He will be unavailable for the Strikers’ first match as he will still be playing in England’s final Test against New Zealand.
Ollie Pope Joins Adelaide Strikers, Akeal Hosein Signs with Sydney Sixers for BBL England’s stand-in Test captain, Ollie Pope, has signed with Adelaide Strikers for the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) season. Pope is currently leading England against Sri Lanka due to Ben Stokes’ injury. He will join the Strikers after England’s Test tour of New Zealand, which ends on December 18, meaning he will miss the first match of the BBL.
Pope, who has scored 1,295 runs in T20 cricket with an average of 28.77 and a strike rate of 132.82, had a tough time recently in The Hundred, scoring only 35 runs in five innings for London Spirit. In the BBL, he will have the opportunity to play alongside Ashes rivals Travis Head and Alex Carey when they are available after the India Test series. Strikers’ head coach, Tim Paine, praised Pope, calling him an “exceptional talent” with dynamic batting and wicket-keeping skills.
In addition to Pope, the Sydney Sixers have signed West Indies left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein as their pre-draft pick. Hosein will fill the spot left by Steve O’Keefe, who retired last season. Hosein previously played for the Melbourne Renegades, where he took 13 wickets in nine matches. He will be available for the first seven games of the BBL before joining MI Emirates in the ILT20.
Sydney Sixers‘ general manager, Rachael Haynes, expressed confidence in Hosein’s ability to fill O’Keefe’s shoes, highlighting his importance as a bowler, fielder, and lower-order batter. The BBL draft is set to take place on September 1.
BBL Pre-Draft Signings:
Adelaide Strikers: Ollie Pope
Sydney Sixers: Akeal Hosein
Brisbane Heat: Colin Munro
Hobart Hurricanes: Chris Jordan
Melbourne Renegades: Tim Seifert
Melbourne Stars: Tom Curran
Perth Scorchers: Finn Allen
Sydney Thunder: Sam Billings