September 1, 2024

BBL 2024 Draft: Shai Hope Makes Debut; Melbourne Stars Sign Ben Duckett and Tom Curran

In outstanding form in T20 cricket, Shai Hope has been selected by the Hobart Hurricanes for the BBL 2024 under Ricky Ponting’s coaching. The Hurricanes also added veteran English pacer Chris Jordan to their roster.

Shai Hope, Romario Shepherd, and Gudakesh Motie in action during the T20 match against England in Tarouba on December 21, 2023.

After been chosen by the Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL 2024 draft on Sunday, September 1, in-form Shai Hope is scheduled to make his Big Bash League debut. The Caribbean star, known for his exceptional T20 performances, will be joined by England’s Chris Jordan and Afghanistan’s rising spinner Rishad Hossain at the Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes, coached by Ricky Ponting—who previously worked with Hope at the Delhi Capitals in the IPL—have substantially added to their squad. Hope recently showcased his impressive form by earning Player of the Series honors against South Africa, amassing 134 runs in three T20I innings at a striking rate of 163.41.

All eight teams finalized their rosters with three picks for the 14th edition of Australia’s premier T20 league. The English cricketers significantly impacted the draft, with 14 players selected. Notably, the Melbourne Stars picked top-order batsman Ben Duckett as a platinum pick, alongside England pace all-rounder Tom Curran and Pakistani spinner Usama Mir.

After the Perth Scorchers decided not to keep the seasoned English batter, Laurie Evans was selected by the Melbourne Renegades as a platinum pick. Additionally, Kiwi wicketkeeper Tim Seifert and Jacob Bethell were chosen by the Renegades.

Draft Picks:

Melbourne Stars: Ben Duckett (platinum), Tom Curran (pre-signed, platinum), Usama Mir (silver)

Melbourne Renegades: Laurie Evans (platinum), Jacob Bethell (gold), Tim Seifert (pre-signed, gold)

Sydney Thunder: Lockie Ferguson (platinum), Sam Billings (pre-signed, platinum), Sherfane Rutherford (silver)

Hobart Hurricanes: Shai Hope (platinum), Chris Jordan (pre-signed, platinum), Rishad Hossain (bronze)

Adelaide Strikers: Jamie Overton (platinum), Ollie Pope (pre-signed, gold), Fabian Allen (silver)

Brisbane Heat: Colin Munro (pre-signed, platinum), Paul Walter (gold), Tom Alsop (bronze)

Perth Scorchers: Finn Allen (pre-signed, platinum), Matthew Hurst (silver), Keaton Jennings (bronze)

Sydney Sixers: James Vince (retained, platinum), Akeal Hosein (pre-signed, gold), Jafer Chohan (bronze)

The season is set to be an exciting one, with these new additions bringing a mix of talent and experience to the league.

Harmanpreet Kaur Misses Out as Record Number of Indian Players Chosen for WBBL 10

September 01, 2024

Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s absence from the Women’s Premier League 10 draft on Sunday, September 1, was surprising. Despite being a Women’s Premier League-winning captain, Harmanpreet was left undrafted.

In a historic turn, six Indian players were selected in the draft. Smriti Mandhana, who was pre-signed by the Adelaide Strikers, was confirmed for her franchise. All-rounder Deepti Sharma joined the Melbourne Stars, while the Brisbane Heat signed Jemimah Rodrigues.  Shikha Pandey will also play for Brisbane Heat, and the Perth Scorchers have picked Hemalatha Dayalan. Additionally, the Melbourne Stars chose Yastika Bhatia. This season will mark the first time six Indian women feature in a single WBBL season. However, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav, and Harmanpreet were not selected.

Here is a summary of the four-round WBBL draft picks:

First-Round Picks:

Deepti Sharma – Melbourne Stars

Jemimah Rodrigues – Brisbane Heat

Danielle Wyatt – Hobart Hurricanes

Sophie Ecclestone – Sydney Sixers (Retention)

Heather Knight – Sydney Thunder (Retention)

Laura Wolvaardt – Adelaide Strikers (Retention)

Deandra Dottin – Melbourne Renegades

Sophie Devine – Perth Scorchers (Pre-signed Player)

Second-Round Picks:

Chloe Tryon – Hobart Hurricanes

Amelia Kerr – Sydney Sixers

Hayley Matthews – Melbourne Renegades

Marizanne Kapp – Melbourne Stars

Shabnim Ismail – Sydney Thunder

Shikha Pandey – Brisbane Heat

Amy Jones – Perth Scorchers (Retention)

Third-Round Picks:

Hemalatha Dayalan – Perth Scorchers

Alice Capsey – Melbourne Renegades

Chamari Athapaththu – Sydney Thunder (Pre-signed Player)

Yastika Bhatia – Melbourne Stars

Smriti Mandhana – Adelaide Strikers (Pre-signed Player)

Lizelle Lee – Hobart Hurricanes (Pre-signed Player)

Fourth-Round Picks:

Hollie Armitage – Sydney Sixers

Orla Prendergast – Adelaide Strikers

Georgia Adams – Sydney Thunder

Nadine de Klerk – Brisbane Heat

The tournament starts on October 27 with a match between the Adelaide Strikers and the Brisbane Heat. This season will feature 43 games, culminating in the final on December 1.

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