The inaugural BBL Draft is this Sunday. Only Sports writers Dominic Criniti and Will Cuckson predict where all the international stars will end up.
The BBL International player draft is set to shake up the competition ahead of its 12th instalment, with a pool of 332 players from 20 countries available for selection.
Each franchise has the ability to select up to three players, and must select a minimum of two. The draft spans over four rounds, with each round permitting clubs to select players under platinum, gold, silver and bronze categories.
Clubs also have the ability to retain one international signing from the previous BBL season, and can use their retention pick if they have not yet selected a player within the given draft round.
However, if a club has already made a selection within that draft round, any other club is able to select their previous international recruits until the next round begins.
Each category represents a separate level of player salary, with players allocated by the BBL into certain salary bands to determine where they’re able to be selected in the draft.
As yet, the full list of gold, silver and bronze players has not been announced, but a list of 12 platinum-tier players has been finalised, containing:
Sam Billings (England), Trent Boult (New Zealand), Dwayne Bravo (West Indies), Faf du Plessis (South Africa), Chris Jordan (England), Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Shadab Khan (Pakistan), Liam Livingstone (England), Kieron Pollard (West Indies), Jason Roy (England), Andre Russell (West Indies), David Willey (England).
The team at Only Sports has analysed and categorised the rest of the draft pool into their respective potential categories, and selected accordingly.
So, without further ado…
The Only Sports BBL Mock Draft
Round 1: Platinum Only
- Strikers: Rashid Khan (Retention Pick)
Although this pick originally belongs to the Renegades, the Strikers are the first team to use their retention pick, eager to keep their franchise star. Khan is one of the greatest, if not, the greatest player to put on a Strikers uniform, making this pick a no-brainer.
- Renegades – Faf du Plessis
After forcing the Strikers into a retention pick, the Melbourne Renegades take the best available talent in Faf du Plessis. This outfit’s desperate for leadership, with the roster thinning on experience. Du Plessis also brings big star power that the Renegades haven’t seen since the days of Chris Gayle.
- Stars: Trent Boult
A world-class fast bowler on offer with the Stars’ first pick, they’d be wanting to snap him up given their lack of pace depth. Boult isn’t available for the whole tournament, but he’ll still be well worth the pick.
- Heat: Liam Livingstone
After losing Chris Lynn, the Heat will be keen to get some firepower in the batting ranks. The Heat have been in freefall in recent years and will look to Livingstone to be the franchise cornerstone that Lynn once was in Brisbane.
- Thunder: Sam Billings (Retention Pick)
The Sydney Sixers select Sam Billings, but that is quickly taken up by the Thunder who use their retention pick to take him back from their cross-town rivals. Billings found career-best form for the Thunder last season, earning himself a call-up to the England team as a result. Billings is reunited with a lot of familiar faces, giving the Thunder’s title chances a massive boost.
- Scorchers: Jason Roy (Retention Pick)
The Sixers could try and poach Roy with their platinum pick, but expect the Scorchers to activate their retention pick on the Englishman. Given his platinum status, he’ll be one they won’t want to lose.
- Sixers: Andre Russell
After a couple of failed coups on retainable players, the Sixers should settle on snagging a player they can poach in Russell. With the Stars having forfeited their retention pick for the first round of the draft, Russell will slot nicely into the Sixers’ lower-middle order and get bums on seats at the SCG.
- Hurricanes: Shadab Khan
With the Sixers passing up their opportunity to bring back Shadab, the Hurricanes would be thrilled to secure his services. One of only two platinum-category spinners, Shadab would be hard to pass up if he slips this far.
Round 2: Platinum and Gold
- Renegades: Dwayne Bravo
Although he may be on the backend of a storied career, Dwayne Bravo is an easy pick for the Renegades, who add an extra bit of spice to the Melbourne derby. Bravo, who spent four seasons with the Renegades, will trade green in for red as he looks to return the Renegades to the promised land.
- Heat: Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Retention Pick)
The Heat will use their retention pick to snap up Mujeeb Ur Rahman from the Stars. Rahman, joining up with Livingstone will give the Heat a real feel of superstar quality they’ve been missing in years gone past. With Khawaja also joining up, the Heat will feel confident of a bounce-back season.
- Stars: Tom Banton
After ruling himself unavailable for the BBL|11 season, expect Banton to be hot property if he’s a gold-category player. He’s arguably the best wicketkeeper-batter outside Sam Billings, and with that being a need on the Stars’ list, they’d be silly not to snap him up.
- Sixers: Colin Munro
With the Scorchers’ retention pick used up on Jason Roy, Munro will be a free agent for whoever’s interested. It’ll add a bit of spice to the already heated rivalry between the Sixers and Scorchers, and Munro will be a good fit.
- Strikers: Chris Jordan
The Strikers look like early winners of the draft as they pick up Chris Jordan late in the second round. Adelaide now possesses two of the best bowlers in white-ball cricket and will surge themselves up in the battle for the championship.
- Scorchers: David Willey
As a platinum-category player, Willey will be in the front of mind for coaches and selectors, and having previously played for the Scorchers, will be a welcome addition as a bowling all-rounder.
- Thunder: Alex Hales
The Thunder welcome back last season’s top-run scorer in a massive coup. Hales has been one of the stars of the Big Bash during his stint in Sydney and will continue to push for his spot in the English national team. Should he slip through to the Thunder’s second selection, expect to be seeing him in the lime green again for BBL|12.
- Hurricanes: Kieron Pollard
The last platinum-ranked player to be selected in the Only Sports BBL Mock Draft, Pollard’s experience and firepower will be a great asset to the Hurricanes’ already powerful batting lineup.
Round 3: Gold and Silver
- Hurricanes: Sandeep Lamichhane
If he slips to their third pick, expect the ‘Canes to round out their draft by retaining Lamichhane. He’ll form a nice spin pairing alongside Shadab Khan.
- Sixers: Tom Curran (Retention Pick)
Managing to save a retention pick until the third round, the Sixers will be pleased to keep a hold of their long-time international recruit.
- Thunder: Jimmy Neesham
After losing Usman Khawaja to the Heat, the Thunder have some form of replacement here. The Kiwi international will give the Sydney side a much-needed all-rounder with experience that can fill some of the hole Khawaja leaves.
- Scorchers: James Vince
Another little plot-line in the Scorchers-Sixers rivalry, Vince would be a very handy addition for Perth. He’ll slot in nicely at the top of the order, potentially alongside English teammate Jason Roy.
Embed from Getty Images- Renegades: Zahir Khan (Retention Pick)
The Renegades patiently waited and used their retention pick at the latest possible chance, returning Zahir Khan to Melbourne. He’s been a shining light in a Renegades team that has struggled in recent seasons.
- Strikers: Ross Taylor
The Strikers pull off another massive pick, securing the services of Ross Taylor. Although he retired from international cricket earlier this year, Taylor is a massive name that is sure to attract mass fan interest.
- Heat: Ian Cockbain
After a breakout campaign last summer, Ian Cockbain is ready to shine as a crucial piece to the Heat’s title charge. Cockbain received a golden chance to step up for his Big Bash debut amidst a large number of covid cases and never looked back. With the Strikers having used their retention pick at the beginning of the draft, Cockbain will be up for grabs for every club.
- Stars: Mohammad Amir
From Pakistan green to Melbourne green, Amir will be a nice signing for the Stars to round off the draft, bolstering their fast bowling stocks even more.
Round 4: Silver and Bronze
- Renegades: Pass
- Stars: Pass
- Heat: Pass
- Sixers: Pass
- Strikers: Pass
- Scorchers: Pass
- Thunder: Pass
- Hurricanes: Pass
With the first three rounds of the draft and all clubs’ picks filled, the fourth round of the draft won’t need to take place.
Who will your BBL Club select?
With the Only Sports BBL Mock Draft rounded out, here’s a wrap-up of our predicted selections for each club.
Adelaide Strikers
Rashid Khan (Pick 1, Retention Pick); Chris Jordan (Pick 13); Ross Taylor (Pick 22)
Brisbane Heat
Liam Livingstone (Pick 4); Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Pick 10, Retention Pick); Ian Cockbain (Pick 23)
Hobart Hurricanes
Shadab Khan (Pick 8); Kieron Pollard (Pick 16); Sandeep Lamichhane (Pick 17)
Melbourne Renegades
Faf du Plessis (Pick 2); Dwayne Bravo (Pick 9); Zahir Khan (Pick 21, Retention Pick)
Melbourne Stars
Trent Boult (Pick 3); Tom Banton (Pick 11); Mohammad Amir (Pick 24)
Perth Scorchers
Jason Roy (Pick 6, Retention Pick); David Willey (Pick 14); James Vince (Pick 20)
Sydney Sixers
Andre Russell (Pick 7); Colin Munro (Pick 12); Tom Curran (Pick 18, Retention Pick)
Sydney Thunder
Sam Billings (Pick 5, Retention Pick), Alex Hales (Pick 15), Jimmy Neesham (Pick 19)