There hasn’t been a day I haven’t tinkered with my team, but I think I have finally settled on something I like.

I thought I was crazy in not selecting any Sixers, but when two-time winner Andrew Langley revealed his team, I was glad I wasn’t alone in the thought.

Test players being available, and then not available has thrown a spanner in the works.

The Prime Minister’s XI has also deprived us of Michael Neser who I was hot on starting until his selection against Pakistan.

WICKETKEEPERS

Sam Billings (Brisbane Heat $116,900 BAT-WKP)

Ben McDermott (Hobart Hurricanes $88,000 WKP-BAT)

McDermott at under 100k is too good to leave out, but a less than ideal BBL last summer was the reason we get such a bargain. His early fixture isn’t great, but doesn’t need a lot of chances to make money for us at his low price.

I had planned for Quinton de Kock, but him being out of the opening round has caused me to shift to Billings as my keeper and bring in Aaron Hardie.

BATTERS

Will Sutherland (Melbourne Renegades $158,400 BAT-BWL)

Colin Munro (Brisbane Heat $156,100 BAT)

Aaron Hardie (Perth Scorchers $178,300 BAT-BWL)

Glenn Maxwell (Melbourne Stars $118,300 BAT-BWL)

Cooper Connolly (Perth Scorchers $70,500 BAT-BWL)

D’Arcy Short (Adelaide Strikers $67,500 BAT)

Sam Whiteman (Perth Scorchers $62,500 BAT-WKP)

Colin Munro would be hard to leave out with Brisbane Heat having the triple game week first up, and his form leading up to the BBL is also hard to ignore with the Kiwi hitting boundaries for fun in competitions around the world.

I was already picking Gades all-rounder Will Sutherland, and he should play a key role in the Renegades campaign. An injury cloud over Kane Richardson opens the door right open for Sutherland to take up residence in the Renegades bowling attack, if he wasn’t already, as he has been a regular wicket taker at state level for Victoria in both the Sheffield Shield and Marsh Cup.

Maxwell has been in excellent form, and not much needs to be said that hasn’t already been said, while Billings will keep and bat top order while Jimmy Peirson is unavailable for the Heat.

Cooper Connolly should continue where he left off for the Scorchers, especially in the absence of Ashton Agar, while D’Arcy Short and Sam Whiteman have cash cow potential.

BOWLERS

Jhye Richardson (Perth Scorchers $247,000 BWL)

Jason Behrendorff (Perth Scorchers $177,600 BWL)

Adam Zampa (Melbourne Renegades $131,900 BWL)

Spencer Johnson (Brisbane Heat $125,500 BWL)

Paul Walter (Brisbane Heat $105,000 BAT-BWL)

Tanveer Sangha (Sydney Thunder $83,800 BWL)

Peter Siddle (Melbourne Renegades $75,500 BWL)

Perth bowling pair Richardson and Behrendorff are in form and raring to go. The Dorff has bowled two maiden overs against India for Australia, and has been Kryptonite for the Indian batting attack, while Richardson appears to be over his injury troubles, for now, with 4 wickets and 10 maidens in the Sheffield Shield against Queensland.

Adam Zampa is going to do what he’s always done and was locked into my team early on, while Spencer Johnson and Paul Walter should play all three Brisbane Heat games in round one.

Tanveer Sangha is as cheap as he’s ever going to be, and you’d want him for the Sydney Thunder’s round 4 double so may as well grab him now and enjoy the cash rise in the meantime, while Peter Siddle is another who could benefit from Kane Richardson’s glute injury.

I haven’t quite settled on my VC/C for round one, and there’s still time to work that out, but I’ve given myself plenty of options.

Originally published as SuperCoach BBL team reveal: Damo unveils his answer to de Kock conundrum, which Heat players he’s targeting