Harper puts funk aside to be crowned BBL|15's best

As recent as the end of last season, Sam Harper's BBL future was at a crossroads.

Melbourne Stars wanted runs at the top of the order to support their stacked power unit led by captain Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell and Hilton Cartwright, and through two seasons since his return from the Renegades, the Victorian wicketkeeper had produced middling results with 180 runs at 11.25 striking at only 110.

When the club drafted Englishman Joe Clarke for a full season in June, it gave them both an option at the top of the order and behind the stumps for KFC BBL|15.

Harper's lifeline arrived in August by the way of a new one-year deal with the Stars, announced alongside Victorian young guns Campbell Kellaway and Austin Anlezark.

The Stars' announcement highlighted Harper's batting versatility as someone able to be "used anywhere in the top seven", while the club's high-performance boss Clint McKay hoped they could help him "rediscover some of his best form with the bat in BBL|15", which had seen him rise to second on the Renegades' all-time run-scoring tally behind Big Bash legend Aaron Finch.

The signs were there in August too, with Harper leading the way for the Stars in the preseason Top End T20 tournament where he was the competition's third highest run-scorer with 240 at an average of 48.

Stars coach Peter Moores then laid down the challenge ahead of the BBL|15 season when he tasked their support players to step up so they weren't always relying on the likes of Stoinis and Maxwell.

But Harper was forced to bide his time for their season opener, listed at five and not required to bat as Stoinis and Kellaway put on an unbeaten stand of 101 to lead the Stars to a commanding eight-wicket win over the Hurricanes, the team they also face tonight in the sudden-death Knockout final in Hobart.

The 29-year-old's chance came in their next match when opener Tom Rogers was forced from the field with a knee injury, leaving a spot to be filled at the top of the order.

The right-hander seized it by slamming 55 from 36 balls and hasn't looked back since, producing a career-best 371-run campaign in which he has averaged better than 60 and struck at more than 155 per 100 balls faced.

Twelve months on from Big Bash uncertainty, Harper has tonight been crowned the best player in the competition.

As voted by the two standing umpires for each regular season match, the Stars gloveman (16) finished one vote ahead of Strikers allrounder Liam Scott and Thunder captain David Warner, who tied for second on 15 votes.

Harper's campaign saw him produce three team-high knocks, including his maiden T20 century to down the Sixers on Boxing Day, which was followed by an unbeaten 84 to sink the Renegades in the second Melbourne derby at Marvel Stadium.

He finished as the third highest run-scorer during the BBL|15 regular season, while his 13 dismissals are the most for a wicketkeeper.

During the season he credited his stunning resurgence to better decision making with the bat and a winter spent honing his T20 game at Victoria's Junction Oval base.

"I certainly invested a lot of time in the winter into my T20 game, and there's also been a lot of moments throughout the past five to 10 years in BBL when I have done well and it's just not been consistent enough," Harper said last week.

"So a few learnings from that and then just trying to make it consistent game in, game out and not just two or three games a season.

"I've probably been a little bit less funky and (keeping it) pretty simple and really just trying to hit good shots.

"I think I've got enough options now around the ground in the Powerplay, and teams have also been setting a backstop basically for me anyway, so the (ramp) shot hasn't necessarily been on."

Harper, who notched his 100th BBL appearance during the season, said his experience had also been a factor in helping him rediscover his best form.

"Early days as a younger player," he said, "when you're playing with an Aaron Finch or Shaun Marsh and these guys (are) behind you, you think you're doing the best thing for the team that your role is to go hard in the Powerplay and then in the sixth or seventh over with these superstars or international players behind you, it's almost better if I get out here.

"Maybe even the same a few years ago at the Stars with 'Stoin' (Stoinis) and 'Maxi' (Maxwell).

"You learn as you get older and you want to win games for your team yourself … so it probably just comes down to a bit of experience and a bit of learning."

Harper is unlikely to face similar uncertainty at the end of this season however and is essentially assured of securing one of the 10 available spots on the Stars' roster before the Player Movement Window opens on Wednesday, January 28.

He'd also be odds-on to secure one of the 11 spots in the official BBL|15 Team of the Tournament, as voted by the league's eight head coaches, which is set to be announced tomorrow.

BBL|15 finals schedule

Qualifier: Perth Scorchers beat Sydney Sixers by 48 runs

Knockout: Hobart Hurricanes v Melbourne Stars, Ninja Stadium (Wednesday, January 21, 7.30pm AEDT)

Challenger: Sydney Sixers v winner of Knockout, SCG (Friday, January 23, 7.15pm AEDT)

Final: Perth Scorchers v winner of Challenger, Optus Stadium (Sunday, January 25, 7.15pm AEDT)

*A reserve day on Monday, January 26 (7.15pm AEDT) is available for the Final

KFC BBL|15 standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Total points PTS
1 Perth Scorchers Men SCO	10	7	3	0	0	1.363	0	14
2 Sydney Sixers Men SIX	10	6	3	0	1	0.605	0	13
3 Hobart Hurricanes Men HUR	10	6	3	0	1	0.331	0	13
4 Melbourne Stars Men STA	10	6	4	0	0	0.759	0	12
5 Brisbane Heat Men HEA	10	5	5	0	0	-0.431	0	10
6 Adelaide Strikers Men STR	10	4	6	0	0	-0.231	0	8
7 Melbourne Renegades Men REN	10	3	7	0	0	-1.202	0	6
8 Sydney Thunder Men THU	10	2	8	0	0	-1.212	0	4

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

PTS: Total points