won't be joining until after Christmas so again, you're looking at him for round 1 at least.
For the more left field picks in my side I've gone for Matt Spoors, former Australia U-19 batsmen and now playing international cricket for Canada! Given Perth Scorchers injury problems coming into the tournament then he might well be in line for a BBL debut and of course I'm looking at him for round 2 and potentially beyond if he can cement a spot in the XI.
The same can be said of Sam Konstas of Sydney Thunder. Whether he starts the season in their XI remains to be seen but the 19-year-old is considered by many to be the next big batting sensation for Australia. He started off the Sheffield Shield season with a hundred in both innings against South Australia and recently scored a century for the PMs XI against the touring Indian side.
$39.5k is the cheapest starting point for any player in the game (15 players start at that price) so he really doesn't represent a big risk. In fact, if he can get a couple of games, that price is likely to rise and so at the very least, I can look to cash him in and use the funds to bring in bigger names in the later rounds.