Another enthralling Big Bash League overseas player draft is done and dusted.
A total of 21 players, 13 of which were English, were chosen from the 32 available selections, with seven cricketers set to have their first taste of BBL cricket this summer.
Rashid Khan was retained by the Adelaide Strikers as the No. 1 pick, while the Melbourne Stars secured the services of England gun Harry Brook.
Fox Cricket has unpacked the winners and losers from the second Big Bash League overseas player draft.
WINNERS
Rehan Ahmed – Sydney Sixers (Bronze)
The last player picked in the draft was the youngest and most exciting spinner in the pool.
Rehan Ahmed, who made his international debut in all three formats before his 19th birthday, burst into the spotlight last year when he became England’s youngest Test cricketer, taking a five-wicket haul against Pakistan in Karachi.
The young leg-spinner, was snapped up by the Sixers as a bronze pick in the final round, joins fellow tweakers Todd Murphy and Steve O‘Keefe at the Sydney-based club.
Pending Test selection, it remains to be seen whether Ahmed will be available for the Big Bash finals.
“We needed a leg-spinner in our group … we thought he was the perfect choice,” Sixers coach Greg Shipperd told Fox Cricket.
“It was a no-brainer for us.
“We’ll probably be in the lap of the gods in terms of selection for England.”
Corey Anderson – Hobart Hurricanes (Silver)
Corey Anderson, the “forgotten man” of world cricket according to the Hurricanes Head of Strategy Ricky Ponting, will make his Big Bash League debut this summer.
After a prolonged run of form in Major League Cricket and on the T20 circuit this year, the 32-year-old comes to Australia with a reputation of hitting a long ball and bowling handy seam overs.
He forms part of the Hurricanes draft strategy to bolster their middle order with overseas players in a batting rethink.
“We’ll structure our batting order a bit differently from last year with our domestic players coming up the top more,” Ponting said.
“We needed some overseas middle order players, we went for (Sam) Hain earlier than we wanted too to see if the Heat were going to retain him with Anderson to come after that,
“We were surprised that Anderson got through where he did.”
Zaman Khan – Sydney Thunder (Gold)
Khan, who turns 22 next week, is set to make his Big Bash League debut this summer after being picked up by the Thunder in the second round.
The Pakistani quick, who made his international debut earlier this year, has put together a handful of impressive performances in The Hundred and Pakistan Super League.
Thunder batter Jason Sangha said that Khan had specifically been selected for his death bowling, a job he will share with all-rounder Daniel Sams.
“Death overs are so key,” Sangha told Fox Cricket.
“He’s a bit different, a bit more of a slingy bowler, a Lasith Malinga type.
“Hopefully he can play a big part for us.”
Jamie Overton – Adelaide Strikers (Gold)
Overton, the player of this season’s edition of The Hundred, was the surprise pick in the top ten selections of Sunday’s draft.
The 29-year-old, who has made a name for himself with his power hitting and quick bowling, has had a breakout 12 months, boasting plenty of “raw power”.
Overton “bowls a heavy ball”, according to former Australian coach Darren Lehmann, which will suit his new home ground Adelaide Oval.
“We feel that (selection) really compliments our list,” Strikers head coach Jason Gillespie said.
“We think some power in the middle, along with the recruitment of James Bazley … we feel this is a good fit for us.”
LOSERS
Shadab Khan
There was no place for Pakistani leg-spinner Shadab Khan, who was overlooked after being selected by the Hobart Hurricanes as a platinum pick last season.
The 24-year-old, who is No. 4 on the ICC’s men’s T20I all-rounder rankings, was named in the T20 World Cup’s team of the tournament last year after guiding Pakistan to the final against England at the MCG.
Hurricanes assistant coach James Hopes explained that availability was the main reason for the club’s decision not to retain Khan.
“We thought he might go No. 1 (pick) to the Melbourne Stars,” Hopes told Fox Cricket.
“When he leaves to go to New Zealand for the one-day series (in January) we’ve actually only played five games.
“That was a big factor for us.”
Rilee Rossouw
The South African blaster was not selected by any Big Bash franchise on Sunday after being an early platinum selection for the Sydney Thunder last summer.
The left-hander had a forgettable campaign with the men in lime green last season, scoring 127 runs at 18.14 with a strike rate of 118.69.
Due to SA20 commitments, Rossouw was set to be unavailable for the second half of this summer’s tournament, which has proven a significant factor in Big Bash drafts.
However, because the Thunder only picked two players in Sunday’s draft, there remains a chance Rossouw could be signed as their third international before the season gets underway in December.
Martin Guptill
Guptill, the third-leading run-scorer in T20I history, smacked an explosive century in the Caribbean Premier League last week, but it wasn’t enough to earn a Big Bash League contract.
The New Zealander had a disappointing campaign with the Melbourne Renegades last summer, scoring 165 runs in 11 knocks with an underwhelming strike rate of 107.14.
After losing gloveman Sam Harper to cross-town rivals the Melbourne Stars in a trade deal, the Renegades needed a wicketkeeper in their roster.
Rather than persisting with Guptill, they secured the services of South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock, despite his less-than-ideal availability.
Joe Clarke
The English wicketkeeper won’t be returning to the Melbourne Stars this season after playing the past three seasons at the club.
The recruitment of Sam Harper has allowed the Stars to put their focus into other areas despite Clarke’s 844 runs at a strike rate of 138.82 from 30 matches in green.
“Very sad to see him go,” Stars captain Glenn Maxwell told foxcricket.com.au.
“He’s been a really good player for us for the past couple of years. We think though with Sam Harper coming over, he’s going to fill that role for us at the top of the order and there were other parts of our squad that we needed to fill up.”
