WBBL and BBL Champions. (Photo Source : Gettyimages)
Forty-nine players from across the globe have secured their places on Big Bash League club lists at WBBL and BBL drafts.
A pair of English superstars were secured first in each event, with spin bowler Sophie Ecclestone and batter Ben Duckett headlining the WBBL and BBL Drafts respectively.
Ecclestone’s selection came in dramatic circumstances, being the first of three players drafted by the Hobart Hurricanes with their coveted Pick 1, only for each to be retained by their previous club. Ecclestone will line up for the Sydney Sixers once again, with fellow early picks Heather Knight (Sydney Thunder) and Laura Wolvaardt (Adelaide Strikers) also returning to their previous homes for WBBL.
After three attempts, the Hurricanes secured Danni Wyatt at the Platinum level, with Deandra Dottin (Melbourne Renegades), Deepti Sharma (Melbourne Stars), Jemimah Rodrigues (Brisbane Heat) and Sophie Devine (Perth Scorchers) also drafted in the first round.
The BBL Draft was dominated early by batters. Duckett’s selection by the Stars followed by James Vince returning to the Sixers via a Retention Pick, Laurie Evans shifting to the Renegades, Shai Hope joining the Hurricanes and Pre-Signed Players Colin Munro (Heat) and Finn Allen (Scorchers) being allocated to Round 1 Picks. Fast bowler Lockie Ferguson and all-rounder Jamie Overton were the Thunder and Strikers’ first recruits respectively.
Throughout both Drafts, all 16 Pre-Signed Players were allocated, while four Retention Picks were also activated by clubs, blocking rivals from poaching top overseas talent.
Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia’s Executive General Manager, Big Bash Leagues, said: “The League congratulates and welcomes the 49 overseas players recruited across the eight clubs via the Drafts. The Big Bash remains a destination of choice for the world’s best players, as reflected by the calibre of nominations received and the players recruited today. We thank all players and their agents who put themselves forward for this year’s Drafts.
“We also congratulate and thank our clubs on the preparation for the event and the quality of lists they have compiled, and to Seven and Foxtel for their hard work in bringing the Drafts to life.”
WBBL 2024 Draft Results
Sophie Ecclestone (Sydney Sixers, Platinum, Retention Pick)
Heather Knight (Sydney Thunder, Platinum, Retention Pick)
Laura Wolvaardt (Adelaide Strikers, Platinum, Retention Pick)
Danni Wyatt (Hobart Hurricanes, Platinum)
Deandra Dottin (Melbourne Renegades, Platinum)
Deepti Sharma (Melbourne Stars, Platinum)
Jemimah Rodrigues (Brisbane Heat, Platinum)
Sophie Devine (Perth Scorchers, Platinum, Pre-Signed Player)
Chloe Tryon (Hobart Hurricanes, Gold)
Amelia Kerr (Sydney Sixers, Platinum, Pre-Signed Player)
Hayley Matthews (Melbourne Renegades, Platinum, Pre-Signed Player)
Marizanne Kapp (Melbourne Stars, Platinum, Pre-Signed Player)
Shabnim Ismail (Sydney Thunder, Platinum)
Pass (Adelaide Strikers)
Shikha Pandey (Brisbane Heat, Gold)
Amy Jones (Perth Scorchers, Gold)
Hemalatha Dayalan (Perth Scorchers, Silver)
Pass (Brisbane Heat)
Alice Capsey (Melbourne Renegades, Gold)
Chamari Athapaththu (Sydney Thunder, Gold, Pre-Signed Player)
Yastika Bhatia (Melbourne Stars, Silver)
Smriti Mandhana (Adelaide Strikers, Silver, Pre-Signed Player)
Pass (Sydney Sixers)
Lizelle Lee (Hobart Hurricanes, Gold, Pre-Signed Player)
Pass (Hobart Hurricanes)
Hollie Armitage (Sydney Sixers, Bronze)
Orla Prendergast (Adelaide Strikers, Bronze)
Pass (Melbourne Stars)
Georgia Adams (Sydney Thunder, Bronze)
Pass (Melbourne Renegades)
Nadeine De Klerk (Brisbane Heat, Bronze, Pre-Signed Player)
Pass (Perth Scorchers)
BBL Draft Results
Ben Duckett (Melbourne Stars, Platinum)
James Vince (Sydney Sixers, Platinum, Retention Pick)
Laurie Evans (Melbourne Renegades, Platinum)
Lockie Ferguson (Sydney Thunder, Platinum)
Shai Hope (Hobart Hurricanes, Platinum)
Jamie Overton (Adelaide Strikers, Platinum)
Colin Munro (Brisbane Heat, Platinum, Pre-Signed Player)
Finn Allen (Perth Scorchers, Platinum, Pre-Signed Player)
Tom Curran (Melbourne Stars, Platinum, Pre-Signed Player)
Jacob Bethell (Melbourne Renegades, Gold)
Ollie Pope (Adelaide Strikers, Gold, Pre-Signed Player)
Chris Jordan (Hobart Hurricanes, Platinum, Pre-Signed Player)
Sam Billings (Sydney Thunder, Platinum, Pre-Signed Player)
Paul Walter (Brisbane Heat, Gold)
Pass (Perth Scorchers)
Akeal Hosein (Sydney Sixers, Gold, Pre-Signed Player)
Pass (Sydney Sixers)
Matthew Hurst (Perth Scorchers, Silver)
Pass (Brisbane Heat)
Fabian Allen (Adelaide Strikers, Silver)
Pass (Hobart Hurricanes)
Sherfane Rutherford (Sydney Thunder, Silver)
Tim Seifert (Melbourne Renegades, Gold, Pre-Signed Player)
Usama Mir (Melbourne Stars, Silver)
Pass (Melbourne Stars)
Pass (Melbourne Renegades)
Pass (Sydney Thunder)
Rishad Hossain (Hobart Hurricanes, Bronze)
Pass (Adelaide Strikers)
Tom Alsop (Brisbane Heat, Bronze)
Keaton Jennings (Perth Scorchers, Bronze)
Jafer Chohan (Sydney Sixers, Bronze)
WBBL 2024 Draft wrap
Hobart Hurricanes: Danni Wyatt, Chloe Tryon, Lizelle Lee
Sydney Sixers: Sophie Ecclestone, Amelia Kerr, Hollie Armitage
Melbourne Renegades: Deandra Dottin, Hayley Matthews, Alice Capsey
Melbourne Stars: Deepti Sharma, Marizanne Kapp, Yastika Bhatia
Sydney Thunder: Heather Knight, Shabnim Ismail, Chamari Athapaththu, Georgia Adams
Adelaide Strikers: Laura Wolvaardt, Smriti Mandhana, Orla Prendergast
Brisbane Heat: Jemimah Rodrigues, Shikha Pandey, Nadine de Klerk
Perth Scorchers: Sophie Devine, Amy Jones, D Hemalatha
BBL 2024 Draft wrap
Melbourne Stars: Ben Duckett, Tom Curran (pre-signed), Usama Mir
Melbourne Renegades: Laurie Evans, Jacob Bethell, Tim Seifert (pre-signed)
Sydney Thunder: Lockie Ferguson, Sam Billings (pre-signed), Sherfane Rutherford
Hobart Hurricanes: Shai Hope, Chris Jordan (pre-signed), Rishad Hossain
Adelaide Strikers: Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope (pre-signed), Fabian Allen
Brisbane Heat: Colin Munro (pre-signed), Paul Walter
Perth Scorchers: Finn Allen (pre-signed), Matthew Hurst, Keaton Jennings
Sydney Sixers: James Vince (retained), Akeal Hosein (pre-signed), Jafer Chohan