WITH a revamped format in SuperCoach BBL08, all-rounders will be at the centre of your Big Bash team given their eligibility as either batsmen or bowlers.

With so many options to choose from, we’ve crunched the numbers and rewatched the tapes to deliver the top five SuperCoach BBL players (and a few special mentions) of last year’s tournament.

You’d have to be a brave coach to leave out the No.1 ranked SuperCoach scorer, D’Arcy Short. Short’s feats had to be seen to be believed, as the 28-year-old left-handed opener finished BBL07 ranked first for runs scored (572), sixes (26), fours (52), batting average (57.2), individual score (122 not out) as well as the highest SuperCoach average in BBL07 with 95.6. There’s not much Short does wrong, which is music to the ears of SuperCoach owners.

On four occasions Short chalked up the half-ton, while in the field he took three catches and proved handy with the ball, with an economy rate of 7.88. He’ll be worth the high starting price and is part of a small group of players you can lock down as captain each week. Still need convincing? Of all players to have played nine games or more last season, Short scored on average almost 20 points better than any other player in the competition. Put simply, he is head and shoulders above his rivals. Pick him and enjoy many happy returns!

Dwayne Bravo - 11 games / 75.4 average / Yet to sign for a club
Mr Consistency himself, DJ Bravo is well worth selection in your SuperCoach team this year. The talented Windie is known for his wicket celebrations, but he’s also known as one of the most consistent SuperCoach scorers. Having taken no less than 18 wickets in BBL07 (ranked equal first), and second overall for best bowling figures (5-28), the maestro looms as a reliable option with a SuperCoach average of 75.4 from 11 games in last year’s tournament, ranking third overall for points average, and second overall for total SuperCoach points.

Aston Agar - 9 games / 73.1 average / $197,900
There’s not a lot to be said of young spinner Ashton Agar that hasn’t already been said. One of the nation’s most promising talents, Agar’s star has well and truly risen in BBL, and he shapes as an essential cog of any SuperCoach BBL team this season. A true SuperCoach all-rounder, Agar picks up SuperCoach points from his work with the ball, bat and in the field. Agar ranked second overall last season for bowling economy — only 0.8 per cent behind No.1 ranked Rashid Khan. Agar took eight wickets in BBL07, and finished with a tidy average of 49.6 with the bat!

Jofra Archer - 12 Games / 64.4 average / $174,400
One of the eye-catchers of BBL07, Jofra Archer has signed a multi-year deal to remain with the Hurricanes and with good reason. Archer is explosive with the ball, which has actively translated to his ability to rack up SuperCoach points. Ranking eighth overall for SuperCoach average in BBL07 and fifth overall for total SuperCoach points, Archer’s SuperCoach weapons lie in his ability to take wickets. The Barbados-born import took 12 for the tournament with a respectable economy rate of 7.96, while his freakish fielding makes him a tantalising option for those looking for a point of difference.

Ranked the third-best all-rounder on SuperCoach points average, Dan Christian made 216 runs in BBL07 at an average of 27 runs a game and a strike rate of 153, which included 10 sixes and 16 fours. Keen observers won’t have forgotten his 4/17 and 37 runs in the semi-final against Perth. Ranking second at Hobart for wickets last season, Christian’s ability at the death and chop-outs with the bat have solidified his stance in the game. However, with a switch from the Hurricanes to the ‘Gades, it remains to be seen what impact this has on his SuperCoach scoring.

Special mentions ...

Shane Watson - 10 games / 61.6 average / $166,700
The captain of the Thunder has been blasting his way for years into the hearts of cricket fans and is considered one of the best all-rounders in the world. Shane Watson finished BBL07 with 331 runs at an average of 36.77 on his way to a tidy SuperCoach average of 61.6.

Glenn Maxwell - 9 games / 64.6 average / $175,000
The often maligned Glenn Maxwell ranked fifth overall for the highest strike rate of batsmen to face more than 50 balls in BBL07, while also ranking third overall in the competition for most catches taken with seven last year.