New Zealand opener Finn Allen has signed a two-year contract with the Perth Scorchers, opting to turn down a national central contract in favour of franchise opportunities.
Earlier this week, it was revealed that Allen had chosen to forgo a New Zealand Cricket (NZC) contract to explore franchise cricket, with ESPNcricinfo reporting that his move to the Scorchers will be officially announced in the coming days.
The Scorchers were one of only three Big Bash League (BBL) teams, along with the Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Sixers, that had yet to announce a pre-draft signing under the new system allowing multi-year deals. While West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein has been linked to the Sixers, Allen's inclusion in the NZC contract list, released last month, suggests the Scorchers' interest in him emerged only recently. As a result, Allen will miss New Zealand's white-ball series against Sri Lanka, which begins in late December.
Allen boasts a T20 strike rate of 168.60, the second-highest for any batter with at least 3000 runs in the format, trailing only Andre Russell. He has scored two T20I centuries at the international level and made a memorable impact against Australia during the 2022 T20 World Cup, smashing 42 off 16 balls against Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Pat Cummins, setting the tone for New Zealand's dominant victory. However, he had a disappointing T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA earlier this year, managing only 35 runs in four innings.
Allen will be the third New Zealand player to join the BBL, following Colin Munro (Brisbane Heat) and Tim Seifert (Melbourne Renegades). Seifert declined a domestic contract with Northern Districts, while Munro officially retired from international cricket earlier this year after missing out on the T20 World Cup squad.
The Scorchers faced challenges filling the opening spot left by Cameron Bancroft's move to Sydney Thunder last season. Although England's Zak Crawley contributed two half-centuries in six innings, other options, including promoting Cooper Connolly, were less successful.
Signing Allen before the draft raises uncertainty about the return of Laurie Evans, who was outstanding last season with 292 runs at an average of 58.40 and a strike rate of 189.61 before leaving for the ILT20. The Scorchers reportedly considered Evans as their pre-draft signing, but his availability was an issue due to his ongoing commitment with Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the UAE.
While the Scorchers could still select Evans in the draft, where they have retention rights, he is expected to be available for only around seven matches. The ILT20 has been moved up next year due to the Champions Trophy taking place in February, creating a significant overlap with the BBL, which coincides with the SA20.
The BBL draft is scheduled for September 1, with the Scorchers holding picks 7, 15, 18, and 31.