BBL 2024: Nathan Lyon joins Melbourne Renegades on 3-year deal

• Nathan Lyon has signed a three-year contract with the Melbourne Renegades.
• Lyon will pair up with Adam Zampa at Renegades.
• Renegades’ BBL campaign starts on December 8.

Nathan Lyon, Australia’s top Test spinner, has signed a three-year contract with the Melbourne Renegades to compete in the Big Bash League through the 2025–26 season. Lyon’s long-standing relationship with the three-time champion Sydney Sixers has finally come to an end thanks to his move to the Renegades.

Lyon, who is frequently seen as a red-ball specialist, hasn’t played for Australia in a T20I match in nearly five years. However, he will pair up with Adam Zampa, Australia’s preferred spinner in limited-overs cricket, at Renegades. The legspinner, who previously played for Melbourne Stars, has switched teams to the Renegades.

The 🐐 becomes a Renegade! 😍

Nathan Lyon has signed on for the next three seasons 📝 https://t.co/R5Vm6thjgB#GETONRED pic.twitter.com/nBtRVlwh6c

— Melbourne Renegades (@RenegadesBBL) August 3, 2023

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be part of the Melbourne Renegades,” Lyon said. “(Marvel Stadium’s) a place where I enjoy bowling, it tends to spin a little bit. I’m looking forward to hopefully joining up with ‘Zamps’ in a really good partnership and putting a show on for the Renegades fans.

“I’ve got some really good friends who are part of the Melbourne Renegades, and that’s one of the reasons I wanted to come down. There’s a good group of senior players there who I’ve played a lot of cricket with internationally and also domestically, then you look at the younger guys throughout the roster – it’s a pretty powerful squad in my eyes. I think we need to set the benchmark high, shoot for the finals and make sure we go and try to lift the trophy.”

Before joining the Sixers, Lyon started his career in the BBL with the Adelaide Strikers. However, due to his national team commitments, the 35-year-old has only played 38 matches in the BBL so far, taking 44 wickets with an economy rate of 7.18.

Lyon is currently recovering from a calf injury that kept him out of the final three Tests in the recent Ashes series. He is expected to be fit in time for Australia’s Test summer, which begins on December 14 against Pakistan.

On the other hand, the Renegades’ BBL campaign starts on December 8. With the final Test against the West Indies starting the day after the BBL final, it means that if Lyon participates in all five Tests scheduled at home this summer, he will miss most of the BBL games this season.

“Over the last couple of years, we’ve had a clear plan around transforming our playing list to give our club the best opportunity to contend for another BBL championship,” Melbourne Renegades General Manager, James Rosengarten, said.

“Being able to add two world-class spinners in Nathan and Adam to our squad for the next couple of years is a significant step in that process, one which we’re confident will help to set us up for success over the coming seasons.”

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