#1 PICK! Afridi joins the Brisbane Heat

Eagle lands at Heat in BBL as English pacemen miss out

The Advertiser

3 hours ago

The Advertiser

Eagle lands at Heat in BBL as English pacemen miss out

English pace aces Sir Jimmy Anderson and Jofra Archer have been overlooked in the BBL draft as Pakistan's Eagle landed at the Brisbane Heat. Left-arm speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi, nicknamed Eagle, was the No.1 pick in Thursday's draft. The Sydney Sixers overlooked Sophie Ecclestone for fellow English star Sophia Dunkley as the WBBL's top pick, with Adelaide using the No.2 selection to snap up Ecclestone. But also on Thursday, the Melbourne Renegades announced a massive blow to their WBBL title defence - West Indian allrounder Hayley Matthews will miss the tournament because of shoulder surgery later this year. At 43 years of age, Anderson would have been the oldest overseas player in BBL history had he been recruited in the draft. With 704 wickets, he is Test cricket's most prolific pace bowler and only spin greats Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne are ahead of him overall. But Anderson is much less-credentialled in the T20 format. Archer's history of injuries and his BBL availability, given this summer's Ashes series, probably counted against him. Afridi was among six Pakistan cricketers snapped up in the BBL draft. The Melbourne Stars retained Haris Rauf after Adelaide tried to recruit him with the No.2 selection. The Strikers then picked England's Luke Wood, meaning the top three selections were all pace bowlers. Pakistan's white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan went to the Melbourne Renegades with the No.4 pick. Compatriot Babar Azam was already confirmed for the Sixers and he is one of the biggest signings in BBL history, joining them as the No.14 selection. But before Thursday afternoon's BBL and WBBL drafts, the Renegades said Matthews would not return for her fourth season with them. She suffered a shoulder injury playing for the West Indies. While Matthews will continue playing international and domestic cricket, she will need surgery later this year. After Dunkley and Ecclestone, Brisbane retained India's Jemimah Rodrigues with the No.3 WBBL draft selection and No.4 pick Danni Wyatt-Hodge from England likewise stayed at Hobart. TOP BBL AND WBBL DRAFT PICKS BBL 1. Shaheen Shah Afridi (Brisbane Heat, Platinum) 2. Haris Rauf (Melbourne Stars, Platinum, Retention) 3. Luke Wood (Adelaide Strikers, Platinum) 4. Mohammad Rizwan (Melbourne Renegades, Platinum) 5. Finn Allen (Perth Scorchers, Platinum, Pre-Signed Player) WBBL 1. Sophia Dunkley (Sydney Sixers, Platinum) 2. Sophie Ecclestone (Adelaide Strikers, Platinum) 3. Jemimah Rodrigues (Brisbane Heat, Platinum, Retention) 4. Danni Wyatt-Hodge (Hobart Hurricanes, Platinum, Retention) 5. Amy Jones (Melbourne Stars, Platinum) English pace aces Sir Jimmy Anderson and Jofra Archer have been overlooked in the BBL draft as Pakistan's Eagle landed at the Brisbane Heat. Left-arm speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi, nicknamed Eagle, was the No.1 pick in Thursday's draft. The Sydney Sixers overlooked Sophie Ecclestone for fellow English star Sophia Dunkley as the WBBL's top pick, with Adelaide using the No.2 selection to snap up Ecclestone. But also on Thursday, the Melbourne Renegades announced a massive blow to their WBBL title defence - West Indian allrounder Hayley Matthews will miss the tournament because of shoulder surgery later this year. At 43 years of age, Anderson would have been the oldest overseas player in BBL history had he been recruited in the draft. With 704 wickets, he is Test cricket's most prolific pace bowler and only spin greats Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne are ahead of him overall. But Anderson is much less-credentialled in the T20 format. Archer's history of injuries and his BBL availability, given this summer's Ashes series, probably counted against him. Afridi was among six Pakistan cricketers snapped up in the BBL draft. The Melbourne Stars retained Haris Rauf after Adelaide tried to recruit him with the No.2 selection. The Strikers then picked England's Luke Wood, meaning the top three selections were all pace bowlers. Pakistan's white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan went to the Melbourne Renegades with the No.4 pick. Compatriot Babar Azam was already confirmed for the Sixers and he is one of the biggest signings in BBL history, joining them as the No.14 selection. But before Thursday afternoon's BBL and WBBL drafts, the Renegades said Matthews would not return for her fourth season with them. She suffered a shoulder injury playing for the West Indies. While Matthews will continue playing international and domestic cricket, she will need surgery later this year. After Dunkley and Ecclestone, Brisbane retained India's Jemimah Rodrigues with the No.3 WBBL draft selection and No.4 pick Danni Wyatt-Hodge from England likewise stayed at Hobart. TOP BBL AND WBBL DRAFT PICKS BBL 1. Shaheen Shah Afridi (Brisbane Heat, Platinum) 2. Haris Rauf (Melbourne Stars, Platinum, Retention) 3. Luke Wood (Adelaide Strikers, Platinum) 4. Mohammad Rizwan (Melbourne Renegades, Platinum) 5. Finn Allen (Perth Scorchers, Platinum, Pre-Signed Player) WBBL 1. Sophia Dunkley (Sydney Sixers, Platinum) 2. Sophie Ecclestone (Adelaide Strikers, Platinum) 3. Jemimah Rodrigues (Brisbane Heat, Platinum, Retention) 4. Danni Wyatt-Hodge (Hobart Hurricanes, Platinum, Retention) 5. Amy Jones (Melbourne Stars, Platinum) English pace aces Sir Jimmy Anderson and Jofra Archer have been overlooked in the BBL draft as Pakistan's Eagle landed at the Brisbane Heat. Left-arm speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi, nicknamed Eagle, was the No.1 pick in Thursday's draft. The Sydney Sixers overlooked Sophie Ecclestone for fellow English star Sophia Dunkley as the WBBL's top pick, with Adelaide using the No.2 selection to snap up Ecclestone. But also on Thursday, the Melbourne Renegades announced a massive blow to their WBBL title defence - West Indian allrounder Hayley Matthews will miss the tournament because of shoulder surgery later this year. At 43 years of age, Anderson would have been the oldest overseas player in BBL history had he been recruited in the draft. With 704 wickets, he is Test cricket's most prolific pace bowler and only spin greats Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne are ahead of him overall. But Anderson is much less-credentialled in the T20 format. Archer's history of injuries and his BBL availability, given this summer's Ashes series, probably counted against him. Afridi was among six Pakistan cricketers snapped up in the BBL draft. The Melbourne Stars retained Haris Rauf after Adelaide tried to recruit him with the No.2 selection. The Strikers then picked England's Luke Wood, meaning the top three selections were all pace bowlers. Pakistan's white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan went to the Melbourne Renegades with the No.4 pick. Compatriot Babar Azam was already confirmed for the Sixers and he is one of the biggest signings in BBL history, joining them as the No.14 selection. But before Thursday afternoon's BBL and WBBL drafts, the Renegades said Matthews would not return for her fourth season with them. She suffered a shoulder injury playing for the West Indies. While Matthews will continue playing international and domestic cricket, she will need surgery later this year. After Dunkley and Ecclestone, Brisbane retained India's Jemimah Rodrigues with the No.3 WBBL draft selection and No.4 pick Danni Wyatt-Hodge from England likewise stayed at Hobart. TOP BBL AND WBBL DRAFT PICKS BBL 1. Shaheen Shah Afridi (Brisbane Heat, Platinum) 2. Haris Rauf (Melbourne Stars, Platinum, Retention) 3. Luke Wood (Adelaide Strikers, Platinum) 4. Mohammad Rizwan (Melbourne Renegades, Platinum) 5. Finn Allen (Perth Scorchers, Platinum, Pre-Signed Player) WBBL 1. Sophia Dunkley (Sydney Sixers, Platinum) 2. Sophie Ecclestone (Adelaide Strikers, Platinum) 3. Jemimah Rodrigues (Brisbane Heat, Platinum, Retention) 4. Danni Wyatt-Hodge (Hobart Hurricanes, Platinum, Retention) 5. Amy Jones (Melbourne Stars, Platinum)

Perth Now

3 hours ago

Perth Now

Eagle lands at Heat in BBL as English pacemen miss out

English pace aces Sir Jimmy Anderson and Jofra Archer have been overlooked in the BBL draft as Pakistan's Eagle landed at the Brisbane Heat. Left-arm speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi, nicknamed Eagle, was the No.1 pick in Thursday's draft. The Sydney Sixers overlooked Sophie Ecclestone for fellow English star Sophia Dunkley as the WBBL's top pick, with Adelaide using the No.2 selection to snap up Ecclestone. But also on Thursday, the Melbourne Renegades announced a massive blow to their WBBL title defence - West Indian allrounder Hayley Matthews will miss the tournament because of shoulder surgery later this year. At 43 years of age, Anderson would have been the oldest overseas player in BBL history had he been recruited in the draft. With 704 wickets, he is Test cricket's most prolific pace bowler and only spin greats Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne are ahead of him overall. But Anderson is much less-credentialled in the T20 format. Archer's history of injuries and his BBL availability, given this summer's Ashes series, probably counted against him. Afridi was among six Pakistan cricketers snapped up in the BBL draft. The Melbourne Stars retained Haris Rauf after Adelaide tried to recruit him with the No.2 selection. The Strikers then picked England's Luke Wood, meaning the top three selections were all pace bowlers. Pakistan's white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan went to the Melbourne Renegades with the No.4 pick. Compatriot Babar Azam was already confirmed for the Sixers and he is one of the biggest signings in BBL history, joining them as the No.14 selection. But before Thursday afternoon's BBL and WBBL drafts, the Renegades said Matthews would not return for her fourth season with them. She suffered a shoulder injury playing for the West Indies. While Matthews will continue playing international and domestic cricket, she will need surgery later this year. After Dunkley and Ecclestone, Brisbane retained India's Jemimah Rodrigues with the No.3 WBBL draft selection and No.4 pick Danni Wyatt-Hodge from England likewise stayed at Hobart. TOP BBL AND WBBL DRAFT PICKS BBL 1. Shaheen Shah Afridi (Brisbane Heat, Platinum) 2. Haris Rauf (Melbourne Stars, Platinum, Retention) 3. Luke Wood (Adelaide Strikers, Platinum) 4. Mohammad Rizwan (Melbourne Renegades, Platinum) 5. Finn Allen (Perth Scorchers, Platinum, Pre-Signed Player) WBBL 1. Sophia Dunkley (Sydney Sixers, Platinum) 2. Sophie Ecclestone (Adelaide Strikers, Platinum) 3. Jemimah Rodrigues (Brisbane Heat, Platinum, Retention) 4. Danni Wyatt-Hodge (Hobart Hurricanes, Platinum, Retention) 5. Amy Jones (Melbourne Stars, Platinum)