Boland back at the ‘G as Stars announce three-year deal

The MCG is yet to build Scott Boland a statue, but the cult hero is coming home to the Melbourne Stars, after signing a three-year deal to return to the club.

Victorian Boland, who spent three seasons with the Hobart Hurricanes before giving up a BBL deal last summer as a key part of Australia's Test attack, previously played for Stars between 2013-19.

He cemented a place in Ashes folklore with an incredible 6-7 on debut in the 2021 Boxing Day Test and has since become an integral part of Australia's Test bowling line-up, although was rotated out of the line-up for the ongoing second Ashes Test at Lord's.

The Stars have failed to make the KFC BBL finals for the past three seasons, and Boland's return is part of the club's promised aggressive off-season rejuvenation.

Boland's recruit is a win for a club that saw attempts to poach Matt Short from the Adelaide Strikers and Matt Kuhnemann from the Brisbane Heat both rebuffed.

Kuhnemann, who recommitted to the Heat this week, was a target to replace Adam Zampa, who the Stars have agreed to trade to cross-town rivals the Melbourne Renegades for wicketkeeper-batter Sam Harper, with that deal expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks.

The 34-year-old Boland holds a Cricket Australia contract for 2023-24, and takes a full contract spot on the Stars list, meaning he has not been signed under the Marquee Supplementary List facility introduced this season.

That facility, introduced as part of this year's Memorandum of Understanding between CA and the players' union, allows clubs to sign up to two CA-contracted players with limited availability for the BBL to ensure they can be brought into the squad if the chance arises.

While the Stars have a strong batting line-up on paper, with Glenn Maxwell to return after missing all of last summer with a broken leg, along with Marcus Stoinis, Hilton Cartwright and Beau Webster, fast bowling depth has been an issue and an area the club is understood to be targeting.

The MCG-based club finished dead last in BBL|12 with three wins from their 14 matches, but stand a good chance of securing the top pick in this year's overseas player draft.

Boland, who first played for the Stars as a replacement for Lasith Malinga in BBL|03, said he was looking forward to a Big Bash return at the MCG.

"I can't wait to be a part of the Big Bash again and it's great to be back at home with the Melbourne Stars in front of family and friends at the MCG," Boland said in a statement.

"The Stars have the best fans in the league and hopefully I can be a part of some success and that elusive first BBL title."

Boland has 70 career Big Bash wickets, at an economy of 8.47 and average of 25.45, with a best of 4-30 at the MCG in early 2017.

Meanwhile, the Stars' WBBL squad received a massive boost this week with confirmation that Annabel Sutherland had signed a three-year contract extension.

Fresh off her maiden Test century at Trent Bridge, 21-year-old Sutherland is one of the brightest young talents in Australian cricket, and keeping the core of a young WBBL group together was a key motivation for her signing.

"I couldn't be happier to be with the Stars for another three years, we've built on previous years, and I think last season was a big step in the right direction," Sutherland said this week.

"We were very close to finals but I think with the way the team is growing, this team can achieve anything."

The Weber WBBL will introduce an overseas player draft for the first time this summer for a season that is scheduled to run from October 19 to December 2.

Melbourne Stars BBL|13 squad (so far): Scott Boland, Joe Burns, Hilton Cartwright, Brody Couch, Nick Larkin, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Beau Webster, Adam Zampa

Out of contract: Nathan Coulter-Nile, Sam Elliott, Liam Hatcher, Clint Hinchliffe, Campbell Kellaway, Cameron McClure, Tom O’Connell, Tom O’Donnell, Tom Rogers, James Seymour

Melbourne Stars WBBL|09 squad (so far): Tess Flintoff, Kim Garth, Meg Lanning (c), Rhys McKenna, Annabel Sutherland

Out of contract: Lucy Cripps, Sophie Day, Nicole Faltum, Olivia Henry, Hasrat Gill, Sasha Moloney, Sophie Reid