Photo Credit: Cricket Australia
Twelve world-class players have been given Platinum status in the KFC BBL|12 Draft, with an updated list of nominees also announced today.
Total nominations for Sunday’s Draft, to be broadcast live and exclusive on Fox Cricket, available on Foxtel channel 501 and Kayo Sports from 6:30pm AEST, now stands at 279 players.
The list is headlined by the 12 Platinum players, who themselves form an outstanding and balanced T20 squad. The Platinum players in ‘batting order’ are:
- Faf du Plessis (South Africa)
- Jason Roy (England)
- Liam Livingstone (England)
- Sam Billings (England)
- Kieron Pollard (West Indies)
- Andre Russell (West Indies)
- David Willey (England)
- Shadab Khan (Pakistan)
- Dwayne Bravo (West Indies)
- Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)
- Chris Jordan (England)
- Trent Boult (New Zealand)
Roy, Billings, Russell, Willey, Shadab Khan, Jordan and Boult all appear on the KFC BBL|12 Draft nominations list for the first time. They and their fellow Platinum players are the only players eligible for selection in the first round of the Draft.
Also among the new nominations are a host of other well-known names from across the cricket world, including Carlos Brathwaite, Tom Curran, James Neesham, Wahab Riaz and Phil Salt.
They join a host of other new and returning faces previously announced as Draft nominees including including Laurie Evans, Alex Hales, Colin Munro, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and James Vince, who are among 26 players eligible for retention by their Clubs from last season.
Former Australia, Adelaide Strikers, Melbourne Stars and South Australia fast bowler Daniel Worrall has also nominated for the Draft. Worrall is now classified as an overseas player following his permanent move to England. He is currently playing in The Hundred in England as a local player.
Nominations for the KFC BBL|12 Draft officially closed overnight. All players have indicated their availability for part of all of the season. The League is working with players and agents to verify all new nominations and availabilities. A full list will be published in coming days.
The updated nominations list can be found here.
Following the Draft, Clubs will be able to sign unselected players as Overseas Replacement Players based on their nominated availabilities in the Draft.
Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia’s General Manager of Big Bash Leagues, said:
“The number and quality of nominations for the KFC BBL|12 Draft has blown us away, and vindicates the decision to adopt this new, innovative model.
“Close to 280 players from around the world have elected to venture to Australia this summer and experience the best of the BBL and summer lifestyle our country offers.
“On behalf of the League and our Clubs, we extend our thanks to all players and their agents around the world for their support of the Draft and the BBL.
“We look forward with great anticipation to Sunday night’s Draft event, which will be a watershed moment in the BBL’s history.”
Local players from across the KFC BBL are currently gathered at Le Ciel in Melbourne for the launch of the KFC BBL|12 Draft, which is also being live streamed on the BBL Facebook page.
A VNR will be distributed following the event.
Tickets are now on sale for all Weber WBBL|08 and KFC BBL|12 games. Information is available on the Big Bash website
Fans are also encouraged to stay up to date with the latest information on the KFC BBL|12 season including tickets, memberships and the Draft via our Australian Cricket Family. Not already an ACF member? Sign up here.
