Cliff Notes – Marsh and David set to re-sign as BBL WBBL contracting embargo ends
- Mitchell Marsh and Tim David are expected to re-sign with Perth Scorchers and Hobart Hurricanes, respectively, following the lifting of the contracting embargo period on Monday.
- Both players were notable uncontracted figures at the start of the embargo, having previously completed long-term contracts with their BBL clubs.
- Marsh’s availability for the Scorchers is set to increase after losing his Test place, while David aims for further success with the Hurricanes after contributing to their first title last season.
Marsh and David set to re-sign as BBL, WBBL contracting embargo ends
Mitchell Marsh and Tim David are expected to re-sign with Perth Scorchers and Hobart Hurricanes respectively after the BBL and WBBL contracting embargo period lifted on Monday.
Marsh, Australia’s T20I captain, and one of the team’s key death hitters in David were two of the most notable uncontracted BBL players when the embargo period began after the new player movement window ended in early February, when seven players found new clubs.
Marsh and David had not been part of the maximum 10 players that clubs were allowed to retain prior to that window opening after both men had come off long-term contracts at their BBL clubs.
Despite both fielding offers to move elsewhere it appears likely both will re-sign, with Marsh set to have much more availability to play for Scorchers in the coming years having lost his Test place while David will be aiming for more success with Hurricanes after playing a key role in their first title last season.
Matt Renshaw is also likely to remain at Brisbane Heat after coming out of contract. Uncontracted players in both the BBL and WBBL can be signed by any club after the embargo period ends.
Clubs are also free to sign one overseas player if they do not already have one, but that player must be available for the full season plus the finals.
Sydney Sixers and Adelaide Strikers do not currently have an overseas signing for the BBL while WBBL defending champions Melbourne Renegades and Strikers do not have an overseas player signed.
Seven players found new BBL clubs during the trade window with Jason Behrendorff, Brendan Doggett and Caleb Jewell all joining Renegades, Mitchell Swepson and Liam Hatcher signing with Melbourne Stars, while Beau Webster and Joel Paris returned to Hurricanes and Scorchers respectively.
Ellyse Perry continued her prolific start to the WBBL Getty Images
In the WBBL, Sixers have yet to secure Ellyse Perry while Renegades title-winning skipper Sophie Molineux and star legspinner Georgia Wareham are currently uncontracted, as is Heat skipper Jess Jonassen and Stars and Australia seam bowler Kim Garth.
There has also been a new rule introduced for the WBBL with clubs required to keep one spot available on their list for an Australian domestic player who performs in the domestic T20 Spring Challenge competition.
“The new rule ensuring WBBL clubs will draft a player from the Spring Challenge is also exciting with some great emerging talent to be rewarded with a chance to win in the world’s strongest women’s T20 league,” Big Bash Leagues general manager Alistair Dobson said.
Meanwhile, cricket Victoria (CV) has confirmed it will host the inaugural Melbourne T10 Invitational tournament at the Junction Oval next week with five BBL academy teams from Stars, Renegades, Sixers, Strikers and Sydney Thunder all taking part.
CV has been involved in the running of the San Francisco Unicorns in Major League cricket and was the only Australian state to send a team to the Global Super League in the Caribbean last year. cricket New South Wales has been involved in the running of Washington Freedom in the MLC.
The T10 tournament is designed to provide playing opportunities for young Australian players outside of the domestic season that finished last weekend. It will be played from April 7 to 17 at Junction Oval, during a mandatory leave period for contracted Australian international and domestic players who are not playing overseas, and will be live streamed in Australia and India.
Current BBL squads
Adelaide Strikers: Cameron Boyce, Jordan Buckingham, Alex Carey, Thomas Kelly, Harry Nielsen, Lloyd Pope, Alex Ross, Matt Short, Henry Thorton
Brisbane Heat: Xavier Bartlett, Max Bryant, Spencer Johnson, Usman Khawaja, Matt Kuhnemann, Nathan McSweeney, Colin Munro (NZ), Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Callum Vidler
Hobart Hurricanes: Iain Carlisle, Nikhil Chaudhary, Nathan Ellis, Chris Jordan (ENG), Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Mitch Owen, Matthew Wade, Beau Webster, Mac Wright
Melbourne Renegades: Jason Behrendorff, Josh Brown, Harry Dixon, Brendan Doggett, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Caleb Jewell, Nathan Lyon, Fergus O’Neill, Tom Rogers, Tim Seifert (NZ), Will Sutherland, Adam Zampa
Melbourne Stars: Scott Boland, Hilton Cartwright, Tom Curran (ENG), Liam Hatcher, Glenn Maxwell, Hamish McKenzie, Tom Rogers, Peter Siddle, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson
Perth Scorchers: Ashton Agar, Finn Allen (NZ), Mahli Beardman, Cooper Connolly, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kelly, Lance Morris, Joel Paris, Jhye Richardson, Ashton Turner
Sydney Sixers: Sean Abbott, Joel Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Moises Henriques, Todd Murphy, Mitch Perry, Josh Philippe, Jordan Silk, Steve Smith
Sydney Thunder: Wes Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Sam Billings (ENG), Ollie Davies, Chris Green, Sam Konstas, Nathan McAndrew, Daniel Sams, Tanveer Sangha, David Warner
Current WBBL squads
Adelaide Strikers: Darcie Brown,Tahlia McGrath, Anesu Mushangwe, Maddie Penna, Megan Schutt, Amanda-Jade Wellington
Brisbane Heat: Nadine de Klerk (SA), Sianna Ginger, Lucy Hamilton, Nicola Hancock, Grace Harris, Charli Knott, Grace Parsons, Georgia Redmayne
Hobart Hurricanes: Heather Graham, Ruth Johnston, Lizelle Lee (SA), Hayley Silver-Holmes, Lauren Smith, Molly Strano, Elyse Villani
Melbourne Renegades: Emma de Broughe, Tess Flintoff, Ella Hayward, Milly Illingworth, Georgia Prestwidge, Naomi Stalenberg
Melbourne Stars: Sophie Day, Marizanne Kapp (SA), Meg Lanning, Rhys McKenna, Ines McKeon, Sophie Reid, Annabel Sutherland
Perth Scorchers: Chloe Ainsworth, Sophie Devine (NZ), Amy Edgar, Mikayla Hinkley, Alana King, Beth Mooney
Sydney Sixers: Caoimhe Bray, Maitlan Brown, Lauren Cheatle, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Amelia Kerr (NZ), Courtney Sippel
Sydney Thunder: Chamari Athapaththu (SL), Sam Bates, Hannah Darlington, Hasrat Gill, Laura Harris, Anika Learoyd, Phoebe Litchfield, Taneale Peschel, Georgia Voll, Tahlia Wilson