MELBOURNE: Melbourne Stars have further boosted their pace stocks for the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) with the signing of towering quick Billy Stanlake from the Adelaide Strikers. The agreement will see pace bowler Daniel Worrall move to the Strikers in return.
Stanlake has played 39 BBL matches and taken 34 wickets in the competition so far. The 25-year-old has been part of Australia's ODI and T20I squads in recent years and is currently in the UAE with his Indian Premier League side Sunrisers Hyderabad.
"The Melbourne Stars have been a very successful club for a long time in the BBL. While they haven't lifted the trophy yet, they have been a serious contender almost every season and I hope I can contribute to taking that final step," Stanlake said.
"I'm looking forward to meeting up with the guys later in the year and getting stuck into what I'm sure will be a slightly different campaign to normal but it'll be great to get underway."
Stars head coach David Hussey said Stanlake will bring a different dimension to the bowling unit.
"It's never that nice as a batsman to have the ball coming down from that height at you and when Billy is up in the 140km zone with a good yorker and bouncer, he's a very difficult bowler to contend with," Hussey said.
"I'd also like to thank Dan Worrall for his commitment to the Stars over many seasons. He has been a good performer for the Stars, and we wish him well as he continues his BBL career at home in Adelaide."
The tenth BBL edition is set to begin on December 3.