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David Warner will call Lord’s home this summer. The former Australia batter is in line to make his Hundred debut after he was recruited by London Spirit in the competition’s latest draft, with Jimmy Anderson – another recent retiree from the international game – left unsold.
Warner will be reunited with his former Australia head coach Justin Langer, though the 38-year-old will not sit in the highest salary bracket for the men’s tournament. Jamie Overton (Spirit), Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmad (Manchester Originals), David Willey (Trent Rockets) and New Zealand’s Michael Bracewell (Southern Brave) all secured £200,000 deals, with Warner a rung below at £120,000.
Anderson, who has signed a one‑year deal to play for Lancashire in the County Championship and T20 Blast this year, found no takers as the men’s draft filled up 37 gaps across the rosters of the eight franchises. The former England opener Jason Roy was ignored in the draft for the second year running.
New Zealand top the overseas pool of the men’s tournament with nine representatives, Australia trailing with eight. Rachin Ravindra – player of the tournament at the Champions Trophy – will play for the Originals while the Rockets have acquired Lockie Ferguson, both players going for £120,000.
Northern Superchargers signed Zak Crawley, while Reece Topley joined Brave in a side packed with England quicks of past and present; he will call Jofra Archer, Tymal Mills, Chris Jordan and Craig Overton teammates. Rehan Ahmed, Adil Rashid’s leg-spin understudy in England’s white-ball sides, was picked by the Rockets. There was also a £41,500 deal for Derbyshire’s 17-year-old seamer Harry Moore, yet to make his Twenty20 debut but ready for Birmingham Phoenix.
While one Australian opener headlines the men’s competition, another found room in the top pay bracket of the women’s tournament. Georgia Voll, who hit an unbeaten and record-breaking 99 in the Women’s Premier League last weekend, was drafted for £65,000 by the Phoenix, who also signed her compatriots Ellyse Perry and Megan Schutt before the draft.
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Alyssa Healy went unsold after being listed with a reserve price of £50,000. Sophie Devine (Brave), who led New Zealand to T20 World Cup glory last year, West Indies’ Deandra Dottin (Originals) and South Africa’s Chloe Tryon (Brave) rounded off the remaining overseas spots in the draft. Heather Knight, Sophia Dunkley and Paige Scholfield all returned to their previous teams – Spirit, Welsh Fire and Oval Invincibles respectively – with £65,000 deals.
