Aussie stars nominate for CPL T20

Former Test stars Shane Watson, Mike Hussey and Brad Haddin are among the 23 Australians in the mix for the 2016 Caribbean Premier League Twenty20 player draft next week.

The West Indian T20 tournament, dubbed “the biggest party in sport” by former Australian allrounder and CPL Director of International Cricket Tom Moody, will kick off mid-June this year.

Allrounder Watson has been named as one of six international ‘marquee players’ for the tournament, along with the likes of Faf du Plessis, Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Kumar Sangakkara. A final international marquee player is to be named in coming weeks, with the six franchises to each select one player from the marquee player pool.

Hussey, Haddin and KFC Big Bash League Player of the Tournament Chris Lynn headline the other Aussies to nominate for the draft.

Watch: Lynn's incredible BBL05 six-hitting

Lynn will be looking to return to the Carribean after playing in last year’s edition of the competition for the Jamaica Tallawahs.

Fast-bowlers Shaun Tait, Doug Bollinger and Jason Behrendorff, as well as Brad Hodge, Adam Zampa and Brad Hogg are among some of the other potential Australian draftees.

Moody said he is delighted with the international talent available to the West Indian franchises.

“Some of the leading names in world cricket have signalled their intentions to join the biggest party in sport at the CPL,” he said.

“This year’s competition is sure to be our most exciting to date.

“Outside of our ‘marquee’ players, there are international players of the highest standard including a host of World champions, and a myriad of players who continue to entertain and enrich the global game.”

The draft, to be held in Barbados next Thursday, is set to see a flurry of activity, as the six franchises have had their salary-caps increased by US$180,000 and are allowed to retain only three players from last year’s tournament.

BBL|05 internationals Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Samuel Badree and Darren Sammy are among the local players to be up for grabs.

Watch: Gayle pummels 12-ball 50 for Renegades in BBL05

Other international players to nominate for the draft include Morne Morkel, Hashim Amla, Shahid Afridi, Lasith Malinga, Misbah-Ul-Haq, Herschelle Gibbs and Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Full list of Australian CPL T20 draft nominees: Tom Beaton, Michael Beer, Jason Behrendorff, Doug Bollinger, Ben Cutting, Ben Dunk, Cameron Gannon, Brad Haddin, Nathan Hauritz, Brad Hodge, Brad Hogg, Michael Hussey, Ben Laughlin, Tim Ludeman, Chris Lynn, Tim Paine, Jimmy Pearson, Nathan Reardon, Ben Rohrer, Alex Ross, Shaun Tait, Jonathan Wells, Adam Zampa