BBL player tracker: Tim David, Hurricanes star, free to speak to rivals as clubs lock in roster spots
A new era in Big Bash League player movement will begin next Tuesday, with one of the tournament’s biggest guns set to receive plenty of attention from rival suitors. Find out who has their future locked in, and the big names to hit the market, inside.
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A new era in Big Bash League player movement will begin next Tuesday.
The BBL embargo period commenced at the start of the final regular season match between the Melbourne Stars and the Hobart Hurricanes on Sunday night.
Under a scheme unveiled late last year, clubs were able to lock in no more than 10 players for next season, with everyone else considered a free agent and available to be picked up during the 10-day player movement window that starts on January 28, the morning after this season’s final.
Players can also be traded during this period, including for picks in the overseas player draft, although there can be no extensions for players at their current clubs over these 10 days.
At the end of the player movement window, clubs may have no more than 12 players on their respective lists.
The Hurricanes fended off the Stars and Strikers to keep Riley Meredith and Mitch Owen respectively, but this tipped this season’s minor premiers to the 10 player cap.
The upshot is that Australian Twenty20 international regular Tim David is unsigned and up for grabs. The Stars have been hot in pursuit of the late-innings destroyer, however industry and club sources have indicated in recent days that they expect David to remain with Hobart.
Before the BBL season began, David revealed Hobart had become in “home of cricket” in the few years he’s been with the Hurricanes.
“I started playing for them before my career has developed over the past couple of years so, in Australia, Hobart has been a home of cricket for me,” he said.
“Particularly the last four years, we played some internationals for Australia and it’s really nice coming back and playing here.
“I love batting at Bellerive when the pitch is good, which it usually is, and we have a great bunch of lads – guys I’ve played with for four or five years, like Nathan Ellis, Riley Meredith, Wadey, (Matthew Wade) and Ben McDermott.”
The Hurricanes have otherwise managed to secure much of their core including Meredith, Owen, captain Nathan Ellis, Ben McDermott and all-rounder Nikhil Chaudhary until the end of the 2027-28 season.
Hobart will almost certainly obtain Beau Webster from the Stars. The Tasmanian – Australia’s newest Test player – had been a chance to move back to the Hurricanes this time last year only for a switch to be foiled.
While Hobart’s list squeeze was a source of intrigue before the deadline, the Hurricanes were arguably overshadowed by the Perth Scorchers.
The traditional powerhouse almost snuck into the finals but were denied by the Stars’ win over Hobart.
Having been among the most stable BBL teams across the past decade, Perth is heading for a changing of the guard.
While Ashton Agar penned a three-year extension ahead of the cut-off, experienced paceman Andrew Tye and Jason Behrendorff have both become free agents.
Behrendorff – who remains a force at 34 – is likely to end up at the Renegades, although a suitor for Tye is not yet clear.
An even higher-profile free agent from Perth is the man who made way for Webster: Mitch Marsh, another option for the cashed-up Stars, whose coach Peter Moores is not contracted beyond this season.
In addition to Behrendorff, the Renegades are chasing Adelaide Strikers quick Brendan Doggett, who is separately understood to have interest from English counties including Durham about a possible stint this year.
Doggett was part of the Australian Test squad over the summer.
The Renegades – who tied up Harry Dixon before the deadline following interest from the Stars and Strikers – have also shown interest in former Test batter Matt Renshaw, who is off-contract with the Brisbane Heat.
Last season’s champions, the Heat missed the finals this season but have quietly secured Xavier Bartlett and Max Bryant to deals until the end of the 2027-28 season.
The pair join Spencer Johnson in being locked away to the club for what is the long-term by BBL standards.
Veteran Heat wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson is contracted for another season but is believed to have been left frustrated after being bypassed at selection in the back half of the campaign.
Usman Khawaja has one year remaining on his lucrative deal.
The Test opener was available for just one match this season.
The Strikers – who finished bottom this season – are somewhat hamstrung by the fact that gloveman Harry Nielsen – who played just one match this season, is contracted for another season.
The Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder – both of whom have enjoyed successful seasons – have secured their respective cores for next season at least, although there remains uncertainty over the futures of their veteran coaches Greg Shipperd (Sixers) and Trevor Bayliss (Thunder).
Here is the known club-by-club list of who is contracted for next season and beyond.
Originally published as BBL player tracker: Tim David, Hurricanes star, free to speak to rivals as clubs lock in roster spots
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