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