Nannes moves to Sydney Thunder

The exodus from the Melbourne Renegades has continued with Dirk Nannes moving to the Sydney Thunder for this year's Big Bash League. However, the Renegades have gained two players from the other Sydney team, the Sixers, with the batsman Ben Rohrer and the wicketkeeper-batsman Peter Nevill joining the Renegades.

Nannes is the fifth big name to leave the Renegades this year, after Andrew McDonald and Shaun Tait moved to the Adelaide Strikers and Brad Hodge and Glenn Maxwell headed to the Melbourne Stars. He said he was looking forward to the challenge of playing for a new side, the 11th team he will have joined for T20 around the world, in addition to having played for Australia and the Netherlands.

"I have always enjoyed the challenge of new experiences, with new places, faces, and cricketing environments to work in," Nannes said. "Sydney Thunder is a unique ground and environment to play in. With such short boundaries, big crowds and a variable pitch, you need to adjust your game accordingly. Fortunately, it is a ground that I have always managed to play well at, and I will be giving my best for that form to continue."

Nannes will be joined at the Thunder by the young fast bowler Chris Tremain, who did not play in thee BBL last year. In other deals on the third-last day of the contracting window, Ricky Ponting re-signed with the Hobart Hurricanes, and he is expected to be available for more matches than last year given he is no longer part of Australia's one-day international side.

The Sydney Sixers also signed their first players, with Brad Haddin, Steve O'Keefe, Moises Henriques, Kurtis Patterson, Josh Lalor and Josh Hazlewood all committing to the side. The Adelaide Strikers regained Callum Ferguson, James Smith and Theo Doropoulos, while the Brisbane Heat confirmed James Hopes and Chris Hartley would be in their squad this year.