Sydney Sixers long-serving international recruit, James Vince, is set for a seventh season at the club, with the Sixers opting to retain the star at the KFC BBL|14 Overseas Player Draft on Sunday.
Despite the best efforts of the Melbourne Renegades, who attempted to select Vince with their first pick – and the second selection overall – the Sixers were quick to use their ability to retain a former player, securing the star for the season ahead.
A two-time Big Bash champion with the club in BBL|09 and BBL|10, Vince remains the Sixers most-capped international player with 67 appearances in pink to date.
Speaking about the much-loved batter on broadcast, head coach Greg Shipperd said Vince was a part of the Sixers family.
“He’s a quality player. We feel as though he’s part of the family, part of the furniture.
“He provides great cricket intellect. He’s a captain around the world and he’s got great talent.
“He’s quite flexible and versatile at the top of the order, and he wrote our team song, so you can’t let someone like that down.”
Pre-signed West Indian star, Akeal Hosein, was selected by the club at Pick 16 overall, with the spinner earmarked to replace club champion, Steve O’Keefe this summer.
Announced by the club last month, Hosein will line up for the Sixers this summer, pre-signed under the league’s newly introduced rules allowing each side to sign one international star ahead of the draft.
As per the league’s rules, each pre-signed player was required to be allocated to one of the club’s selections at the draft, in the salary band that correctly matches the player contract.
Rounding out the club’s selections for the night was 22-year-old English leg-spinner, Jafer Chohan, taken with the final pick of the draft.
Previously drafted to the Southern Brave, Chohan will reunite with Brave captain, and fellow Sixers draftee, James Vince, with the pair playing alongside one another last summer.
The Sixers will begin their hunt for the BBL|14 title on Monday, December 16, facing the Melbourne Renegades at the SCG.
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Sydney Sixers BBL|14 Draft Selections:
Pick 2 (retention) – James Vince, England
Pick 16 (pre-signed) – Akeal Hosein, West Indies
Pick 32 – Jafer Chohan, England
Sydney Sixers BBL|14 squad to date: Sean Abbott, Jafer Chohan, Joel Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Moises Henriques, Akeal Hosein, Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Todd Murphy, Kurtis Patterson, Josh Philippe, Jordan Silk, Steve Smith, James Vince.