BBL Fantasy 2014/15 Best POD’s

All good fantasy teams need point of difference players (POD’s). Getting them right can be the difference between a good team and a great team. This article is going to go through a few players that could propel you to the top of the rankings leader board and a few players that’ll just get you through the season.

Every season there are players who perform above expectation. The biggest example of this is Ben Dunk in BBL|03. Dunk averaged just over 57 points from 10 games and was the player of the tournament. The question is – who will it be this year?

 

Batsmen:

Brad Hodge $61,100

The veteran isn’t exactly going to be a unique pick but Hodge is at a new club and is very capable of averaging over 50. Hodge is also incredibly cheap at just over $60,000. On top of this, he is probably better than most of the guys priced above him.

Joe Burns $50,900

Burns has been overshadowed in the Heat batting order for years now but now it’s his time to shine. The Heat are seriously lacking in batting depth and that could mean that Burns opens the batting. He’s shown that he’s capable in the past and if he bats in the top three, he’s probably worth a look.

Ed Cowan $44,500

Don’t give me that look. Cowan is arguably in the form of his career in the Sheffield Shield right now and while that form doesn’t directly translate to T20, it is worth taking into account. He’s basically at rookie price and on top of that, the Sixers barely have enough batsmen to fill a side so he is all but a certain starter. I wouldn’t have him anywhere but on your bench but you never know.

There aren’t many POD options in the batsmen ranks, I’ll be honest. With the likes of Cam White, Aaron Finch and Alex Hales being hard to ignore, it might be best to take fewer risks with your batsmen than in other areas.

 

 

All Rounders:

Darren Sammy $93,500

This one all depends on where Sammy bats. We know he’ll most likely bowl his four overs but if he bats anywhere below five, it might be best to look elsewhere. The problem here is that the Hurricanes have plenty of batting depth and don’t need to use Sammy up the order. But if Sammy is used higher, he could be capable of anything.

James Hopes $90,700

Tad expensive for my liking but consider this. Without Luke Pomersbach and Craig Kieswetter, the Heat need to find two new openers. Joe Burns will probably slot into one of those positions, but Hopes could easily fill position number two. If that’s the case, he’s worth a look.

Aaron O’Brien $58,400

O’Brien has been used primarily as a bowler in his time with the Renegades and will probably bat at seven or eight again this season. However, O’Brien showed in BBL|02 that he is capable of averaging above 40; taking wickets and being economical as a spinner. After a reasonably quiet BBL|03, he might be worth it, especially since Murali is gone.

Marcus Stoinis $40,800

Stoinis is dominating in the Sheffield Shield. I can easily see him slotting in at number five or six for the Stars and getting a decent bowl more often than not. The only issue is that the stars have Faulkner, Hussey and Maxwell who are all talented all-rounders which could lead to limited opportunities for Stoinis.

 

Wicketkeepers:

Matthew Wade $66,800

Wade is only a POD if you follow the advice from my previous article. You can easily get away with spending under Wade’s price tag for your entire wicket keeping line up and this is why Wade could be a great option. He’ll probably bat at two for the Renegades and he’s proven at international level. The only query is if he is even used as a wicket keeper. Read on.

Peter Nevill $36,000

Nevill is probably being overlooked because Wade is in the team but you could easily argue that Nevill is a better wicketkeeper. On top of that, Wade is probably a good enough batsman to make the team on that alone and Nevill isn’t exactly useless with the bat either. He could be a point of difference for your team if he’s selected. Watch out for the poor job security though.

Ryan Carters $36,000

With Brad Haddin on international duties, Carters is the Sixers go to wicket keeper and as I said above, they don’t have much batting depth. Carters is in outstanding Sheffield Shield form and will probably bat higher up the order than others in this price range.

 

Bowlers:

Cameron Boyce $83,700

My tip for leading wicket taker in BBL|04 is Cameron Boyce. Yes, it’s not as big a call now that he’s played and dominated at international level but I’ve been on the Boyce bandwagon for a few years now. He has surpassed Xavier Doherty as the number one spinner for the Hurricanes and I believe he’ll be well worth the price tag. He also averaged 46 last season so I would hardly call this a risk.

Gurinder Sandhu $82,400

Sandhu is a talented young bowler and is probably being overlooked based on his hefty price tag. However, the guy gets better every season and after averaging 45 last season he’s proven that he can score high. He will definitely be a POD in your league and on top of that, the Thunder get bowled out a lot, so he may make a run or two.

Nathan Rimmington $76,200

Rimmington is an interesting one. With James Pattinson’s fitness still in doubt, Rimmington will most likely be the Renegades strike bowler. He’s averaged over 40 in the last few tournaments and I can guarantee you that others in your league won’t have him despite this.

 

Some of the guys in this article might average 15 and others might average 60. Regardless, a few things are certain. One, if you get your POD’s right you’re going to be beating your friends more than not and two, if any of these guys dominate, I will take full credit.

Follow me on Twitter for updates and tips throughout BBL|04: @FeathertopDT

CATCH UP ON BBL FANTASY ARTICLES

• BBL Fantasy 2014/15
• BBL Fantasy 2014/15 – The Basics
• BBL Fantasy 2014/15 – Rookies Edition
• BBL Fantasy 2014/15 – Damion’s Cheat Sheet
• BBL Fantasy 2014/15 – PODs
• BBL Fantasy 2014/15 – Players to Avoid
• BBL Fantasy 2014/15 – Premiums Guide