West Australian left-armer returns home to his original Big Bash club after signing a one-year deal
Paris comes full circle as Scorchers fill Behrendorff void
Perth Scorchers have moved quickly to replace champion quick Jason Behrendorff with fellow West Australian left-armer Joel Paris returning home for BBL|15.
Paris, a free agent during the Player Movement Window, has signed a one-year deal with the Scorchers to re-join the club he made his T20 debut for during the Champions League tournament in 2013.
The 32-year-old fast bowler enjoyed the most productive Big Bash campaign of his career in KFC BBL|14 with his nine wickets at 16.11 and economy rate of 6.59 in six appearances playing a key part in Melbourne Stars' late-season resurgence to reach the finals.
Perth Scorchers list for BBL|15: Ashton Agar (contracted until BBL|17), Finn Allen (BBL|15), Mahli Beardman (BBL|15), Cooper Connolly (BBL|16), Aaron Hardie (BBL|17), Josh Inglis (BBL|15), Matthew Kelly (BBL|15), Lance Morris (BBL|16), Joel Paris (BBL|15), Jhye Richardson (BBL|16), Ashton Turner (BBL|18)
In: Joel Paris (Stars). Out: Jason Behrendorff (Renegades)
Eligible free agents: Sam Fanning, Nick Hobson, Mitch Marsh, Matthew Spoors, Andrew Tye
Uncontracted: Matthew Hurst, Keaton Jennings, Bryce Jackson
Paris also claimed career-best T20 figures of 3-13 in their Melbourne derby win over the Renegades but was left out of the Stars' side for their Knockout final loss to Sydney Thunder in favour of an extra spinner.
But with his deal expiring at the end of the season, Paris wasn't one of the eight players contracted by the Stars for BBL|15 and beyond, meaning he was eligible to be snapped up by rival clubs during the league's inaugural 10-day Player Movement Window, which ends at 5pm on Thursday.
Paris is the second player to depart the Stars during the window after Test allrounder Beau Webster signed a three-year deal with Hobart Hurricanes to also return to his home state.
Behrendorff, who amassed 137 wickets in 105 games across 10 seasons at the Scorchers, the first player to move clubs during the trade period after signing a three-year deal with the Renegades last Tuesday.
While he hasn't enjoyed the same success as Behrendorff across his own decade-long T20 career, Paris offers a similar skillset to the departing left-armer in his ability to swing the new ball and subtle changes of pace.
"We identified the need for another new ball bowler and saw this as a great opportunity to bring Joel back to Perth," Scorchers high performance manager, Kade Harvey said.
"Joel had a strong BBL|14 season for the Stars, bowling a lot of his overs during the Powerplay. We also like having a left-arm pace bowler in the squad.
"He's an excellent leader and has been an enormous contributor for WA over many years, so we’re looking forward to having him throughout the whole summer."
Paris began his T20 career at the Scorchers, featuring in the final two editions of the Champions League tournament in 2013 and 2014 and playing 17 games for the club from BBL|05 to |10.
He then signed with Hobart Hurricanes ahead of BBL|11 where he spent two seasons before shifting to the Stars where he collected 15 wickets in 15 games across the past two Big Bash tournaments.
Paris has remained a mainstay for WA during his time away from the state's Big Bash club, playing key roles in their Sheffield Shield three-peat and last summer's One-Day Cup triumph.
"To be back home and reconnect with the guys who I was already playing with nine months of the year is super exciting and I can't wait to get stuck in next season," Paris said.
"These are the guys I've played with, some of them for 15 years professionally and even longer since we were kids.
"They are my best mates; I enjoy going to work with them every day, trying to get better at cricketers and as people.
"A lot of us now, we've been married, and our kids are growing up together so over that Christmas festive period when you want to be close to family and friends, it just felt right to come home and be part of this group for 12 months of the year."
But with Behrendorff on the move and the Scorchers' all-time leading wicket-taker Andrew Tye also out of contract at the end of BBL|14, the five-time champions are looking to the future after missing the BBL finals for the first time in five seasons.
The 38-year-old Tye is yet to secure a deal for BBL|15, while Australia T20 captain Mitch Marsh – also an eligible free agent – appears set to remain a Scorcher despite attracting big interest particularly from both Melbourne clubs.
Young guns Cooper Connolly and Aaron Hardie are locked away on long-term deals, and teenage speedster Mahli Beardman is contracted for BBL|15 after impressing in his debut season for the Scorchers.