Explosive England big hitter Liam Livingstone has created history as the first chosen in the inaugural Big Bash overseas player draft.
Livingstone, 29, was drafted by the Melbourne Renegades as one of the 12 platinum players worth $340,000.
The Melbourne Stars chose newly released New Zealand swing and seam bowler Trent Boult with the second choice after attempting to take Adelaide Strikers bubbling leg-spinner Rashid Khan.
Adelaide Strikers coach Jason Gillespie used his team’s retention pick to keep Rashid.
Gillespie announced the trumping of the Stars by using a famous quote from the Australian cult movie “The Castle.”
“To quote Darryl Kerrigan ‘tell him he’s dreaming’,” Gillespie said.
Liam Livingstone was the first pick of the BBL draft.Credit:Getty
The Sydney Sixers took experienced English death bowler Chris Jordan as their platinum choice and picked the absolute bolter of the night in 18-year Afghani leg-spinner Izharulhaq Naveed, who was sited in the under 19 World Cup.
The Brisbane Heat took English keeper-batsman Sam Billings, who the Thunder could have retained but chose not to.
Reigning champions the Scorchers did not make a first-round selection because only allrounder David Willey of the 12 platinum players was available for the whole tournament.
The Thunder picked Willey for that reason while the Hobart Hurricanes took Pakistan’s legspinner Shadab Khan, who played with the Sixers last season.
Kiwi pace bowler Trent Boult.Credit:AP
The draft’s other bolter came in the second round when the Adelaide Strikers took Zimbabwean-born New Zealand allrounder Colin de Grandhomme to make his first appearance in the Big Bash as a powerful hitter and useful seamer.
The second round saw the Renegades take Afghan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, the Stars took England keeper-batsman Joe Clarke, the Heat took Kiwi hitter Colin Munro, the Scorchers retained England top order batsman Laurie Evans, the Sixers picked up England batter James Vince again, the Thunder were able to grab their England big hitter Alex Hales, and the Hurricanes took Pakistan spinner Asif Ali.
Five platinum players were overlooked in the first round, with powerful West Indian allrounders Andre Russell and Kieron Pollard only available at the top level.
Former South African captain Faf du Plessis, England opener Jason Roy and West Indian veteran Dwayne Bravo were also ignored as platinum players but had also registered as gold players.
Kieron Pollard was overlooked in the BBL draft.Credit:AP
Renegades coach David Saker said his team “got the player we wanted” after calling out Livingstone’s name.
“He’s a power hitter in the middle order and also he bowls leg spinners so we’re getting two weapons,” Saker said. “He’s also in great form.”
The dynamic right-hander has been a favourite with the Perth Scorchers, playing 28 matches for the WA side, where he hammered 55 sixes and won three Player of the match awards. Livingstone also claimed nine wickets.
Long hitting has been a feature of his game. In 23 T20 internationals for England he has hit 24 sixes and across 200 T20s in all competitions he has cleared the rope on 305 occasions.
Even during his most recent match, for the Birmingham Phoenix against the Oval Invincibles in England’s The Hundred, Livingstone top-scored with 45 in 32 balls including four sixes in a match-winning performance.
A dozen overseas players listed as platinum in Sunday’s draft can make $340,000 for playing in the first half of the Big Bash during December and early January, and then another $500,000 in the UAE.
Along with platinum players, anyone nominated in the gold category can receive $260,000, silver $175,000 and bronze $100,000. Each team can select three overseas players.
Sydney Sixers coach Greg Shipperd claimed there was a significant amount of preparation ahead of the draft with “numerous meetings.”
“There was plenty of talent on the plate,” Shipperd said.
“We had to be careful around the combinations that we think are going to fit into our team both from a personality perspective but also a skill set.
“We’re always looking for high end pace and and death bowling or a world class spinner.
“We had several streams in terms of options that we can take, what to think about our right combinations with the ball as we do with the bat.”
BBL 12 Draft selections
Round One
- Liam Livingstone – Melbourne Renegades (PLATINUM)
- Rashid Khan – Adelaide Strikers (RETENTION PICK – PLATINUM)
- Trent Boult – Melbourne Stars (PLATINUM)
- Sam Billings – Brisbane Heat (PLATINUM)
- Chris Jordan – Sydney Sixers (PLATINUM)
- Pass – Perth Scorchers
- David Willey – Sydney Thunder (PLATINUM)
- Shadab Khan – Hobart Hurricanes (PLATINUM)
Round Two
- Mujeeb ur Rahman – Melbourne Renegades (GOLD)
- Joe Clarke – Melbourne Stars (GOLD)
- Colin Munro – Brisbane Heat (GOLD)
- Laurie Evans – Perth Scorchers (RETENTION PICK – GOLD)
- James Vince – Sydney Sixers (GOLD)
- Colin de Grandhomme – Adelaide Strikers (GOLD)
- Alex Hales – Sydney Thunder (GOLD)
- Asif Ali – Hobart Hurricanes (GOLD)
Round Three
- Faheem Ashraf – Hobart Hurricanes (SILVER)
- Rilee Rossouw – Sydney Thunder (SILVER)
- Phil Salt – Perth Scorchers (SILVER)
- Adam Hose – Adelaide Strikers (SILVER)
- Pass – Sydney Sixers
- Pass – Brisbane Heat
- Luke Wood – Melbourne Stars (SILVER)
- Pass – Melbourne Renegades
Round Four
25. Akeal Hosein – Melbourne Renegades (BRONZE)
26. Pass – Melbourne Stars
27. Ross Whiteley – Brisbane Heat (BRONZE)
28. Izharulhaq Naveed – Sydney Sixers (BRONZE)
29. Pass – Adelaide Strikers
30. Tymal Mills – Perth Scorchers (BRONZE)
31. Pass – Sydney Thunder
32. Pass – Hobart Hurricanes
