Photo Credit: Melbourne Stars
The Melbourne Stars are pleased to announce the signing of English batter/wicketkeeper Joe Clarke for the upcoming KFC BBL season.
Widely considered one of the best uncapped players in England and having played nearly 100 T20 matches worldwide, Clarke will be an important addition to the roster for BBL|11.
The 25 year-old right hander is familiar with BBL following a previous stint with the Perth Scorchers and has also represented teams in the Pakistan Super League and The Hundred.
Clarke said he was excited about the opportunity to play again in the BBL and at the MCG.
“I’m pretty excited about coming down to Melbourne for the Australian summer and getting involved at the Stars,” Clarke said.
“The Stars are known for the quality players that are involved so it was a pretty simple decision for me to commit to this summer and play in front of all the fans in green. I know Melbourne has been through a tough 18 months with COVID so I’m looking forward to being part of the fun that is ahead this summer.”
It has been a busy northern summer for Clarke, playing for Nottinghamshire in England’s domestic T20 Cup and for the Manchester Originals in The Hundred.
In June he belted 136 off 95 deliveries in a T20 Cup match against Northamptonshire.
Melbourne Stars BBL Head Coach David Hussey said Clarke’s versatility would be valuable.
“It’s well known in the UK how talented Joe is and we want his time with the Stars to hopefully lead to even bigger things in the future for him,” Hussey said.
Photo Credit: LinkedIn profile photo of David Hussey
“He’ll be a great fit for our batting line up. He’s a really clean striker of the ball and has scored consistently in the competitions he’s played in the last couple of years. Joe also gives us an option with the wicketkeeping gloves so all those elements will be beneficial for our team shape.”
Melbourne Stars General Manager Blair Crouch welcomed Clarke’s signature.
“We’re really pleased to have Joe commit to the Stars for the season ahead. He’s an exciting player and that’s what our fans love about going to see the Stars in action,” Crouch said.
“We’ll be unveiling our other international signings over the next couple of weeks. We’ve had such fantastic support from our members signing up in their thousands already. There is a huge appetite for live sport in Melbourne and we can’t wait to be a big part of that in December.”
Clarke will be available for the Stars for the duration of KFC BBL|11.
Current BBL squad:
Glenn Maxwell (c), Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa, Billy Stanlake, Joe Burns, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Hilton Cartwright, Nick Larkin, Liam Hatcher, Tom O’Connell, Clint Hinchliffe, Seb Gotch, Joe Clarke (UK), Beau Webster, Sam Elliott, Sam Rainbird.
