Stars, Strikers ring in BBL changes

Jan 9, 2017 - 5:31 AM Adelaide Strikers recruit Chris Jordan has become the latest Big Bash import to suffer a season-ending injury.

The England quick strained his left hamstring during the Strikers' win over the Hobart Hurricanes on Friday.

He will continue to travel with the squad for ongoing treatment but won't play again, with the focus on getting him fit for England's Twenty20 series against India later this month.

Jordan, the second-best wicket-taker in the BBL this season, is the latest international recruit to be struck by injury.

The Melbourne Renegades were dealt a huge blow when West Indian allrounder Dwayne Bravo was ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Compatriot Andre Russell suffered the same fate while playing for the Sydney Thunder, while Brisbane Heat legspinner and fellow West Indian Samuel Badree will be sidelined for the next two weeks.

New Zealand legspinner Ish Sodhi has been named as Jordan's international replacement.

The injury comes at a bad time for the Strikers, who will face the Melbourne Stars at the MCG on Tuesday without allrounder Travis Head and towering paceman Billy Stanlake.

Head and Stanlake have each been named in Australia's one-day international squad for the series against Pakistan.

The Stars will be missing three key players of their own, with Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa and James Faulkner also on ODI duty.

But batsman Tim Ludeman, who has been added to the Strikers' 13-man squad alongside Wes Agar, says the Stars still have plenty of weapons at their disposal.

"Kevin Pietersen's been in a bit of touch," he said on Monday.

"If we can try and get him out cheaply that'll go a fair way towards winning.

"Every game's massive from now on in. We want to keep ourselves up there and hopefully play in the finals so we need to keep winning."

Peter Handscomb is set to return for the Stars after his hugely successful Test series debut against Pakistan, with Liam Bowe and Cameron Gannon also joining their 13-man squad.

THE BIG BASH IMPORT HAMSTRING CURSE

*Dwayne Bravo (Melbourne Renegades) - season

*Andre Russell (Sydney Thunder) - season

*Samuel Badree (Brisbane Heat) - two weeks

*Chris Jordan (Adelaide Strikers) - season/international duties.

Source: AAP