BBL Draft 2024: Lockie Ferguson and Sherfane Rutherford join Sydney Thunder, while Hobart Hurricanes sign Shai Hope

Sydney Thunder’s 2023–24 season ended with them bottom of the table. To turn things around and contend for the championship, they signed Lockie Ferguson and Sherfane Rutherford prior to the following season. Though none of the cricket players have ever participated in the Big Bash League, they all have a wealth of franchise cricket expertise.

In 42 Twenty20 International matches, he has taken 61 wickets at an economy rate of 7.15 while playing for New Zealand. He was one of the most expensive players in the league when he was signed by the Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 10 crore in the IPL 2023.

Lockie Ferguson has participated in the Vitality Blast, The Hundred, MLC, and IPL for a number of years.

In contrast, Rutherford has participated in 143 Twenty20 matches and amassed 2371 runs with a strike rate of 134.33. He is a capable player who can also be efficient with the ball. Sam Billings was also signed by the team in a pre-draft deal at this time.

Jafer Chohan was signed by the Sixers, the Thunder’s local rivals, in the BBL draft. The English cricket player hasn’t participated in The Hundred and has very little experience. Still, the team appeared to have faith in the leg-spinner. In addition, the Sixers pre-signed Akeal Hossain and kept James Vince.

On the flip side, West Indies international Shai Hope was signed by the Hobart Hurricanes. In nine IPL 2024 games, the 30-year-old keeper-battler for Delhi Capitals amassed 183 runs. In the opening match against Antigua & Barbuda, he scored 41 runs off of 34 balls while playing for the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the CPL. Remarkably, Hobart also declared Chris Jordan as a pre-signing and signed Bangladeshi leg-spinner Rishad Hossain.

Also Read: Nominated cricketers for the BBL and WBBL drafts: 432 men and 161 women

Paul Walter has been signed by the reigning champion Brisbane Heat for the next campaign. In The Hundred in 2024, the England all-rounder was a very ordinary performer, taking just three wickets at an economy rate of 10.24 while scoring 86 runs in eight matches. Colin Munro was also disclosed by Brisbane as a pre-signed player.

BBL Draft picks:

Melbourne Stars: Ben Duckett, Tom Curran (pre-signed), Usama Mir

Melbourne Renegades: Laurie Evans, Jacob Bethell, Tim Seifert (pre-signed)

Sydney Thunder: Lockie Ferguson, Sam Billings (pre-signed), Sherfane Rutherford

Hobart Hurricanes: Shai Hope, Chris Jordan (pre-signed), Rishad Hossain

Adelaide Strikers: Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope (pre-signed), Fabian Allen

Brisbane Heat: Colin Munro (pre-signed), Paul Walter

Perth Scorchers: Finn Allen (pre-signed), Matthew Hurst, Keaton Jennings

Sydney Sixers: James Vince (retained), Akeal Hosein (pre-signed), Jafer Chohan