Kiwi allrounder primed for a full BBL campaign with the Melbourne Renegades after opting for a casual contract with New Zealand Cricket
Another New Zealander is making their way over for BBL|16 with thanks to a newly signed ‘casual contract’, with allrounder Michael Bracewell committing to the Melbourne Renegades for the upcoming season.
New Zealand Cricket confirmed yesterday the 35-year-old, who has captained his nation at both T20I and ODI level, had shifted from a central contract to a casual playing contract with the BLACKCAPS in order to pursue his maiden Big Bash berth.
First introduced by NZC ahead of the 2023-24 season, a casual contract enables players to pursue either national or franchise cricket at their own discretion, without being completely wedded to either schedule. Trent Boult was among the first to sign a casual contract with NZC, with Kane Williamson another to opt for the further flexibility prior to his international retirement in June.
Kiwi BBL|16 signees Tim Seifert (Sydney Sixers), Finn Allen (Melbourne Stars) and Lockie Ferguson (Sydney Thunder) are also part of NZC’s casual contracting list for 2026-27.
Bracewell’s signature marks the Renegades’ second international signing in the space of a week having acquired England wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow late last week.
“I’m looking forward to joining the Renegades, the BBL is a competition I’ve watched plenty of over the years and one I’ve always wanted to experience. Playing in Melbourne, in front of big crowds at the MCG, is going to be special,” Bracewell said in a statement.
“I enjoy being able to contribute in different ways – whether that’s with the bat, with the ball or in the field – and I’m looking forward to doing whatever the team needs to help us win games.”
Bracewell has featured in the IPL, PSL, MLC, CLT20, NZ Super Smash and The Hundred across his white-ball career, most recently playing alongside Steve Smith with the Amsterdam Flames in the newly established European T20 Premier League (ETPL).
The left-handed batter and right-arm off-spinner has played 232 T20 matches across his various franchises, snaring 125 wickets and scoring 3,755 runs with a high score of 141 not out off 65 balls for the Wellington Firebirds in 2022. That knock still stands as the highest individual score by a New Zealander in domestic T20 cricket.
Melbourne Renegades
Head coach: Luke Ronchi
Contracted for BBL|16: Michael Archer (contracted until BBL|16), Jonny Bairstow (BBL|16), Jason Behrendorff (BBL|17), Michael Bracewell (BBL|16), Josh Brown (BBL|17), Harry Dixon (BBL|16), Brendan Doggett (BBL|16), Sam Elliott (BBL|16), Jake Fraser-McGurk (BBL|17), Caleb Jewell (BBL|16), Ollie Peake (BBL|17), Tom Rogers (BBL|16), Callum Stow (BBL|16), Will Sutherland (BBL|17)
In: Jonny Bairstow (England), Michael Bracewell (New Zealand), Michael Archer
Outs: Fergus O’Neill (Sydney Sixers), Andrew Tye (retired), Adam Zampa (Hurricanes), Tim Seifert (Sixers)
Uncontracted: Hassan Khan (Pakistan), Muhammad Rizwan (Pakistan), Nathan Lyon, Will Salzmann, Gurinder Sandhu, Matthew Spoors
“Michael gives us a lot of options and that’s incredibly valuable in T20 cricket,” Renegades coach Luke Ronchi said.
“He’s a genuine allrounder. He can play a number of different roles with the bat, he’s a very smart off-spinner and he brings a huge amount of experience from playing international and franchise cricket around the world.
“He’s also been trusted to captain New Zealand, which tells you plenty about the way he sees the game and the type of character he is around a group.”
The Renegades have four spots remaining on its list for BBL|16, with scope for one more international player.