We're back, and clearly you've all missed me as I've opened up a 530 point lead at the top of the table. Much has changed since my last preview as half the teams are now past the 4000 point mark. I do think any one of those teams still has a chance to win the competition, or get in the prize places. Most people will still have their wildcards, and their triple captain chip. Both fantastic opportunities to pick up points (when used correctly!). For me, you should use your wildcard whenever you need to make drastic changes to your team, either due to lots of your team not playing, or if lots of your team are only playing in a single gameweek, but there are 8/9 plus players playing in a double gameweek. I think next weekend might be a good opportunity to use this as the Sundays have their easiest remaining fixture and with good availability there may be a lot of good players playing two games.
For your triple captain, this comes down to gut feeling. When do you think someone is going to do well? You've got to give yourself the best opportunity for the captain to score points too, so I'd look to see if they were playing two games, or a for a team below where they normally are. For those who pick themselves as captain, you might have a feeling when you're going to score well. I said to Thorey last Friday, I might triple captain myself this weekend, and now I wish I had! I suspect the next time I get this feeling I won't score as well.
The Premium players are really scoring well now, Harry Cooper (£8.8m), Ollie Cheeseman (£7.3m), Sam Bowen (£6.7m), James Pook (£8.0m) and Joe Davis (£7.7m) all have scored over 450 points so far this year, and it will be very close as to who is the top-scoring player at the end of the year. It's very difficult to create a team with all five included, so choosing who to leave out becomes key. This week, it's quite easy as both Cheesey & Cooper are unavailable, but maybe not so next week when all should be available. Jess Pugh (£2.1m); Kev Mays (£2.0m); and Tim Logue (£2.9m) are all providing regular point returns at a cheap value to assist in getting as many of the above in as possible!
With a bit of rain about today and tomorrow morning, I'll be leaving my changes till late, but hear are my thoughts on who to BUY, SELL and CAPTAIN this weekend.
BUY
This weekend, Stuart Pearson (£4.1m) is playing both Saturday and Sunday. The 2s will need a captain's innings from him as the 2nd XI enters last chance saloon in their fight for survival in Division 3. Olly Kendall (£5.8m) has taken 12 wickets in three games for the 3rd XI and doesn't look like slowing down anytime soon. I can't understand why a man with over 1100 league & cup wickets isn't in more teams. He bowled the "ball of the century" last weekend to an awestruck man from Eastwood. Thrown into the captaincy this weekend with the Pigeon unavailable, so you know he's going to open & bowl first change. I'd be looking to bring both him and Stuart into my side.
SELL
Firstly an injuries to report to Nick Phillips (£4.5m) will keep him out probably for the rest of the season, best change for me would be to drop to Tim Logue (£2.9m) however some may take a chance on Dan Allen (£5.1m) following his 82 ball 126 two weeks ago. John Chadwick (£5.6m) is unable to walk and therefore you'll need to find someone to take his spot. Sam Yeates (£5.3m) would be a good like for like, but he is also unavailable this weekend. Finding the £0.2m to get to Olly Kendall would be my choice. Ollie Cheeseman is still serving his ban and will return in Gameweek 16, meanwhile Harry Cooper (£8.8m) is also out. Assuming you already own myself & Joe Davis, Liam Jones (£6.8m) is an attractive proposition in that third all-rounder spot, others may prefer Dan Quartermaine (£6.2m) due to his double Gameweek.
CAPTAIN
Of those playing double Gameweeks your most viable captains are Joe Davis and Dan Quartermaine. Both capable of big returns either with the bowling or batting. Jacob Slater (£3.5m) could be a good differential choice, the youngster surely due to convert one of his many starts this year. In my opinion the single Gameweek players that have the most potential are Liam Jones, myself, Rob Hewer and Olly Kendall - all of these are heading into this weekend in great form.
Best of luck to all those playing this weekend, lets hope the rain stays away & we get a full weekend of cricket! #GTCCFamily
