We’ve had a look at the top batsmen ahead of the new Big Bash League season and now it is the turn of the focus to fall on the bowlers for the new campaign. There is quite a competitive tournament top bowler market to go at here.
We had joint winners of the event last year with Rashid Khan and Dwayne Bravo scalping 18 victims each and both are part of the good looking set of bowlers going into this season. We’ll see if there is any value to be had.
Recent Winners
2017/18 – Dwayne Bravo & Rashid Khan (18)
2016/17 – Sean Abbott (20)
2015/16 – Clint McKay (18)
2014/15 – John Hastings (16)
2013/14 – Cameron Gannon (18)
2012/13 – Ben Laughlin (14)
2011/12 – Rana Naved-ul-Hasan (15)
Favourites
Rashid Khan is the best T20 bowler in the world according to the rankings and he is the 8/1 favourite to take the most wickets this season. It is hard to go against that too especially now that captains around the world are saving him for the death overs but there will come a point when teams just look to nudge him for 20 or so and go conkers deep on the other bowlers. I wouldn’t put anyone off backing Rashid but everything needs to go right at 8/1. He’s the most likely winner but that price isn’t for me.
Dwayne Bravo is the second favourite at a best price of 12/1. He will certainly need to improve his form from the Caribbean Premier League and the Mzansi Super League if he is going to justify those odds. He was cannon fodder in those tournaments but he has a huge boundary behind him at the MCG here and his variations can still outfox the clueless element of the Australian batsmen. Even then he’s too short for me.
Jofra Archer is no longer the secret he was going into this tournament last year and it could be argued that at 13/1 there is plenty of value in him but with batsmen having seen him now I suspect he will need something other than being around at the death to take his wickets. He’s a class act and will take wickets but one or two might just be too good for him, especially with James Faulkner sharing death duties.
Ben Laughlin is usually my default setting when I look towards this market and at 16/1 I can’t say I’m not tempted but if Rashid Khan goes well it is hard to see Laughlin doing likewise. I think you have to pick one of the two if you’re getting involved on either and I’d probably go with the consistency of Rashid over him. Andrew Tye looks a massive price at 17/1 but he’s going to miss matches with Australia, which could cost him like it did last year.
Australian cricketers are rancid when it comes to playing spin so we shouldn’t rule out Usman Qadir at the Perth Scorchers although you would think the seam attack they have up their sleeve will negate the chances for him to take bunches of wickets so we can swerve him at 20/1. Tom Curran and Fawad Ahmed at the same price and they would offer up much better potential. Ahmed was brilliant in the CPL and a repeat of that would have him going close. Curran took the Australian ODI team by surprise here last year and could do likewise in this tournament but should England lose a bowler he’s the first one they’ll come calling for. It is 22/1 bar.
Profile
I mentioned it with the batting market but it is even more important that we do not back anyone who will be called up for international duty in this tournament. The top bowler is separated by a much smaller number so every match counts. With that in mind it could also pay to be on a team you think will make the top four just for that extra help should you need it at the end of the season.
The other decision is then whether to take a seamer or a spinner. Spinners usually dominate the T20 events around the world but maybe not so this one. Rashid Khan is the first spinner to top the wicket chart and his side had to win the tournament and even then he only tied at the top. Don’t be afraid to take a seamer here.
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Betting
I’ll go with two in this market with the first being Jason Behrendorff. He missed the whole of last season through injury but he is fit to take his place in the side this time around. He is one of the best bowlers in the league with his left arm swing a real potent asset to the Perth Scorchers. He is a regular wicket taker with the white ball and in the JLT Cup his wickets came every 21 balls. If he repeats that here that will see him with around 13 wickets over his 10 matches so he doesn’t need much more to be up and beyond 15 wickets which has bowlers right in the mix. At 25/1 he’s my first bet.
I’m a huge fan of Sandeep Lamichhane and while he might be from Nepal that doesn’t mean to say that he can’t bowl. The emergence and class of Rashid Khan ensures that Lamichhane still stays relatively under the radar but there is no doubt that he can bowl effectively. At the MCG he’ll be able to give the ball some air without having to worry about being twatted for six and Glenn Maxwell knows all about him having been with him at Delhi in the IPL. Lamichhane will be trusted by Maxwell and he could reward him with a bunch of wickets.
Tips
Back J.Behrendorff Tournament Top Bowler (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 26.00 with BetVictor (1/4 1-4)
Back him here:
Back S.Lamichhane Tournament Top Bowler (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 41.00 with Boylesports (1/4 1-4)
Back him here:
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