Cricket world reacts after Aussie great Peter Siddle drops staggering news at age 40

Aussie cricket great Peter Siddle is all but assured of joining the 100-wicket club in the Big Bash League after agreeing on a one-year deal to play for the Melbourne Stars next season. The signing means the veteran quick will become one of only a handful of players to compete in the BBL past his 40th birthday after celebrating that milestone late last month.

Former Melbourne Renegades teammates Shaun Marsh and Fawad Ahmed and the late Shane Warne are among others to have done the same. And Siddle - who is currently on 99 wickets throughout his BBL career - will almost certainly become just the 11th player to take 100 BBL scalps when he steams in for the Stars this summer.

It's also a full-circle moment for the former Aussie Test star, who signed with the Stars as a foundation player but never actually got to play a game for the Melbourne side due to international commitments. Siddle played his last Test for Australia at The Oval in the 2019 Ashes series against England and is part of an exclusive club of bowlers that have taken 200 Test wickets for the national side.

Siddle played 67 matches for the Aussie Test side over more than a decade after making his red-ball debut in 2008. And the paceman cemented his place in national sporting folklore with an iconic Ashes hat-trick at the Gabba in 2010. The 40-year-old will bring a wealth of experience to a Stars side that is hoping to win its first title in what will be the 14th season of the domestic T20 competition.

"It's great to come full circle and be back at the Stars after being one of the original signings," Siddle said. "It's always a privilege playing at the MCG and I'm really looking forward to helping out however I can with this group."

Siddle has played 83 Big Bash games with his 99 scalps coming at a very respectable 21.38. The 40-year-old has taken 10 wickets in five List A games for Victoria this summer, including a career-best haul of 5-49 against NSW in October, suggesting he still has plenty to offer his hometown franchise.

The Victorian won the 2017/18 title with the Adelaide Strikers and was also the tournament's leading wicket-taker in the 2021/2022 BBL competition after spending six seasons with the Strikers. He also enjoyed two stints with the Melbourne Renegades but only managed to play four games last season.

Peter Siddle adds a wealth of experience to Melbourne Stars

“To secure someone of Peter’s experience with the last spot on the list is fantastic, not only for his on-field ability but his leadership off the field and what he can provide to others is something that really appealed to us,” Stars general manager Blair Crouch said. “As we’ve already seen in the current domestic season, Peter is still bowling at a really high level, having taken 10 wickets across 5 One Day Cup appearances so far.”

Siddle will be joined by a star-studded list of fellow Victorians to feature for the Stars next season including Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Scott Boland and Beau Webster. They'll be complimented by a talented contingent of English stars, with Tom Curran and Joe Clarke to be joined by fellow Brit Ben Duckett, who was selected with the first pick of the overseas player draft.

The Stars have finished in the bottom half of the BBL table for the last few years but will be hoping the addition of Siddle, along with their other high-profile stars, helped reverse their fortunes over the summer. The new BBL season kicks off on December 15, with Siddle's Stars facing Brisbane Heat in their first match on December 18.

with AAP