An Ashes hero, a T20 World Cup champion and a 44-year-old leg-spinner headline the latest batch of nominations ahead of next month’s Big Bash Overseas Player Draft.
English pace bowlers Chris Jordan and Reece Topley have thrown their hats in the ring ahead of the 13th edition of the Big Bash League, which gets underway in December. Jordan, who featured in last year’s triumphant T20 World Cup final at the MCG, is eligible as a retention pick for the Sydney Sixers, while Topley is a free agent.
The Melbourne Renegades are spoiled for choice, with Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman and West Indies tweaker Akeal Hosein both available to the club as retention picks. Meanwhile, South African spinners Tabraiz Shamsi and Imran Tahir, who celebrated his 44th birthday this year, are up for grabs as free agents. Tahir, who is yet to make his Big Bash debut, was snapped up by the Renegades ahead of the 2020/21 tournament, but he withdrew at the eleventh hour due to personal reasons.
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South African seamer Shabnim Ismail, one of the fastest bowlers in the history of women’s cricket, will be available as a retention pick for the Renegades’ WBBL side, while the Brisbane Heat will be eyeing New Zealand bowler Jess Kerr and Indian all-rounder Pooja Vastraka, who both represented the ladies in teal last summer.
England seamer Kate Cross, who featured in the recent drawn Ashes campaign in the United Kingdom, has also put her name forward for the WBBL Draft, but is not available as a retention pick despite previously representing the Heat and Perth Scorchers.
“The calibre of players nominating for the upcoming Drafts is really exciting and its no doubt going to give clubs some tough decisions to make,” Cricket Australia’s General Manager of Big Bash Leagues Alistair Dobson said in a statement.
“We know how much overseas players love coming to Australia and taking part in the WBBL and to have another four world-class athletes return is a testament to that.
“Fans should be excited about some of the new faces we’re seeing nominate for the BBL Draft and with a shortened season, I encourage them to secure their tickets to what’s building as a cracking summer of Big Bash action.”
Tickets for the BBL and WBBL, which gets underway in October, will be available for purchase on Monday at 12pm AEST.
