Andy Anson welcomes prospect of private investment as sole affiliates of Manchester Originals

Matt Roller21-Dec-2023Lancashire have voiced their support for the ECB’s proposals to introduce private investment in the Hundred from 2025, but pushed back against the idea that teams in the competition might play under the banner of their host counties.The Hundred’s future has been under review over the last few months, with the ECB discussing a number of potential changes to its governance structure as part of a consultation with the 18 first-class counties and MCC. The most fundamental question is whether or not it should be opened up to private investors.The tournament will continue for at least five more seasons, since it forms part of the ECB’s broadcast deal with Sky Sports, and its structure will remain unchanged in 2024. But the ECB hope that the counties will reach a consensus in the early months of the English season and that changes can be implemented for 2025.Lancashire are unique in that they are the only county affiliated with Manchester Originals, who play their home games at Emirates Old Trafford. All Hundred teams are owned by the ECB, but each of the other seven has at least two affiliated counties who are represented on their boards.Andy Anson, Lancashire’s chair, believes that the county should play a greater role in how the Originals are run. “Since I started as chair of Lancashire three years ago, I’ve felt it is in Lancashire Cricket’s best interest to have greater control of the Manchester Originals team,” he told LancsTV, the club’s in-house channels. “Ideally, with a controlling equity interest.Related

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“This would mean that we can drive the team as a commercial entity and leverage the existing operations here at Emirates Old Trafford. I was also very concerned about the level of central costs at the ECB associated with the Hundred: they were too high, and we believe the operating model was suboptimal.”As reported, I can confirm that discussions have taken place between all of the first-class counties and the ECB regarding the transfer of a controlling interest in the Hundred teams to the host venues. As a board, we’re supportive of this… overall, we believe [the proposals] are positive for Lancashire and provide us with greater control and financial potential.”Surrey’s new chair Oli Slipper has floated the possibility of Oval Invincibles being renamed Surrey Invincibles and wearing the county’s three-feather crest, but Anson pushed back against the idea of an equivalent scenario at Lancashire. “We do see the Manchester Originals as a separate team from Lancashire, and in no way as a replacement for Lancashire in the different formats of cricket,” he said.One proposal that has been discussed would involve a two-division Hundred with all 18 counties represented independently, which Anson made clear his opposition to. “We would be very concerned that a two-tier Hundred would prevent Lancashire playing as the Red Rose in the month of August, and this is unacceptable to us,” he said.”We do support the transfer of a controlling equity stake in the Manchester Originals to Lancashire Cricket. We would not accept any expansion of the window in the schedule allocated to the Hundred, even if the numbers of teams expanded… also, the T20 Blast needs to be an absolute priority for everyone, and should be improved and not undermined in any way by these discussions and decisions.”Earlier this week, Durham chief executive Tim Bostock said that his county are “100% committed to bringing a franchise here to the north-east” and described the Hundred as a “silver bullet game-changer” for English cricket. “”We are very confident we could attract a lot of interest,” he told PA Media.He also hinted at the possibility of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) investing in a Hundred team in the north-east. “We’ve seen the Saudis have bought Newcastle United just down the road, and you don’t need to be a brain surgeon to see they are building a portfolio,” Bostock said.In Lancashire’s case, Anson said that the county’s would be “very happy” to consider investments into Manchester Originals from a third party, and said that any capital injection would be used to pay down the club’s debt or to invest in “the cricket infrastructure of Lancashire.”

Batter relishing the ride as relentless touring lifestyle continues at pace

Cameron Ponsonby05-Dec-2023Harry Brook says that he agreed his three-year deal with England “as soon as they called”, with there being no temptation to keep his franchise options open with a shorter deal.Brook is one of just three England players, along with Mark Wood and Joe Root, who signed three-year central contracts with the ECB. Unlike Root and Wood, who are both in their 30s and would have appreciated the certainty that came with the length of the deal, Brook is 24 and highly sought after on the franchise circuit, becoming an IPL millionaire last year when he was picked up by Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 13.25 crore.Nevertheless, despite the riches on offer around the world, Brook said there wasn’t even a thought of a negotiation with England when Rob Key called him.”Straight away as soon as England called I was going to sign the contract,” Brook said, one day out from the second ODI against the West Indies. “I’ve wanted to play for England all my life.”Brook was one of six players who were offered three-year contracts, with himself, Wood and Root agreeing to the deal, while Jofra Archer and Jos Buttler opted for two years and Test captain Ben Stokes gambled on a one-year deal on the basis that the value of central contracts may increase when new terms are agreed next year.As arguably the most talented batter of his generation, Brook’s commitment to England is a boon to the national side as they are able to control the workload of one of their most prized assets, who himself admitted to having felt that he needed a break following a difficult World Cup campaign.Since his Test debut in September 2022, no one has played as many matches for England as Brook’s 45. And it isn’t until you get to Chris Woakes at No.7 in that list with 32 matches that you find another player who has played Test cricket. With such a high workload, there could have been consideration to rest Brook for the ODIs and have him join up with the squad for the T20Is.”Obviously England made that decision but I’m happy to be out here to be honest,” Brook said of the potential to have had an extended rest. “It’s a different lifestyle. I’ve been waking up at six o’clock every morning and jumping in the sea so it’s been an enjoyable tour so far.”For a cricket nuffy like Brook, the West Indies tour also represents an opportunity to work on a format of the game he has had next to no experience in. Following the World Cup, he returned to his school coach for a few work-up sessions, but still the challenge of finding the tempo of one-day cricket has proved challenging. A fact that made his 71 in the first ODI all the more satisfying.”I liked the way I went about my innings,” Brook said reflecting on his run-a-ball innings at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. “I’ve struggled a little bit in this format at the start of my career. I haven’t quite found the tempo of how I wanted to play.Related

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“Until the summer I hadn’t played anything. So yeah, I was just trying to figure out, find my feet in the format really and try to find a tempo with the way I wanted to bat. England have been renowned for being an aggressive side but there’s always so much time. The other day was a perfect example of that. It was about nine overs from the end that I got out and I felt like I was sat up on the balcony watching for about three hours.”Despite a relentless workload, Brook has put his name into the auction for the IPL which, coming off the back of England’s five-match Test tour there in January, will mean he’ll have spent the best part of six months from the start of October to the end of May in India.”In India you can end up sitting in your hotel room with not much stuff to do,” Brook said of the cricket-mad nation where the celebrity effect takes things up a notch and can make social media a particularly difficult place. “I’ve been off social media for a while now. So anything I stumble across, I delete it from the phone…I think that’s helped my game, helped my mental health and everything, to be off social media and seeing all the negativity that brings.”It marks a change for Brook, who after a run of low scores in IPL 2023 said in a post-match interview following his century against Kolkata Knight Riders that he was “glad he could shut them [his critics] up to be honest.””I was an idiot and I said a stupid thing in an interview which I regret a little bit,” Brook laughed when recalling the incident, adding that it wasn’t this incident alone that led him to quitting social media. “I’d find myself scrolling Instagram or whatever, and you just come across stuff you just don’t want to see, so I thought it was the right idea to get rid of it. I’ve obviously still got Instagram and Twitter but thankfully I’ve got someone running it for me.”

Kusal Perera and Dhananjaya de Silva, who were left out of the ODI series, are also part of the squad

Andrew Fidel Fernando09-Jan-2024Angelo Mathews is in line to play his first T20I in nearly three years after being named in Sri Lanka’s T20I squad for the series against Zimbabwe. Also in the squad are batters Kusal Perera and Dhananjaya de Silva, who are not in the squad for the ongoing ODIs, as well as spinner Akila Dananjaya, round-arm seam bowler Nuwan Thushara, and batting allrounder Kamindu Mendis.This will be Wanindu Hasaranga’s first series as captain. There is still a spot in the squad for previous captain Dasun Shanaka.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Among the omissions from this squad are of opener Avishka Fernando and top order batters Nuwanidu Fernando and Janith Liyanage, who was Player of the Match in the second ODI against Zimbabwe. Also not in the squad are allrounder Dunith Wellalage, seamer Pramod Madushan, and legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay. Pathum Nissanka has been named subject to fitness, after he was admitted to hospital last week with suspected dengue.These three T20Is will mark Sri Lanka’s earnest preparation for the T20 World Cup to be held later this year. Sri Lanka only played seven T20Is in 2023.Related

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All three T20Is will be played at Kettarama, on January 14, 16 and 18.Sri Lanka squad: Wanindu Hasaranga (capt), Charith Asalanka, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kusal Perera, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, Akila Dananjaya.

The England batter was part of the Delhi Capitals squad, having been bought for INR 4 crore at the auction in December

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Mar-2024England batter Harry Brook has withdrawn from IPL 2024 to be with his grieving family following the death of his grandmother in February.”I can confirm that I have made the very difficult decision not to play in the upcoming IPL,” Brook said in a statement. “I was so excited to be picked by Delhi Capitals and was so looking forward to joining up with everyone. Whilst I don’t think I should need to share my personal reasons behind this decision, I know there will be many asking why. So I do want to share this.”I lost my grandmother last month – she was a rock to me and I spent a huge amount of my childhood in her home; my attitude to life and love for cricket was shaped by her and my late grandfather. When at home, there would hardly be a day go by that didn’t include seeing her. It makes me so happy that she was able to see me play cricket for England. I’m proud that she could collect some of the awards I have won over the last couple of years when I couldn’t be there and I know she enjoyed doing that.Related

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Brook had also pulled out of England’s recent five-Test series in India from January to March after being part of the pre-tour training camp in the UAE. He left the team in the UAE and did not travel to Hyderabad for the first match.”I made the decision to leave the India Test tour the night before we flew from Abu Dhabi to India because I was told for the first time that my grandmother was ill and didn’t have long left,” he added. “Now that she has passed my family and I are grieving and I need to be around them. Over the last few years I have learned to prioritise my mental wellbeing and that of my family’s, honestly nothing is more important to me than family. So whilst this may come as surprising to some, I know it’s the right decision for me. I’m young and hope to have many, many more years of cricket to come which I intend to make the absolute most of.”I couldn’t be more grateful for the support I have received, especially from the ECB and Delhi Capitals, thank you.”The statement comes ten days before Capitals play their first match of the season – against Punjab Kings on March 23 in Mullanpur. There has been no information on whether Capitals will look for a replacement player for Brook, whom they had bought for INR 4 crore (US$ 482,000 approximately) at the auction in December.Brook, 25, made his IPL debut in the 2023 season after Sunrisers Hyderabad bought him for INR 13.25 crore (US$ 1.6 million approximately) based on the power-hitting he displayed in the T20Is in Pakistan in 2022. In his maiden IPL season, however, Brook scored only 190 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of 123.37; one of those innings was an unbeaten 100 off 55 balls against KKR.The Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal had told ESPNcricinfo that the team management led by Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Ponting had slotted Brook as No.6 to add strength to a batting order comprising David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, Mitchell Marsh and Rishabh Pant.Brook’s absence leaves Capitals with an overseas roster comprising Warner, Marsh, Tristan Stubbs, Shai Hope, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje and Jhye Richardson. Capitals had finished ninth out of ten last season, having won only five out of 14 games under Warner’s captaincy. They will be led in IPL 2024 by Pant, who was given clearance to play as a wicketkeeper-batter by the BCCI after recovering from injuries suffered in a car accident in December 2022.

Chahal reached the landmark by dismissing Mohammad Nabi in Jaipur

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Apr-20242:34

Moody: Yuzvendra Chahal is one of the IPL’s ‘greats’

Rajasthan Royals legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal has become the first bowler in the history of IPL to reach the mark of 200 wickets. Chahal got to the milestone when he dismissed Mohammad Nabi of Mumbai Indians (MI) in Jaipur on Monday.After Mumbai elected to bat, Chahal was introduced into the attack in the eighth over of the innings and struck with his third ball. It was a gently floated legbreak that caught the leading edge of Nabi’s bat for a simple return catch to the bowler.Chahal, who went past Dwayne Bravo as the highest wicket-taker in IPL history last season, created the record in his 153rd match. It was, however, an expensive evening for Chahal where he picked 1 for 48 off his four overs.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“I never even thought about it [becoming the highest wicket-taker] when I started playing the IPL,” Chahal had said last year after toppling Bravo. “I was with Mumbai Indians for three years [when I started], but my journey actually started from 2014. There have been a lot of ups and downs, and I’ve enjoyed a lot too. I’ve learnt from my downs, and what I’m today is because of my downfalls and [support from] my close ones.”Chahal was first signed up by Mumbai Indians in 2011 but only made his IPL debut in 2013. That was the only game he played for the Mumbai franchise in the IPL, going wicketless across four overs against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens.He was then acquired by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in 2014, and that’s where his IPL career really took off. Chahal played 113 matches for RCB from 2014 to 2021, and picked up 139 wickets at an average of 22.03 and an impressive economy rate of 7.58. He still remains the highest wicket-taker for RCB in the IPL. However, he was not retained by RCB ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction and was picked for INR 6.5 crore by Royals.Chahal has represented Royals since 2022. He bagged 27 wickets at an economy of 7.75 for them during their run to the IPL final that year, including his only five-for in the IPL so far – 5 for 40 against KKR. Three of those wickets were part of a hat-trick – he got Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Mavi and Pat Cummins in what was a four-wicket over, with Venkatesh Iyer dismissed earlier.Chahal has 13 wickets so far in IPL 2024, and sits at the top of the list along with Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel.

Need to adapt techniques in full glare of international spotlight makes team a work in progress

Valkerie Baynes26-May-2024England’s pursuit of the perfect ODI performance must wait until their final fixture against Pakistan at least, after their second match was washed out.A heavy storm which forced Sunday’s abandonment at Taunton after just 6.5 overs means Pakistan must wait until the last match of their tour at Chelmsford on Wednesday for another chance to level the series. With Pakistan all but out of the race to qualify directly for next year’s 50-over World Cup, it may be the best they can hope for, along with more match experience. England, meanwhile, can go undefeated if they win there, having swept the T20Is 3-0 and secured what Knight branded a “scrappy” 37-run victory in the first 50-over match.”We just want to put in a good performance,” Knight said. “I think probably we haven’t done that so far … well, I don’t think we’ve done it in our last few ODIs, to be honest. So yeah, you’re striving for that perfect performance aren’t you, and trying to put all facets of the game together. We want to finish this leg of the summer really well.”But Knight also revealed there’s more at stake for England’s players, namely trying out new things in the glare of the international spotlight.Seamer Lauren Bell, who was rested from the Taunton match in favour of Lauren Filer, has been experimenting with changes to her action during games, while Sophia Dunkley, who was recalled to the ODI side for the final two matches against Pakistan, told ESPNcricinfo in December that she had made some technical changes, a process Knight said had continued heading into the winter tour of New Zealand where Dunkley ultimately lost her spot amid a prolonged lean spell.Dunkley was listed on the team sheet at No. 12 in Taunton, having made a century, a fifty and an unbeaten 48 for South East Stars in the 50-over Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.Related

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“The amount of work that she did, around not just her technical stuff, but around her mental side of things and having a bit of a pre-ball routine, there’s no doubt that those things would pay off eventually, they just didn’t pay off for her in New Zealand,” Knight said. “It has been really great to see Dunks going away and getting runs, that’s exactly what we wanted her to do.”Lauren Bell is tweaking something technically with her bowling and she’s doing it in games, which is a really hard thing to do and it can affect your output a little bit as well. But the girls are really good at seeing it as long-term progress and in order to be it in the future you have to kind of do it in the here and now.”Knight added that learning on the hop was a growing facet of the women’s game amid an increasingly busy schedule, which culminates this year in the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh followed by the 2025 ODI event in India.”With the amount of cricket we now play, there’s not huge blocks where you can go and really hone your game and improve those things technically, so it’s important that we keep trying to move forward as cricketers, and then sometimes you do have to do it in games,” she said. “That’s really a tricky thing to do and I think it’s really brave thing to do, and it’s a philosophy of us as a group that we want to keep moving forward. To do that sometimes you might have to maybe go backwards little bit, to then make a huge leap forward.”Knight was pleased with what little her bowlers were able to do on Sunday. Kate Cross sent down one maiden and conceded 11 runs from her 3.5 overs while quick Filer had a catch put down by Sophie Ecclestone at slip off Sidra Amin, as well as a further half-chance at point off Sadaf Shamas, and was 0 for 18 from her three overs. Shamas edged another off Filer which just eluded Knight at second slip and Nat Sciver-Brunt also missed a shy at the stumps in a bid to run out Sidra.”As a bowling unit, I think the girls were quite disappointed with the other day, it was a little bit scrappy and not quite up to our best,” Knight said of the first ODI in Derby, where England were unable to take the final wicket to bowl Pakistan out. “We had some really good conversations about trying to put it right today. I thought the control that Kate showed and then Lauren at the other end just making things happen, it felt like there was a lot going on. With a few chances, we felt like we should have had a couple of on the board.”

The Notts skipper’s crisp 100 came after Worcestershire were bowled out in 31.1 overs at New Road

ECB Reporters Network25-May-2024Nottinghamshire skipper, century-maker and long-time Manchester United fan Haseeb Hameed had an all-round day to remember as Worcestershire were outplayed on an unhappy return to action at Visit Worcestershire New Road in their Vitality County Championship encounter.Worcestershire, back at their headquarters after flooding led to the first two games with Durham and Somerset being moved to Kidderminster, were bowled out in just 31.1 overs. A combination of a bowler-friendly wicket, a probing performance from the four-pronged seam attack and one or two undistinguished strokes enabled Nottingham to seize the initiative with the ball.Then Hameed heard of the Red Devils triumph over Manchester City in the FA Cup final before pressing home Nottinghamshire’s advantage with Joe Clarke during the evening session during a partnership of 147. Hameed reached three figures shortly before the close from 214 balls with nine fours before he was dismissed shortly before the close to leave Clarke unbeaten on 73.But Worcestershire were left to rue dropping Hameed on 36 and Clarke before he had scored, the latter off Nathan Smith who was the pick of the home attack, just as they threatened to keep Nottinghamshire’s advantage in check at what would have been 90-4 had the chances been taken.Groundstaff worked through the night to ensure play could get underway on time after yesterday’s wash-out. Both teams and staff lined up for a minute’s applause before the start of play in honour of Worcestershire spinner, Josh Baker, who passed away aged 20 three weeks ago.Worcestershire opener, Ed Pollock, came in for his first appearance of the season in place of Kashif Ali who was taking a break from the game. Nottinghamshire pace bowler Luke Fletcher was recalled in place of Olly Stone – and was soon making his mark after Hameed won the toss and chose to bat on a green pitch.His former Trent Bridge colleague Jake Libby fell to a stunning low catch at second slip by Calvin Harrison away to his left. Dillon Pennington, on his first return to New Road since leaving Worcestershire last summer, then knocked out Pollock’s middle stump after he pushed forward.Harrison held onto another smart catch at slip to account for Gareth Roderick off Fletcher who then had Rob Jones, after he went for an expansive drive, caught by Tom Moores who had replaced Joe Clarke behind the stumps. The procession of wickets continued with Lyndon James’ angled in delivery trapping Worcestershire Club captain Brett D’Oliveira lbw.Fletcher was rested after a spell of 9-5-18-3 but there was no let-up for the home side. Matthew Waite flicked at James and was taken by Moores diving to his left at full stretch, and Adam Hose went to pull Pennington and top-edged a return catch.Nathan Smith came down the wicket to Paterson and was lbw and the same bowler had Joe Leach pouched at backward drive. Adam Finch showed some defiance in striking Pennington for six over mid wicket before caught behind off his ex-team-mate.When Nottinghamshire batted, openers Haseeb Hameed and Ben Slater looked comfortable and scored freely as the 50 came up in the 17th over. There were few alarms for the duo although Hameed on 26 edged left armer Ben Gibbon just short of second slip.But a breakthrough finally came with Nottinghamshire just three runs in arrears when Slater on 41 pulled Smith straight to Gibbon at fine leg. There was more joy for Smith when Will Young tried to get his bat out of a way of a delivery but only deflected the ball onto his stumps.Smith should have had a third wicket in three overs but Roderick dropped Joe Clarke before he had scored – a rare let-off by the consistent keeper. Hameed also had an escape on 36 at first slip immediately after tea off Finch before going onto complete a 50 from 110 balls.Clarke followed him to that milestone from 86 balls as the pair gradually accelerated during the final session. Hameed went to three figures but did not add to his total before he was trapped lbw by Waite after striking nine fours in his 219-ball innings.

Allrounder takes three wickets, adds 43 in chase as hosts scramble home in tight finish

ECB Reporters Network30-May-2024Thunder 125 for 7 (Morris 43, Davis 2-19) beat Central Sparks 121 for 8 (Arlott 28, Graham 3-16, Morris 3-22) by three wicketsLancashire Thunder achieved one of their best results of the season when they overcame the previously undefeated Central Sparks by three wickets in their Charlotte Edwards Cup match at Emirates Old TraffordHaving won the toss and opted to bowl first, Thunder restricted Sparks to 121 for 8 in their 20 overs, with Phoebe Graham taking 3 for 16 and Fi Morris 3 for 22. Thunder chased down that target with one over to spare, Morris again catching the eye with 43, although Sparks made their opponents fight all the way for their spoils.Sparks’ innings got off to a woeful start when Tara Norris bowled Chloe Brewer and Davina Perrin with the second and third balls of the match and those setbacks rather set the tone for the visitors’ effort with the bat.Abbey Freeborn took the attack to the bowlers but was caught by Morris at midwicket for a 12-ball 15 when she tried to pull a short delivery from Graham. And Morris then took the next two wickets, trapping Courtney Webb lbw for 9 and having the Sparks skipper Eve Jones caught at backward point by Sophie Morris for 19 when trying to drive a wide full toss.The departure of the former Thunder batter left Sparks on 54 for 5 at the midpoint of their innings but it was followed three balls later by a shower which delayed play for 25 minutes.On the resumption, Katie George and Charis Paveley took 19 runs off the next three overs but Fi Morris ended their promising stand with another full toss, George driving the full bunger straight back to the bowler and departing for 17.However, a late boost to the Sparks effort was provided by Emily Arlott who put on 47 in 36 balls with Paveley, a stand which included a huge six over square leg in Norris’s final over. Graham ended this fun in her last set of six when she had Arlott caught by Hannah Jones for 28 when sweeping and Grace Potts taken at deep midwicket by Danni Collins off the final ball of the innings.Those dismissals left Sparks very moderately placed and in no respect did 121 for 8 resemble a par total, Paveley finished with a useful run-a-ball 27 not out.Despite facing an asking-rate only a scrap above six runs an over, Thunder’s pursuit was littered with errors. Emma Lamb was caught at short fine leg by Chloe Brewer off Paveley for 10 and when Georgia Davis dismissed Seren Smale and Ellie Threlkeld with successive deliveries, the home side were 42 for 3 in the sixth over.Fi Morris tried to restore some stability but she soon lost Danni Collins, who was bowled for 5 when hitting across the line in George’s first over. Ailsa Lister then helped Morris add a further 38 in 28 balls but the opener’s luck ran out on 43 when she attempted another pull off Hannah Baker and George took a fine catch at deep midwicket.When Lister skied Arlott to Freeborn and trooped off with 23 against her name, 24 were needed off five overs. Norris’s straight six off Baker aided the home side’s cause but she was bowled by Arlott for 10 in the penultimate over and it was left to Graham to all but seal the win with an edged four off her first ball.

The defending BBL champions have secured Munro on a two-year deal ahead of the overseas draft

AAP02-Jul-2024Brisbane Heat have taken a key step towards defending their BBL title by re-signing former New Zealand batter Colin Munro for a further two seasons.Munro, who announced his international retirement earlier this year after missing New Zealand’s T20 World Cup squad, has played 428 T20 matches in multiple competitions and scored 10,961 runs at a career strike-rate of 141.25, with five centuries and 67 half-centuries.Related

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The 37-year-old lines up for his third season with Heat and is the BBL’s fourth player to be signed under new rules which allow each club to sign one international on a multi-year deal ahead of the overseas player draft.Munro, who was a member of the Perth Scorchers’ 2021-22 BBL title win, has played the past two seasons with the Heat and scored 502 runs with blistering knocks of 98 and 99 not out.In both seasons he left early to join Desert Vipers in the UAE-based ILT20 competition but his new Heat deal will ensure Munro is available for all BBL matches, including finals.England international and former Heat star Sam Billings has joined Sydney Thunder next season while Heat cult hero and last season’s finals hero Josh Brown will link with Melbourne Renegades.Munro will lead a strong Heat line-up, alongside Australia’s Usman Khawaja and Matt Renshaw, and wants to be part of a championship side.”It was pretty poignant being away and watching the boys go one better to win the title, after going through the disappointment of the previous season when we got beaten at the death in the final,'” Munro said.”It’s a strong squad again and I’m looking forward to being part of what we can build together. There are always opportunities to get better and as a group, we should be excited about the new goals we will pursue this summer.”Heat have a new coach for next season with Johan Botha having replaced Wade Seccombe.