South Africa star opener snubs BBL for the Abu Dhabi T10

Melbourne Renegades, who finished 3rd last year, have scooped up the big signing of Quinton De Kock. But they might be waiting a little longer than anticipated… 

Certainly a late announcement from Quinton De Kock as he has chosen to stay in Abu Dhabi for the conclusion of the annual T10 competition. He has hit a 50 off 26 balls and looks to build up form ahead of the Big Bash. Perhaps this decision from Quinton De Kock came as a surprise to many cricket fans, as the Big Bash has a higher reputation than the Abu Dhabi T10. The two games he will miss will be against the two strongest teams in the competition, who were head and shoulders above the rest in BBL 12 - Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers.  

Who will replace De Kock? 

It is highly likely that De Kock’s opening spot will be taken by Nottinghamshire’s Joe Clarke. Renegades’ skipper, Nic Maddinson has potential to open with Clarke, however they are not short of opening batsmen. Veteran Aaron Finch is also capable of opening in place of Quinton De Kock, a role he has performed successfully for years in the Australian national team. Another veteran, Shaun Marsh is capable of taking the vacant slot. 

Fantasy Teams 

Many Australians will be taking part in various fantasy games throughout the tournament. De Kock may have been a popular selection, although this news may have caused a head-scratching dilemma. The best alternative to De Kock is likely to be Joe Clarke, which might be the most popular transfer amongst fantasy fans. Alternatively, strong batsmen such as Matt Short, James Vince, Josh Inglis and of course the in-form Glenn Maxwell can fill in if the budget allows! 

How will the Renegades fare? 

The Renegades slowly built a reputation of being the wooden spoon holders in recent years, however last year they managed to reach the knockouts which was a big achievement. The squad looks stronger than last year so I am sure ambitions will be high. The bowling unit led by Zampa, Richardson and Rogers looks to be well-balanced. The addition of Zampa to the team was a huge blow to their rivals, Melbourne Stars who look likely to finish bottom this year.