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Stars Secure Key Trio: Cartwright, Harper, Siddle Re-Signed for BBL|16

The Melbourne Stars have secured the services of Hilton Cartwright, Sam Harper, and Peter Siddle for the upcoming BBL season. Harper's new deal follows a career-best year where he won the Player of the Tournament award, while veteran Siddle was also selected in the Team of the Tournament. The trio's re-signing provides stability as the club prepares for the Player Movement Window. The Stars' previous season ended in a narrow Knockout defeat to the Hobart Hurricanes.

Key Points: Melbourne Stars Re-Sign Cartwright, Harper, Siddle for BBL Season 16

  • Harper signs after career-best, POTY season
  • Siddle named in BBL Team of the Tournament
  • Cartwright extends stay as consistent performer
  • Player Movement Window opens Jan 28
2 min read

Melbourne Stars re-sign Hilton Cartwright, Sam Harper, Peter Siddle for 16th BBL season

Melbourne Stars lock in Hilton Cartwright, Sam Harper, and Peter Siddle for the upcoming Big Bash League season following their standout performances.

"Siddle will feature in at least one more season - Melbourne Stars release"

Melbourne, January 23

Melbourne Stars have re-signed the trio of Hilton Cartwright, Sam Harper and Peter Siddle for the Big Bash League 16th season. While Cartwright and Harper have both agreed to two-year extensions with the Melbourne-based franchise, Siddle will feature in at least one more season, according to a release by Melbourne Stars.

Harper's contract extension comes after a career-best season, in which he won the BBL Player of the Tournament award. Harper, 29, also played his 100th BBL match during the season. In the BBL 2025-26, he made 381 runs at 54.43, striking at 155.51, including scoring his maiden BBL century against Sydney Sixers at the SCG and two half-centuries.

Alongside Harper, Siddle was named in the BBL Team of the Tournament, highlighting the 41-year-old's exceptional bowling performance in the 2025-26 BBL season. Siddle featured in all 11 matches for the Stars in BBL|15, taking 16 wickets at an average of 17 and reaching speeds of around 145 km/h.

Since moving from Perth in 2019, Cartwright has played 114 BBL matches and has been a consistent and dependable player for the Stars.

The BBL Player Movement Window opens on Wednesday, 28 January, with clubs allowed to have a maximum of 10 players under contract before this date.

Coming to Melbourne Stars' 2025-26 BBL season, the Marcus Stoinis-led side started their season off with four consecutive victories but then lost three back-to-back matches. However, they did find their way back as they registered two back-to-back wins before facing a loss against Perth Scorchers in their last league-stage fixture, securing a place in the Knockout match as they finished fourth on the BBL points table.

Facing defending champions Hobart Hurricanes in the Knockout, the Stars faced a close three-run defeat in a rain-affected game, ending their maiden title-winning hopes.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Solid moves by the Stars. Consistency is key in a tournament like the BBL. Cartwright has been a rock for them. As an Indian cricket fan, it's great to see such competitive leagues abroad that our players can also be part of.
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Aman W
They need more than just re-signing these three. Their collapse after a strong start last season was painful to watch. The middle order looked shaky. Hope they use the player movement window wisely to get some finishers.
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Sarah B
Peter Siddle is a legend! To be performing at that level at 41 is incredible. It shows fitness and passion have no age limit. Harper's numbers are seriously impressive – a strike rate of 155 is no joke in any T20 league.
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Karthik V
The BBL is such an entertaining league. The quality of cricket is top-notch. Hope some of our Indian youngsters get a chance to play there soon. The experience would be invaluable for them. Stars look like a well-managed side.
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Nikhil C
That knockout loss must have been heartbreaking for the fans. Losing by just 3 runs in a rain-affected game is tough luck. Retaining the key players is the first step to building a champion mentality. Best of luck for BBL16!

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