Star power: Melbourne's history of BBL imports

Another Big Bash Draft is almost upon us as the league's eight clubs ramp up their preparations for KFC BBL|14 by adding at least two overseas players to their list for the coming season.

From BBL|14 onwards, clubs have also been able to sign an overseas player pre-draft to a multi-year contract, with Melbourne Stars luring English allrounder Tom Curran after four seasons with Sydney Sixers.

After 13 seasons of BBL, we're looking back, club-by-club, at every import that has turned out in the Big Bash, memorable or otherwise.

Adelaide Strikers | Brisbane Heat | Hobart Hurricanes | Melbourne Renegades | Melbourne Stars | Perth Scorchers | Sydney Sixers | Sydney Thunder

History of overseas signings

BBL|01: Jade Dernbach, Luke Wright

 

BBL|02: Lasith Malinga, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Luke Wright

 

BBL|03: Mohammad Hafeez, Lasith Malinga, Luke Wright

 

BBL|04: Kevin Pietersen, Luke Wright

 

BBL|05: Kevin Pietersen, Luke Wright

 

BBL|06: Kevin Pietersen, Luke Wright

 

BBL|07: Kevin Pietersen, Luke Wright

 

BBL|08: Dwayne Bravo, Sandeep Lamichhane, Liam Plunkett

 

BBL|09: Dilbar Hussain, Sandeep Lamichhane, Haris Rauf, Dale Steyn

 

BBL|10: Andre Fletcher, Dilbar Hussain, Zahir Khan, Nicholas Pooran, Haris Rauf

 

BBL|11: Qais Ahmad, Joe Clarke, Ahmed Daniyal, Syed Faridoun, Haris Rauf, Andre Russell

 

BBL|12: Trent Boult, Joe Clarke, Luke Wood

 

BBL|13: Liam Dawson, Dan Lawrence, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Olly Stone, Imad Wasim

 

BBL|14: Tom Curran

The players (sorted by matches played)

Luke Wright (England)

Seasons: BBL|01 – BBL|07

 

M: 57 | Runs: 1480 | HS: 117 | SR: 131.32 | Ave: 29.03 | 50s: 6 | 100s: 2

 

Wkts: 6 | BBI: 1-7 | Econ: 8.89 | Ave: 40.50

Representing the Stars for the first seven seasons, Englishman Luke Wright became a mainstay of the league. A reliable opener, Wright hit two BBL centuries, one in BBL|01 against the Hurricanes and one in BBL|05 against the Renegades in front of a record BBL crowd at the MCG. His most productive campaign was BBL|03 when he hit 288 runs, but he also had three over seasons of at least 230 runs. Up until BBL|03 he offered a bit with the ball too with his medium pacers, but eventually gave that up to focus on his batting. By the time he’d finished his seventh season, he sat in fourth spot on the all-time BBL run-scorers. 

Kevin Pietersen (England)

Seasons: BBL|04 – BBL|07

 

M: 33 | Runs: 1110 | HS: 76 | SR: 137.21 | Ave: 37.00 | 50s: 10

England Test champion Pietersen was a massive signing by the Stars ahead of BBL|04 as they looked to turn around their habit of losing semi-finals. The Ashes villain became a BBL favourite for a range of reasons including his in-match commentary, his audacious shots or his 'helmet cam'. Across Pietersen's four seasons only Michael Klinger scored more runs (1139 to Pietersen's 1110) and the right hander left a lasting impression on the franchise and the league, but he couldn't inspire them to their elusive BBL title. 

Joe Clarke (England)

Seasons: BBL|11 – BBL|12

 

M: 27 | Runs: 800 | HS: 101no | SR: 136.98 | Ave: 30.76 | 50s: 6 | 100s: 1

English opener Joe Clarke's BBL|11 started in horrendous fashion, managing just 14 runs in his first four innings, including two ducks. But the Stars persisted with their international player and it paid off big time, as Clarke scored four consecutive half-centuries as he amassed over 400 runs for the season. The right-hander rediscovered the same rich form when he returned a year later, peeling off an unbeaten century in their second match of the season before being snapped up by crosstown rivals the Renegades for BBL|13. He had previously played three games for the Scorchers in BBL|10 but was pushed out of the side when Jason Roy arrived. 

Haris Rauf (Pakistan)

Seasons: BBL|09 – BBL|11, BBL|13

 

M: 22 | Wkts: 36 | BBI: 5-27 | Econ: 7.75 | Ave: 16.33

After impressing in his debut Pakistan Super League season with his raw pace, Haris Rauf turned out to be an inspired selection for the Stars in BBL|09. He took a five-wicket haul against the Hurricanes in his second match and set the MCG alight with a hat-trick in his fourth. He finished the tournament with 20 wickets and it would have been more had it not been for a maiden international call-up midway through the season. After playing only three games in BBL|10, Haris made a post-Christmas impact in BBL|11 taking nine wickets in five games as the Stars made a late charge for finals. He returned for another four games in BBL|13 (six wickets) before again departing early due to national duty.

Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal)

Seasons: BBL|08 – BBL|09

 

M: 21 | Wkts: 26 | BBI: 3-11 | Econ: 7.10 | Ave: 20.38

One of the recruits of BBL|08 was without a doubt Nepalese leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane. The tiny bowler, who had burst onto the scene with three IPL games earlier that year, was a revelation with his fast, flat and sharp-turning leg breaks. Although he left mid-BBL to play in the Bangladesh Premier League, he returned for the final few games including the finals. His first Big Bash campaign netted 11 wickets and when he returned for BBL|09 he took another 15, before being poached by the Hurricanes for the following year. 

Dwayne Bravo (West Indies)

Season: BBL|08

 

M: 16 | Runs: 145 | HS: 33 | SR: 122.88 | Ave: 14.50

 

Wkts: 15 | BBI: 3-22 | Econ: 7.97 | Ave: 28.26

After turning out for the Renegades in the two previous seasons, Dwayne Bravo made the cross-town switch to the Stars for BBL|08 which the Stars famously lost in the final to… the Renegades. That being said, Bravo played the full season and was fairly effective with the ball, finishing with 15 wickets and a respectable economy rate. Although he was batting primarily at No.6, he couldn’t get anything going with the bat, passing 20 on only two occasions. 

Luke Wood (England)

Season: BBL|12 

 

M: 14 | Wkts: 20 | BBI: 5-50 | Econ: 8.85 | Ave: 23.55

The former teammate of then Stars coach David Hussey was the club third pick of the inaugural overseas player draft and played every match of their BBL|12 campaign. The left-armer was a prolific wicket-taker with a five-wicket haul against the Scorchers, but also proved expensive at times, conceding an average of 8.85 runs an over across his 14 matches and hasn't been seen in the Big Bash since.

Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka)

Seasons: BBL|02 – BBL|03

 

M: 13 | Wkts: 18 | BBI: 6-7 | Econ: 5.40 | Ave: 15.00

Sri Lanka quick Lasith Malinga had one of the great BBL campaigns in BBL|02, collecting 13 wickets in only seven matches including the competition's best-ever figures of 6-7. In a huge blow for the Stars, Malinga missed the final two matches of the season due to national commitments, including the semi-final loss to Perth. The 'Sling King' returned for BBL|03 but was unable to meet the same lofty heights he met the previous season, taking five wickets from six games. 

Andre Fletcher (West Indies)

Season: BBL|10

 

M: 12 | Runs: 206 | HS: 89 | SR: 130.38 | Ave: 20.60 | 50s: 1

Big-hitting opener Andre Fletcher signed on for the entire season with the Stars needing fresh firepower at the top of the order. The gamble on the hit-or-miss West Indian didn't pay off, with Fletcher only scoring above 20 once in 12 innings – although that one innings was a breathtaking 89 off 49 balls. 'The Spiceman' quickly gained notoriety for his 'no-look six' and his most memorable highlights came in a field with a slew of fabulous outfield catches and the outrageous dance moves that followed. 

Qais Ahmad (Afghanistan)

Season: BBL|11

 

M: 10 | Wkts: 13 | BBI: 3-26 | Econ: 7.14 | Ave: 21.23

It didn't make a lot of noise but the signing of Qais Ahmad, who'd had success with the Hurricanes, turned out to be a good move for the Stars. He took multiple wickets on five occasions and was still able to keep his economy rate around seven. Qais was also a surprise packet with the bat – he brought his unique technique to the crease and hit four sixes, eventually working his way up to No.7 in the order.

Liam Plunkett (England)

Season: BBL|08

 

M: 8 | Wkts: 12 | BBI: 4-36 | Econ: 8.22 | Ave: 17.58

The tall paceman was signed to the Stars as an international replacement for Sandeep Lamichhane in BBL|08 and immediately proved himself as a wicket-taker. Although he started his stint as expensive, he got more economical as the season went on. His two best bowling efforts both came against the Strikers (4-36 and 3-21) and the BBL proved to be the perfect springboard for the big Englishman, as he went on to win the ODI World Cup several months later. 

Zahir Khan (Afghanistan)

Season: BBL|10

 

M: 8 | Wkts: 6 | BBI: 2-19 | Econ: 6.93 | Ave: 33.50

With the loss of Sandeep Lamichhane to the Hurricanes, the Stars turned to Zahir Khan who had played for the Heat the previous summer. He failed to take a wicket in his first three matches but his economy rate of below seven was very impressive. It wasn't enough for him to hang around however, he switched to crosstown rivals the Renegades for BBL|11.

Trent Boult (New Zealand)

Season: BBL|12 

 

M: 8 | Wkts: 8 | BBI: 2-21 | Econ: 8.03 | Ave: 31.12

Having recently handed back his New Zealand Cricket contract to pursue freelance opportunities, the Black Caps great's first stop was the Big Bash, snapped up by the Stars as one of the highest profile picks of the inaugural overseas player draft in BBL|11. The left-armer showed glimpses of his world class skills which have terrorised international batters for more than a decade, collecting eight wickets in eight matches but left before the end of the season to join the new UAE T20 league.

Imad Wasim (Pakistan)

Season: BBL|13 

 

M: 7 | Wkts: 4 | BBI: 2-35 | Econ: 8.12 | Ave: 50.75

The fourth replacement player for the Stars in BBL|13, Imad Wasim played the most matches of all of the club's overseas recruits that season. He struggled for impact with his left-arm spinners however, managing just four wickets in seven games.

Nicholas Pooran (West Indies)

Season: BBL|10

 

M: 6 | Runs: 127 | HS: 65 | SR: 169.33 | Ave: 25.40 | 50s: 1

After a dominant IPL with the Punjab Kings, West Indian Nicholas Pooran was signed by the Stars on a six-game deal to electrify their middle order. In his first innings, he smashed an incredible eight sixes in his 65 off 26 balls, which was part of a record 125-run partnership with Glenn Maxwell. He managed at least one six in all of his innings but his next highest score was 26 as his stint ended way too soon. 

Andre Russell (West Indies)

Season: BBL|11

 

M: 5 | Runs: 83 | HS: 42 | SR: 156.60 | Ave: 41.50

 

Wkts: 3 | BBI: 3-48 | Econ: 10.12 | Ave: 57.33

The West Indies superstar came into the BBL in bizarre fashion, due to Covid protocols he wasn't allowed to sit with or celebrate with his teammates. However, it mattered little as by his second match he was already smashing the Stars to victory, with a blazing 42 not out off 21 balls against the Thunder. His bowling though left a lot to be desired, going wicketless in all but one of his matches and conceding more 10 runs an over.

Dan Lawrence (England)

Season: BBL|13

 

M: 5 | Runs: 116 | HS: 50 | SR: 139.75 | Ave: 23.20 | 50s: 1

 

Wkts: 6 | BBI: 4-35 | Econ: 7.28 | Ave: 8.50

Picked primarily for his batting, the Englishman proved one of the Stars more effective options with the ball in his five matches in BBL|13, finishing with six wickets from just seven overs, which included a four-wicket haul against the Hurricanes in their second match of the season. Also showed his potential with the bat, hitting an even 50 from 26 balls opening the innings against the Strikers on New Year's Eve.

Usama Mir (Pakistan)

Season: BBL|13 

 

M: 5 | Wkts: 5 | BBI: 3-19 | Econ: 6.64 | Ave: 22.60

The Pakistan leggie was the club's third pick of the BBL|13 Draft, playing five games for a return of five wickets. He proved extremely tough to get away, operating with an economy rate below seven before being called up to make his T20 international debut during their tour of New Zealand.

Dale Steyn (South Africa)

Season: BBL|09

 

M: 4 | Wkts: 5 | BBI: 2-12 | Econ: 6.23 | Ave: 16.20

The signing of 36-year-old South African legend Dale Steyn was a massive get for the Stars, even though he was only available for the first portion of the season. Steyn's start against the Strikers on the Gold Coast was far from ideal, conceding 20 runs in his first five balls to Jake Weatherald. However, he got the wicket to close out his first over. His best performance definitely came in his final game, against the Renegades at the MCG, when he took 2-16 from four overs. Although he didn't quite hit the same speeds as in his pomp, his economy rate of just over six runs an over showed his class. 

Ahmed Daniyal (Pakistan)

Season: BBL|11

 

M: 3 | Wkts: 3 | BBI: 1-24 | Econ: 9.10 | Ave: 30.33

Ahmed Daniyal is another player from the Lahore Qalanders who featured for the Stars at the end of BBL|11. The Pakistan paceman made his debut when several Stars were unavailable due to Covid and took 1-24 against the Renegades. Although Daniyal produced deliveries over the 140kph mark on several occasions, he only bowled his full quota of four overs once.

Dilbar Hussain (Pakistan)

Seasons: BBL|09 – BBL|10

 

M: 3 | Wkts: 4 | BBI: 2-25 | Econ: 9.36 | Ave: 23.00

Dilbar Hussain hadn't played a single match of elite T20 cricket when he came from nowhere to make his T20 debut in BBL|09 as a replacement for his Lahore teammate Haris Rauf. And his debut against the Heat was a mixed bag – he took the wicket of AB de Villiers, but not before he had conceded 56 runs from his four overs. Hussain also snuck in two matches in BBL|10 and his performances drastically improved, taking three wickets at an economy rate of only 6.17. 

Jade Dernbach (England)

Season: BBL|01 

 

M: 2 | Wkts: 1 | BBI: 1-44 | Econ: 10.00 | Ave: 80.00

England international Jade Dernbach joined the Stars in the inaugural season of the BBL and had a reputation as a T20 specialist in the early days of the format. Although the Surrey bowler had earned several international caps with his back-of-the-hand slower balls and slower bouncers, the BBL was a rough experience for him. In his first match, David Warner took him apart with a century and in his second Matthew Hayden smacked 21 runs off his first over. 

Dimitri Mascarenhas (England)

Season: BBL|02

 

M: 2 | Wkts: 2 | BBI: 2-27 | Econ: 7.71 | Ave: 27.00

With Lasith Malinga on Sri Lanka duties, the Stars turned to Mascarenhas for the final two games of the season, which included the semi-final loss to Perth. He took two wickets against the Thunder in an impressive debut display, but went wicketless in the semi-final, ending his run with the Stars. 

Syed Faridoun (Pakistan)

Season: BBL|11

 

M: 1 | Wkts: 0 | BBI: 0-37 | Econ: 9.25 | Ave: N/A

There was a great deal of mystery surrounding Faridoun's selection in the opening match of BBL|11 as he was yet another Pakistan player plucked from relative obscurity by the Stars. He had a tough time as the Stars lost heavily to the Sixers and he wasn't seen again as Andre Russell arrived.

Mohammad Hafeez (Pakistan)

Season: BBL|03

 

M: 1 | Runs: 4 | HS: 4 | SR: 66.66 | Ave: 4.00

 

Wkts: 0 | BBI: 0-22 | Econ: 7.33 | Ave: N/A

Just the one match in BBL|03 for the Pakistan international, who was at the time ranked No.1 on the ICC's T20 allrounder rankings. He came in as a replacement player for Lasith Malinga who was out on national duty, but the Sri Lanka returned in time for finals, meaning Hafeez only featured in one match. Against the Scorchers, he was out cheaply and didn't take a wicket but did take the catch of Perth captain Simon Katich as the Stars won by 20 runs. 

Olly Stone (England)

Season: BBL|13 

 

M: 1 | Wkts: 0 | BBI: 0-38 | Econ: 9.50 | Ave: N/A

The English quick was last-minute replacement for the Stars opening game of BBL|13 against the Heat when Haris Rauf failed to arrive on time. He took the first over of the season but didn't get a wicket in his four overs and conceded more than nine runs per over as the Stars were smashed by the eventual champions to the tune of 103 runs.