Melbourne, Mar 3 (.) Melbourne Renegades coach Cameron White has conceded Adam Zampa is unlikely to be at the club next season as Australia’s T20 international spinner weighs up his options before signing another Big Bash contract.
The 121-game BBL veteran is currently out-of-contract after playing the past three seasons with the Renegades. Though no formal offers have been made, it’s understood Zampa has attracted interest from at least four clubs. His management said the Australian white-ball star would also consider a return to the ‘Gades should they table a competitive offer.
The club also has decisions to make as they don’t currently have a spinner on their books for next season, with Zampa, Test star Nathan Lyon, young left-armer Callum Stow and allrounder Matthew Spoors not among the group of nine Renegades players retained prior to a contracting embargo that commenced in late January.
The Renegades didn’t make any moves during the nine-day Player Movement Window that followed the end of the KFC BBL|15 season but lost seamer Fergus O’Neill who signed a two-year deal with Sydney Sixers.
While Zampa didn’t sign with another club during the post-season free agency period, White admitted he was uncertain on the leg-spinner’s future at the Renegades.
“Adam and I have been talking. No one’s upset with anyone, but I think Adam’s just exploring his options,” White said.
“That’s why he hasn’t been signed. We haven’t signed him. He hasn’t signed anywhere else, so that’s probably where it’s at.
“Is he going to be with us next year? It’s tough one to answer at this stage. I would probably say that (it’s) more likely (he’s) not.
“Adam’s out exploring his options and he’ll see where it lands.”
The Player Movement Window allowed clubs to sign free agents from rival teams that were out of contract at the end of KFC BBL|15, but they weren’t permitted to re-sign or extend an existing player during the period. With an embargo in place since the window ended on February 5, no further contracting activity is permitted – domestic or international – until it is lifted later this year.
The Renegades secured big-hitting opener Josh Brown and fast bowler Tom Rogers in the days leading up to the window, but alongside O’Neill, they’ll also be without the league’s third-highest wicket-taker Andrew Tye next season, who announced his retirement after playing just two
matches with the team in BBL|15.
Lyon’s BBL future is also unclear after he didn’t play a game for the Renegades due to international commitments across his now expired three-year contract. Gurinder Sandhu, who was the joint leading wicket-taker during the BBL|15 regular season, is another yet to put pen to paper with the Renegades.
But Zampa remains one of the league’s biggest names without a deal for next season.
The 33-year-old was traded to the Renegades in 2023 in a swap that saw BBL|15 player of the tournament Sam Harper return to Melbourne Stars.
Zampa has played at four clubs during his 14-year Big Bash career that began at Sydney Thunder
in BBL|02, before moving to Adelaide Strikers (BBL|03-|04), the Stars (BBL|05-|12), and most recently the Renegades (BBL|13-|15).
He is the sixth highest wicket-taker in the competition’s history with 138 at an exceptional economy rate of 7.27. He’s also easily Australia’s most prolific men’s bowler in T20 internationals with 147 scalps in 115 matches.
The Sixers were the only active club during the Player Movement Window, also luring Ollie Davies on a three-year deal after six seasons at the Sydney Thunder. His younger brother Joel is already at the Sixers where he enjoyed a breakout season in BBL|15.
Alongside Zampa, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green and Travis Head are the members of Australia’s T20 World Cup squad currently without a BBL deal for next season.
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