Two-team towns safe from bold Big Bash expansion bid

No Big Bash League teams from Sydney or Melbourne will be moved to accommodate the inclusion of an ACT franchise as league boss Alistair Dobson committed to retaining the controversial international player draft.

Dobson said maintaining two teams in both cities was integral to the league’s strategy as he declined to comment on a reported push from Cricket ACT to enter teams into the BBL and WBBL.

The ACT has not had a team in the men’s domestic top flight since 2000, but Nine newspapers reported on Monday the Territory was pushing to enter a team in both elite T20 competitions.

Either expansion of the competitions or the relocation of an existing club would be the pathway to introducing a team in Canberra, but Dobson said there was no chance of a Melbourne or Sydney club being relocated.

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Merv Hughes playing for the Canberra Comets in a domestic one-day game in 1997-98 – the Comets’ third-last season in the state competition.Source: News Limited

Sydney Thunder played two matches at Manuka Oval in Canberra this season and while crowds were significantly smaller than the side’s games at the Sydney Showgrounds, the average attendance of 9174 was higher than the Hobart Hurricanes’ four home matches at Blundstone Arena (8406).

Dobson said the league was happy with the existing eight-team model and continuing to benefit from the local derbies between the Melbourne and Sydney teams, which were again played twice this season despite the shortened number of matches.

“The biggest games we have every year are the local derbies,’’ he said. “Even on that simple front, having the two teams in each city is valuable.

“Having two teams in the biggest cities, on a per capita basis, it makes sense.

“There’s always an ongoing discussion around the best structure of the competition.

“Evolving is part of our DNA but we definitely want those teams where they are.”

Concerned about the Adelaide Strikers’ ability to retain both longtime star Rashid Khan (pictured) and 2023-24 sensation Jamie Overton, coach Jason Gillespie has called for the draft to be scrapped. Picture: Paul Kane / Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

Dobson said the overseas player draft introduced this season would remain as the “foundation” for signing international stars to the league despite calls from some, including Adelaide Strikers coach Jason Gillespie, to scrap it and return to the previous recruitment model.

Gillespie said the draft could put fans off-side and deter top players from returning to the league due to the lack of multi-year contracts.

He pointed to the one-player retention rule, which could require the Strikers to next season choose between contracting global T20 star Rashid Khan or English all-rounder Jamie Overton, who led the Strikers’ wicket-taking and was an important middle-order batter during their run to the finals.

Dobson said the league was open to movement on retention rules and would continue to search for ways to keep players at the business end of the tournament.

Top 10 league run-scorers Laurie Evans (Scorchers), Alex Hales (Thunder) and James Vince (Sixers) were all unavailable for the finals due to ILT20 commitments in the UAE, while Overton was missing from the Strikers’ line-up for the same reason.

“We’re talking to clubs, player agents, any other stakeholders with discussions around adjustments to our contracting rules,” Dobson said.

“That includes discussion on how we have the best players here for longer.”

The lack of international firepower had no detrimental effect on crowds this season.

Dobson hailed the shortened 10-game format as a success after average attendances grew by 27 per cent on the previous season.

Five matches drew crowds of more than 40,000 – a figure only exceeded in the 2016-17 season.

The Sydney Sixers will host the Brisbane Heat in the BBL final at the SCG on Wednesday night.