'Canes reveal draft plans, rule out Archer return

Hobart Hurricanes have ruled out a return to purple for Jofra Archer in KFC BBL|14 with the club to target an allrounder and top-order batter in this year's overseas player draft.

After signing his England teammate Chris Jordan on a two-year deal prior to the draft, Hurricanes high performance general manger Salliann Beams dismissed also adding Archer with one of their picks despite the pace sensation's successful return to international cricket at last month's T20 World Cup.

Archer overcame a chronic elbow issue to play a key role for England in their run to the semi-finals, regularly troubling some of the world's best batters with his steep bounce and pace on his way to 10 wickets at an economy of 7.21 for the tournament following a 12-month absence from the top level.

The 29-year-old speedster piqued interest in May with a comment on the BBL's Instagram page but Beams said Archer didn't fit the balance of their side for the upcoming season after they secured Jordan under the league's new multi-year contracting option for overseas players.

Even if the Hurricanes were keen to get the right-armer back for a third season with the club after he played 27 matches across BBL|07-BBL|08, the ECB have been taking a cautious approach with their star quick, holding him out of this year's Indian Premier League prior to June's World Cup and limiting his playing commitments to white-ball only in 2024.

"If you look at our bowlers in our team that offer (what Archer does), we've got Riley (Meredith), Nathan (Ellis) and now Chris (Jordan), it doesn't quite fit from a matchup point of view," Beams told reporters in Hobart.

"What we're looking for is that allrounder and then someone that can fit in the top four.

"Not saying that he's (Archer) not a quality player, he is absolutely, and if we needed that skill set, I think he would be a big target, but he just doesn't fit the balance of our team."

Picking an overseas allrounder and top-order batter to compliment Jordan for BBL|14 would be a similar draft strategy to the club's approach last year when they took Englishman Sam Hain and New Zealander-turned-American Corey Anderson after they selected Jordan with their first-round platinum pick.

Both Hain and Anderson failed to fire in BBL|13 with the Warwickshire batter eventually dropped for their final two matches of the season.

Beams said Jordan's franchise experience around the world was a major factor in the decision to bring him back for another two seasons.

She added they couldn't risk another club taking him due to the crucial leadership attributes and all-round skill set he brought to the club last summer, which is why they ensured they secured his signature pre-draft.

"We've brought some big players into our team (in the past)," she said, "Harry Brook (for example).

"And they've gone on and created amazing things.

"It's just getting that balance right; we probably need someone with a bit more franchise experience, so we see the best of them here and not when they leave us.

"That's what we've not been great at."

When Jordan joined the Hurricanes last season it marked his fifth BBL club (Strikers, Hurricanes, Scorchers, Sixers, Thunder), equalling the record held by Josh Lalor (Heat, Renegades, Scorchers, Sixers, Thunder) for the most teams played for.

Beams said the 35-year-old's experience and availability having been in and out of the England setup across his career has always made him an "attractive" option on the T20 circuit, not just in the Big Bash.

The veteran right-armer also impressed in England's World Cup campaign with 10 wickets in five matches including a hat-trick against the United States, with his form as a late-order finisher and death bowler for the Hurricanes last summer helping lead to a recall in the defending champions' squad for the tournament.

"That's what's key with all these franchise competitions around the world, what they're doing is targeting those that are most available," Beams said.

"That's what we've identified in Chris, we wanted someone not only that could perform on the pitch, he's actually bringing something off field.

"I think the players around him have looked at that and then looked inwardly to go 'I could be a lot better'.

"He's the guy that walks on the team bus with a foam roller and a mat … he's the ultimate professional and those sorts of behaviours rub off, they're contagious.

"He does all three facets incredibly well, he's a leader as well. He was a great ally for (captain) Nathan (Ellis), so having a No.7 that can come in and win games at the end and bowl at the death has been really good for us."