BBL|12 squads: How each club looks ahead of the draft

This summer's Big Bash League looms as one of the most anticipated yet, and it all kicks off with the inaugural overseas player draft on Sunday.

It's been a huge off-season for the league, and many of T20 cricket's biggest names have put themselves forward for selection.

The KFC BBL|12 Draft will begin at 6.30pm on Sunday and will be broadcast live on Foxtel and Kayo Sports before Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Stars launch the season at Manuka Oval on Tuesday, December 13.

Here's a definitive guide as to how each club is shaping up ahead of the season and how they might be looking to add to their list at the draft.

Adelaide Strikers

BBL|12 squad (so far): Wes Agar, Cameron Boyce, Alex Carey, Harry Conway, Ryan Gibson, Travis Head, Henry Hunt, Thomas Kelly, Chris Lynn, Harry Nielsen, Matt Short, Jake Weatherald, Henry Thorton 

Ins: Cameron Boyce, Chris Lynn, Henry Hunt

Outs: Matthew Renshaw, Jon Wells, Daniel Worrall

BBL|11 squad members off-contract: Fawad Ahmed, Peter Siddle, Spencer Johnson, Liam O'Connor, Liam Scott

Eligible retention picks: Rashid Khan, George Garton, Ian Cockbain, Daniel Worrall.

It's been a huge week for the Strikers with the BBL's all-time leading run scorer Chris Lynn signing on for this season along with rising pace bowler Henry Thornton. Lynn is expected to be available until mid-January when he joins the Gulf Giants in UAE's International League T20 tournament. The 32-year-old would be expected to slot in alongside Matt Short at the top of the order in what shapes as a formidable opening pair.

The Strikers have made no secret of the fact they intend to retain Afghanistan superstar Rashid Khan with pick five in the BBL|12 Draft, and with veteran seamer Peter Siddle expected to re-sign and the addition of Cameron Boyce, their bowling and top-order batting stocks are plentiful. With the departures of Matthew Renshaw (Brisbane Heat) and Jon Wells (Melbourne Renegades), plus the unavailability of Travis Head and Alex Carey for the first half of the season due to Test commitments, expect the Strikers to boost their middle-order batting in the draft.

Brisbane Heat

BBL|12 squad (so far): Xavier Bartlett, James Bazley, Max Bryant, Sam Heazlett, Usman Khawaja, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, Jack Wildermuth

Ins: Usman Khawaja, Matthew Renshaw

Outs: Chris Lynn

BBL|11 squad members off-contract: Tom Cooper, Connor Sully, Matthew Willams

Eligible retention picks: Mujeeb ur Rahman, Tom Abell, Fakhar Zaman.

Despite parting ways with Lynn during the off-season, the Heat's top-order batting remains strong with the inclusions of Test stars Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Renshaw. Leg-spinner Mitch Swepson is expected to be available for the entire season due to the expected relaxing of COVID bubbles around the national side.

Xavier Bartlett, James Bazley, Matt Kuhnemann, Michael Neser, Mark Steketee and Jack Wildermuth can all play a role with the ball so look for the Heat to strengthen their power-hitting on draft night. A second-round retention pick of Afghan finger spinner Mujeeb ur Rahman could also be on the cards to assist Swepson.

Image Id: 2F24D59C694B4D97885FC0C93E126455 Image Caption: Mitchell Swepson (centre) is set to play a key role for the Heat in BBL|12 // Getty

Hobart Hurricanes

BBL|12 squad (so far): Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Caleb Jewell, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Mitch Owen, Joel Paris, Wil Parker, D'Arcy Short, Matthew Wade

Ins: TBC

Outs: Tom Rogers

BBL|11 squad members off-contract: Scott Boland, Peter Handscomb, Josh Kann, Mac Wright

Eligible retention picks: Jordan Cox, Tom Lammonby, Sandeep Lamichhane.

It's been a quiet few months for the Hurricanes high-profile new head of strategy Ricky Ponting with the only addition to the club from last season being new head coach Jeff Vaughan and assistants James Hopes and Darren Berry. In saying that, the 'Canes are well stocked in the batting department with the likes of Tim David, Ben McDermott, D'Arcy Short and Matthew Wade on the books again for BBL|12.

And if Riley Meredith, Joel Paris and Nathan Ellis can stay fit, they are well covered in the pace bowling department. Look for them to retain Sandeep Lamichhane to boost their spin stocks, and seek a power-hitting allrounder.

Melbourne Renegades

BBL|12 squad (so far): Zak Evans, Aaron Finch, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sam Harper, Mackenzie Harvey, Nic Maddinson (c), Shaun Marsh, Kane Richardson, Tom Rogers, Jon Wells

Ins: Tom Rogers, Jon Wells

Outs: Cameron Boyce, James Pattinson

BBL|11 squad members off-contract: Marcus Harris, Jack Prestwidge, Will Sutherland, Mitch Perry, Josh Lalor

Eligible retention picks: Unmukt Chand, Zahir Khan, Reece Topley.

It's been a targeted off-season for the Renegades as they look to avoid a fourth-consecutive wooden spoon. They will be disappointed to lose veteran quick James Pattinson who wants to spend more time with family over the Christmas period and keep his body fresh for first-class cricket.

The recruitment of Jon Wells and former Hurricanes quick Tom Rogers will help strengthen their middle-order and death bowling, which have been problem areas in recent seasons, while having Aaron Finch, Shaun Marsh and Nic Maddinson available for the entire season will help boost their batting output. The Renegades said they will pick the best player in the talent pool with their coveted first pick and will also look for a front-line spinner in Sunday's BBL|12 Draft.

Melbourne Stars

BBL|12 squad (so far): Joe Burns, Hilton Cartwright, Brody Couch, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Liam Hatcher, Clint Hinchliffe, Nick Larkin, Glenn Maxwell (c), Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Beau Webster, Adam Zampa

Ins: TBC

Outs: Seb Gotch

BBL|11 squad members off-contract: Tom O'Connell, Sam Elliott, Sam Rainbird

Eligible retention picks: Qais Ahmad, Andre Russell, Ahmad Daniyal Latif, Joe Clarke, Syed Faridoun Mahmood.

There hasn't been much movement at the Stars either during the winter, with all of their international guns in Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa locked away for another season. And with the withdrawal of South Africa from January's ODI series, it means the trio will be available for the entire BBL season.

Traditionally, the Stars have opted for fast bowlers and the biggest names as their overseas players, so Trent Boult could be on the cards for their No.2 pick in the draft, or they may opt to retain big-hitting allrounder Andre Russell. Joe Clarke shapes as a likely retention pick with the Stars still needing to fill a wicketkeeping void following the retirement of Seb Gotch due to a chronic finger injury.

Image Id: 834344535E1843BF9A224B84902FCD51 Image Caption: Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell will be available for the entire BBL|12 season // Getty

Perth Scorchers

BBL|12 squad (so far): Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Cooper Connolly, Aaron Hardie, Peter Hatzoglou, Nick Hobson, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kelly, Mitch Marsh, Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye

Ins: TBC

Outs: Kurtis Patterson

BBL|11 squad members off-contract: None

Eligible retention picks: Laurie Evans, Colin Munro, Tymal Mills.

The Scorchers had most of their championship-winning list locked away before they secured last season's record-breaking title with the only blemish the departure of Kurtis Patterson who has opted to return home to Sydney following a breakout season. Look for that void to be filled by local talent in Nick Hobson or Cameron Bancroft, while Aussie stars Josh Inglis, Mitch Marsh, Jhye Richardson and Ashton Agar look set to be available for the entire season.

The Scorchers have one spot left on their list for a local player and will be hoping Australian allrounder Cameron Green fancies a Big Bash stint after the Sydney Test against South Africa. Former Scorcher David Willey looms as a possible first round selection for the Scorchers in Sunday's draft as the English left-armer is yet to be recruited to rival T20 leagues and has the best availability of the platinum-level players.

Sydney Sixers

BBL|12 squad (so far): Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Dan Christian, Ben Dwarshuis, Moises Henriques, (c), Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Nathan Lyon, Steve O'Keefe, Kurtis Patterson, Josh Philippe, Jordan Silk

Ins: Kurtis Patterson

Outs: TBC

BBL|11 squad members off-contract: Todd Murphy, Jack Edwards, Mickey Edwards, Ben Manenti, Lloyd Pope

Eligible retention picks: Tom Curran, Chris Jordan, James Vince, Shadab Khan.

Last year's runners-up have kept the backbone of their list from last season and will again be a force in BBL|12. The addition of Patterson to perhaps partner Josh Philippe at the top of the order will help strengthen the batting should they not opt to retain James Vince at the draft, with the English right-hander only available for the first half of the tournament before he joins the UAE league.

The Sixers could be targeting a spinner at the draft to fill a void until Nathan Lyon becomes available in early January following the Test series against South Africa.

Sydney Thunder

BBL|12 squad (so far): Oliver Davies, Brendan Doggett, Matthew Gilkes, Chris Green, Baxter Holt, Nathan McAndrew, Alex Ross, Daniel Sams, Jason Sangha, Tanveer Sangha, David Warner

Ins: David Warner

Outs: Usman Khawaja

BBL|11 squad members off-contract: Gurinder Sandhu, Ben Cutting

Eligible retention picks: Sam Billings, Alex Hales, Muhammad Hasnain.

The Thunder secured the biggest coup of the off-season by luring Aussie superstar David Warner out of his nine-year BBL hiatus. Warner is one of the world's most destructive T20 batters and is the fourth-highest run-scorer in the history of the format (10,870 runs) and more than offsets the loss of Khawaja to the Heat.

The Thunder will perhaps be targeting a wicketkeeper-batter in the draft so keep an eye out for a Sam Billings retention pick, while they also need an opener until Warner joins the squad after the New Year's Test meaning a return for Alex Hales for a fourth-consecutive season could be on the cards.

Image Id: https://www.cricket.com.au/~/media/News/2022/07/BBL-draft-order?la=en&hash=4AE6FB0B4F134F189B20FE1111E0BA90E8F9850C Image Caption: The order for the BBL|12 Draft has been determined

The BBL|12 Draft will be held on Sunday, August 28 and broadcast live on Foxtel and Kayo Sports following the first ODI between Australia and Zimbabwe in Townsville.

Click here for a full list of players to have nominated for the BBL|12 Draft.