August 17, 2024

Finn Allen Signs Two-Year Contract with Perth Scorchers: Report

New Zealand opener Finn Allen is poised to join the Perth Scorchers on a two-year contract following his decision to opt out of New Zealand Cricket’s central contract. In the upcoming days, the official announcement is anticipated.

Allen, renowned for his explosive batting and impressive T20 strike rate of 168.60—the second-highest among players with over 3,000 T20 runs—was initially included in the central contract list announced last month by NZC. However, recent interest from the Perth Scorchers has influenced Allen to prioritize the Big Bash League (BBL) over New Zealand’s white-ball series against Sri Lanka, scheduled for late December, according to ESPNcricinfo.

The Scorchers, who had trouble last season filling the opening hole left empty by Cameron Bancroft’s departure to Sydney Thunder, now have Allen to help replace that requirement.  While England’s Zak Crawley contributed with two half-centuries in six innings, the Scorchers needed a consistent top-order performance.

Allen’s aggressive stroke play and ability to dominate elite bowlers—evident from his rapid 42 off 16 balls against Australia in the 2022 T20 World Cup—make him a valuable asset for the Scorchers.

At 24, Allen will become the third New Zealander in this year’s BBL, joining Colin Munro (Brisbane Heat) and Tim Seifert (Melbourne Renegades). Like Allen, Seifert opted out of a domestic contract to enhance his franchise cricket opportunities. At the same time, Munro retired from international cricket earlier this year after missing out on New Zealand’s T20 World Cup squad.

For the Scorchers, securing Allen as a pre-draft signing under the new multi-year contract system is a strategic advantage. However, it brings into question the future of Laurie Evans, who was outstanding last season, amassing 292 runs at an average of 58.40 and a strike rate of 189.61 before leaving for the ILT20.

Though the Scorchers considered re-signing Evans, his ongoing commitments with the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the UAE posed availability issues. As a result, the franchise opted for Allen. Evans remains a potential candidate for a return. Still, the Scorchers must select him in the BBL draft, where they hold retention rights. 

However, his availability could be limited due to overlapping commitments with the ILT20 and SA20 tournaments. The picks that the Scorchers will own in the September 1 BBL draft are 7, 15, 18, and 31.

International Stars Enter Big Bash League Player Draft

 August 19, 2024

A roster of elite international talent is set to join the Big Bash League (BBL) 14 and the Women’s BBL 10, with the initial list of overseas player nominations unveiled on Monday. This announcement comes just ahead of the League’s ticket sales launch. Starting Tuesday, fans nationwide can purchase tickets at early bird prices for every BBL and WBBL game.

Below are the 10 nominations revealed today for the BBL 14 and WBBL 10 drafts.

BBL 14 Draft first nominations:

WBBL 10 Draft first nominations:

Nominations for the drafts have closed, and nearly 600 international players have expressed their availability for the upcoming Big Bash summer.

Over the next two weeks, the League will gradually release additional nominations through the Big Bash App, social media channels, and media updates. The final list, including availability details, will be announced before the drafts. A nomination signifies that a player has yet to be pre-signed by any club under the new system introduced this year.

Although players eligible for retention are not pre-signed, they may still be selected by their former clubs using a retention pick in the drafts. This announcement follows the release of 12 pre-signed players across various clubs, with the remaining four to be revealed soon.

Pre-signed overseas players:

Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia’s General Manager Big Bash Leagues, said, “The quality of overseas players in this summer’s Big Bash Leagues will once again be outstanding and Draft night is shaping up as a must-watch.

“The Drafts themselves on September 1 will be more broadcast on more platforms than ever before thanks to the commitment of our broadcasters Seven and Foxtel.

“In addition to the first nominations announced today, a selection of top T20 names have already committed to clubs as pre-signed players in recent weeks.

“We look forward to more nominations and pre-signed players being revealed in coming weeks, as players once again show that the WBBL and BBL are destinations of choice for them.”

BBL 14 Draft Order:

Melbourne Stars

Melbourne Renegades

Sydney Thunder

Hobart Hurricanes

Adelaide Strikers

Brisbane Heat

Perth Scorchers

Sydney Sixers

WBBL 10 Draft Order:

Hobart Hurricanes

Sydney Sixers

Melbourne Renegades

Melbourne Stars

Sydney Thunder

Adelaide Strikers

Brisbane Heat

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