Stay up to date with the latest Big Bash signings ahead of the Big Bash contracting embargo
A flurry of contract announcements are expected today ahead of the Big Bash League’s annual contracting embargo period and player movement window takes effect, with some major names expected to become free agents.
Following the Perth Scorchers win in BBL|15 on Sunday night, clubs have until 5pm today to fill up to 10 spots on their list for BBL|16 next summer.
Now in its second year, the player movement window, which begins at 9am on Wednesday, allows clubs to sign an eligible free agent or trade players and draft picks with other teams. They are not permitted to re-sign or extend an existing player during the period.
Gilkes extends with Thunder
Sydney Thunder became the first club to announce a resigning on what is effectively the BBL’s deadline day, with the return of wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Gilkes on a two-year contract extension.
Undoubtedly the best Big Bash season of his career to date, Gilkes hit 232 in 10 innings at a strike rate of 155.7, highlighted by a player-of-the-match performance against the Brisbane Heat in Canberra where he hit 76 in a 127-run opening stand with Sam Konstas.
The two-year deal will keep him at the thunder until the end of BBL|17.
Thunder GM Trent Copeland said: “He showed this season that he can be one of the most damaging white-ball players with the bat. That game in Canberra was some of the best batting I’d seen in a long-time and we can’t wait to see him continue to develop over the next couple of years.”
Sydney Thunder BBL|16 Squad (so far): Cameron Bancroft, Sam Billings (ENG), Chris Green, Sam Konstas, Matthew Gilkes, Aidan O’Connor, Daniel Sams, Tanveer Sangha, David Warner
More to come
