Photo Credit: Adelaide Strikers
The Adelaide Strikers have strengthened their squad for KFC BBL|12, retaining lethal leg-spinner Rashid Khan while adding experienced allrounder Colin de Grandhomme and batsman Adam Hose at Sunday night’s inaugural BBL Draft.
Rashid was initially drafted by the Melbourne Stars with Pick No.2, however the Strikers were quick to activate their retention rights to secure the Afghanistan superstar in the opening round.
The 23-year-old is the club’s all-time Big Bash wicket-taker with 92 scalps and has become a cult figure of the competition since joining the Strikers in BBL|07.
“Our plan was always to retain Rashid,” Head Coach Jason Gillespie told Fox Cricket.
“A wonderful player and wonderful person. He’s been brilliant for our franchise over a number of years.”
The Strikers swooped on Zimbabwean-born New Zealand international Colin de Grandhomme with Pick 13 in the Draft’s second round.
The 36-year-old has featured regularly for the Kiwis across all three formats as a hard-hitting right-handed batsman and medium-pace bowler.
De Grandhomme, who is yet to feature in the BBL, has 69 wickets and more than 3,800 runs in T20 cricket including stints in the Indian Premier League, Caribbean Premier League and New Zealand’s Super Smash.
Adelaide drafted powerful England batsman Adam Hose with its third selection at Pick 20.
The 29-year-old starred in this year’s Vitality Blast representing the Birmingham Bears, finishing as the competition’s third-highest run-scorer with 558 runs at an imposing strike rate of 160.9.
Hose, also yet to make his Big Bash debut, has played 87 matches in T20 cricket with two centuries, 15 half-centuries and a high score of 119.
Adelaide passed on its fourth and final selection of the Draft at Pick 29, with all Clubs required to pass on one round.
The Strikers begin their KFC BBL|12 campaign against the Sydney Sixers on Wednesday December 14 at Adelaide Oval.
