With summer just around the corner, BBL13 is upon us, and it’s set to be another riveting season full of twists and turns.
While we have already previewed the season ahead, including predictions of the pecking order, today we are going to dive into some of the player prop markets available for the upcoming Big Bash.
As usual, we will be bringing you a full preview and betting tips for EVERY game throughout the BBL13 season, so remember to check out our Cricket Tips page regularly for updates.
BBL13 Season Prop Bets
Adelaide Strikers
Strikers Top Runscorer: Matt Short ($2.50 at Ladbrokes)
Short and Lynn appear to be the obvious choices in this market and the former has my backing due to his superior availability across the tournament. Lynn is more likely to miss games due to the Abu Dhabi T10 and ILT20 competitions, giving him a mountain to climb.
Strikers Top Wicket Taker: Wes Agar ($3.50 at Neds)
Wes Agar led the way last campaign with 18 wickets, although Thornton was more penetrative with a better strike rate. I don’t fancy any of the other options, so Agar gets my vote from a value perspective.
Brisbane Heat
Heat Top Runscorer: Colin Munro ($3.75 at Neds)
Munro stands out to me as the cream of the Heat batsmen, but he will miss games due to various other commitments. Nevertheless, he is still my pick after plundering 278 runs at an average of 35 last season.
Heat Top Wicket Taker: Spencer Johnson ($3.25 at Ladbrokes)
Michael Neser and Spencer Johnson will battle it out in this market, with Johnson getting my nod. Although Neser (26 wickets) outperformed Johnson (nine wickets) last season, the young left armer has rapidly developed into a strike weapon since then and his pace partner isn’t getting any younger.
Hobart Hurricanes
Hurricanes Top Runscorer: Matthew Wade ($3.50 at Neds)
Wade, McDermott and David are all in the mix here, but Wade is my pick. The veteran left-hander has been one of Australia’s best T20 players over the last 12 months and he will have ample opportunity to accumulate runs at the top of the order. McDermott was down on form last season, and although David is a reliable performer, his position in the middle order makes it difficult for him to score big.
Hurricanes Top Wicket Taker: Riley Meredith ($3.25 at Ladbrokes)
Meredith, Dooley and Ellis all ended up with similar numbers last year, and it could be a similar tale this year. It’s a real toss of a coin, but Meredith is entering his prime.
Melbourne Renegades
Renegades Top Runscorer: Quinton De Kock ($4.50 at Ladbrokes)
De Kock’s stint in Melbourne is likely to be a short one due to his international and franchise commitments, but I believe he is capable of putting huge runs on the board nevertheless. The South African hitter was among the top three run scorers at the ODI World Cup, averaging nearly 60, and he will be facing less accomplished bowlers in this competition.
Renegades Top Wicket Taker: Adam Zampa ($3 at Neds)
While Tom Rogers topped this chart last season with 23 wickets, he will face plenty of competition this time around. Kane Richardson and Adam Zampa are both white ball specialists, and I expect the latter to make his mark at the Renegades.
Melbourne Stars
Stars Top Runscorer: Glenn Maxwell ($2.25 at Neds)
Maxwell is the obvious choice here and it’s not hard to see why. The inventive shot maker has produced three international white ball tons over the last couple of months, and he will be the main man at the Stars alongside Marcus Stoinis.
Stars Top Wicket Taker: Haris Rauf ($3.50 at Ladbrokes)
With plenty of player turnover, this market is wide open, although Rauf is my pick. The Pakistani speedster has turned down international cricket to commit to the BBL, and he is the definition of a wicket taking strike bowler.
Perth Scorchers
Scorchers Top Runscorer: Josh Inglis ($3 at Ladbrokes)
This market is a tough one, with Perth boasting unbelievable depth of talent in the batting department. However, I’m backing Inglis, who is fresh off a ton against India and has spent recent times embedded in the international squad.
Scorchers Top Wicket Taker: Jhye Richardson ($3 at Neds)
Just like the batting market, it’s hard to pick from Perth’s excellent bowling attack. Richardson had the best strike rate last season (11), and if he can stay fit should build on his 15 wickets from BBL12 to beat out Behrendorff, Morris and Tye.
Sydney Sixers
Sixers Top Runscorer: James Vince ($3 at Ladbrokes)
Josh Phillipe was disappointing last campaign after bursting onto the scene and I think he will be pipped by English import James Vince here. Vince scored 263 runs at 38 last campaign, and loves to go big once he gets a start.
Sixers Top Wicket Taker: Sean Abbott ($3 at Neds)
Abbott was the best of the bowlers in BBL12 with 29 wickets, and I can’t see any other Sixers bowler challenging him this season. Abbott will almost certainly player every game, has all the tricks and variations required for T20 cricket and is hugely experienced.
Sydney Thunder
Thunder Top Runscorer: Cameron Bancroft ($3.50 at Neds)
Bancroft has crossed over from Perth for this edition of the BBL and he brings form in both white and red ball cricket with him. The WA opener averaged 51 last BBL and has dominated in the Sheffield Shield, suggesting he is in career best form ahead of this campaign.
Thunder Top Wicket Taker: Nathan McAndrew ($7 at Ladbrokes)
Daniel Sams took out this honour last year, and he is favourite to do it again in BBL13. The crafty left-armer has a friendly role on his side – Sams tends to bowl the death overs when wickets fall frequently. However, Nathan McAndrew wasn’t far behind in BBL12 and he presents excellent value. McAndrew has been one of the form bowlers in the Sheffield Shield and he should improve on last season, so he’s my pick.
