BBL 2022-23: Liam Livingstone Withdraws From BBL 12

With No. 1 pick Liam Livingstone pulling out of the competition, the Big Bash League’s efforts to increase international star power through an overseas player draught have suffered yet another significant setback.

The Melbourne Renegades selected Liam Livingstone with the first pick in the first KFC BBL Draft, and he was anticipated to be available for the team’s first eight games of the season before departing for the brand-new domestic T20 league in South Africa.

The big-hitting all-rounder, 29, was unexpectedly added to the England Test squad for their three-match tour of Pakistan in December after the draught on August 28. As a result, he was unable to play in the Renegades’ first four BBL|12 games.

Liam Livingstone Withdraw From BBL Due To His International Commitments

Liam Livingstone, who played a key role in England’s T20 World Cup victory earlier this month, has officially announced his withdrawal from the remainder of the competition due to his increased international commitments.

Andre Russell will take the place of the Englishman for the Renegades’ first four games this month after the outstanding West Indian all-rounder was passed over in the draught.

Russell’s availability will only extend to those four games, but it is believed that the Renegades are close to signing a replacement who will be more available for the remainder of the season than for the games that Livingstone has opted out of.

Renegades Disappointed To Not Have Liam Livingstone

“We’re obviously disappointed that we won’t have Liam as part of our team this summer, but we understand his decision,” said Renegades General Manager James Rosengarten.

“Liam is a fantastic cricketer and there’s a reason we used our first pick in the draft to select him.

“Since then, his schedule has changed with added international duties, and we wish him the best as he pushes for a Test debut.

“This news has allowed us to explore replacement options with greater availability beyond the first half of the tournament, and we look forward to being able to announce another big-name addition for the Renegades soon.”

The head coach of the Renegades, David Saker, was a member of the England coaching staff during their successful World Cup campaign, and according to Rosengarten, Livingstone had been looking forward to working with Saker in the upcoming seasons.

But the Renegades also suffer from the fact that Liam Livingstone did not participate in any matches during BBL|12, which prevents them from using their retention pick to sign one of the most in-demand T20 players in the world should he join the BBL Draft the following year.

After David Willey, the No. 7 pick for the Sydney Thunder, withdrew from the entire competition a week ago, the Big Bash has already lost two of its platinum-level picks for this summer.

One of the critiques of the Big Bash over the recent pandemic-impacted seasons was the lack of top-tier international talent it attracted. League executives were hoped that the large sum of money offered through the overseas player draught would help change that.

David Warner Makes BBL Return

David Warner will return to the BBL this season after a nine-year absence at the Thunder, while star left-armer Trent Boult of New Zealand will participate in the league for the first time and Pakistan’s Shadab Khan, who won the most recent T20 World Cup in Australia, will play for the Hobart Hurricanes.

In an effort to bounce back from a poor three seasons following their BBL 08 championships, the Renegades had hoped that Livingstone would help them escape their fourth consecutive wooden spoon.

The Renegades have previously recruited former Sri Lankan first-class player turned Victorian leg-spinner Ruwantha Kellapotha as another overseas replacement player. Renegades have selected spinners Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Akeal Hosein with picks nine and twenty-five, respectively.

They will play their first game at home on December 18 against the Thunder at Marvel Stadium before beginning their BBL|12 campaign on December 15 against the Brisbane Heat in Cairns.

Melbourne Renegades BBL 12 Squad (so far): Nic Maddinson (c), Zak Evans, Aaron Finch, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Mackenzie Harvey, Akeal Hosein (West Indies), Ruwantha Kellapotha (Sri Lanka), Shaun Marsh, Jack Prestwidge, Kane Richardson, Corey Rocchiccioli, Tom Rogers, Andre Russell (West Indies), Will Sutherland, Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan), Jon Wells

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