Melbourne Stars in BBL 2026-27: Allen and the Overton Twins Lead a First-Title Push

Melbourne Stars have 14 players confirmed for the Big Bash League 2026-27. Marcus Stoinis remains captain and Cameron White is the new head coach. Finn Allen, Todd Murphy, Jamie Overton and Craig Overton have joined, filling all three overseas places and leaving four primary-roster positions open.

BBL 2026-27BBL ScheduleBBL Teams

Melbourne Stars BBL|16 overview

Melbourne Stars fixtures for BBL 2026-27

Melbourne Stars play ten regular-season matches from 18 December 2026 to 16 January 2027. They have five designated home fixtures and will appear six times in Melbourne.

All start times in the table use AEDT. The venue-local clock differs for matches in Perth and Adelaide.

Use the complete BBL 2026-27 schedule for AEDT, IST and Pakistan time conversions. A printable version is also available through the BBL|16 schedule PDF.

The Stars confirmed Allen’s contract in their official signing announcement on 10 September 2026.

Who is in the Melbourne Stars squad for BBL 2026-27?

Melbourne Stars have 14 players contracted for BBL|16. Their current squad combines an established Australian core with three overseas additions: Finn Allen, Jamie Overton and Craig Overton.

The official Overton twins announcement lists all 14 players as contracted for BBL|16.

Current squad information for every team is available on the BBL 2026-27 squads page.

What has changed at Melbourne Stars for BBL|16?

Melbourne Stars have changed their head coach and added four players since the end of BBL|15.

The addition of Allen and the Overton brothers fills all three overseas positions on the primary roster. The Stars can still sign four players, but any further primary-roster additions must be domestic players unless one of the existing overseas contracts changes.

Why is Finn Allen’s Melbourne Stars signing so important?

Finn Allen joins Melbourne Stars after finishing BBL|15 as the tournament’s leading run-scorer.

The New Zealand opener scored 466 runs for Perth Scorchers at an average of 42.36. His season included a 53-ball century before he helped Perth win a sixth Big Bash title.

Allen has signed a three-year contract that keeps him at the Stars through BBL|18. His arrival gives Melbourne the option of pairing the BBL|15 leading run-scorer with Sam Harper, the BBL|15 Player of the Tournament.

Allen and Harper scored 847 BBL|15 runs between them. That creates a stronger opening combination without forcing Marcus Stoinis or Glenn Maxwell to take all the responsibility for setting the scoring rate.

Who are Jamie and Craig Overton?

Jamie and Craig Overton are English twin brothers who have signed with Melbourne Stars for BBL|16. They will become the first twin brothers to play together in the Big Bash League.

Jamie Overton

Jamie Overton joins the Stars after representing Adelaide Strikers in the previous three BBL seasons. He offers pace with the ball and power in the lower order.

Jamie has hit 17 sixes across his three Big Bash seasons, with a highest score of 45 not out. He also recorded BBL bowling figures of 3–19 during 2026.

Craig Overton

Craig Overton will make his Big Bash debut in BBL|16. He had played 162 T20 matches before signing with the Stars and has also represented England in Test and ODI cricket.

Craig’s recent batting form included an unbeaten 79 from 30 balls for Somerset in the 2026 T20 Blast quarter-final. He was also named the Professional Cricketers’ Association Most Valuable Player for England’s 2026 domestic season.

The Overton signings give Melbourne two tall fast bowlers who can contribute late-order runs. They also help replace part of the wicket-taking output lost through Tom Curran’s departure and Haris Rauf’s uncontracted status.

What does Todd Murphy add to the Stars?

Todd Murphy gives Melbourne Stars a proven Australian off-spinner for BBL|16.

Murphy has joined on a one-year contract after spending five seasons with Sydney Sixers. Before moving to Melbourne, he had taken part in 30 Big Bash matches with an economy rate of 6.73 and a bowling average of 22.14.

The 25-year-old can operate during the Powerplay or through the middle overs. His arrival also gives the Stars a more varied spin group:

• Todd Murphy bowls off-spin.
• Mitch Swepson bowls leg-spin.
• Glenn Maxwell provides another off-spin option.

Who is the Melbourne Stars captain for BBL|16?

Marcus Stoinis remains the Melbourne Stars captain for BBL|16.

Stoinis led the Stars to fourth place and a finals appearance in BBL|15. He contributed in both disciplines, scoring 273 runs at an average of 54.60 and taking a career-best 15 wickets during the tournament.

His BBL|16 contract was already in place before the contracting window reopened. The official Melbourne Stars player list continues to identify Stoinis as the men’s captain.

Who is coaching Melbourne Stars in BBL 2026-27?

Cameron White is the Melbourne Stars head coach for BBL|16. Former head coach Peter Moores remains with the club as director of coaching.

White was the inaugural Melbourne Stars captain and played four seasons for the club. He returns after spending two seasons as head coach of Melbourne Renegades. His more recent coaching work also includes San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket, where he coached Finn Allen.

Moores coached the Stars for three seasons from BBL|13 to BBL|15. The club improved from four regular-season wins in his first campaign to six wins in BBL|15.

How strong is the current Melbourne Stars squad?

Melbourne Stars have a more complete squad than most teams at this stage of the contracting period. Their current list already covers opening batting, wicketkeeping, middle-order power, finger spin, wrist spin and several fast-bowling roles.

Top-order batting

Finn Allen and Sam Harper give the Stars two established opening options. Tom Rogers and Campbell Kellaway provide further flexibility in the top three.

Harper scored 381 runs at an average of 54.42 in BBL|15. Rogers made 178 runs and Kellaway contributed 172 during his first full season in the top order.

Middle-order experience

Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell and Hilton Cartwright form the experienced part of the batting order.

Maxwell is contracted through BBL|17 after signing a two-year extension. He had a quiet BBL|15 with 76 runs from eight innings, but his long-term record and ability against spin remain useful to the Stars.

Stoinis is coming off a season in which he averaged 54.60 with the bat while also taking 15 wickets.

Pace bowling

The pace group currently includes:

• Jamie Overton
• Craig Overton
• Peter Siddle
• Liam Hatcher
• Austin Anlezark
• Marcus Stoinis

Peter Siddle took 16 wickets in BBL|15 at an average of 17.12. His economy rate of 7.12 was the best among Stars bowlers who completed at least ten overs.

Spin bowling

Todd Murphy and Mitch Swepson give Melbourne two different frontline spin options. Swepson took eight wickets in his first season with the Stars while conceding 7.30 runs per over.

Wicketkeeping

Sam Harper is the first-choice wicketkeeper. Finn Allen can provide another keeping option if required, although his main value is at the top of the batting order.

What roster questions remain for Melbourne Stars?

Four of the 18 primary-roster places remain open, but the Stars cannot add another overseas player to that list because Allen and both Overtons fill the three available positions.

The remaining contracts can add domestic depth in three areas:

Local batting cover

The Stars have a strong first-choice batting group, but another domestic batter would protect them against injuries or availability changes.

Australian pace depth

Peter Siddle remains productive, but Liam Hatcher and Austin Anlezark have limited recent BBL experience. Another domestic quick would provide cover across a short and closely scheduled season.

A domestic all-rounder

Stoinis, Maxwell and Cartwright already cover all-round roles. A younger domestic all-rounder could provide another option when player availability changes.

No specific player should be treated as signed until Melbourne Stars or Cricket Australia confirms an agreement.

Which player has left Melbourne Stars?

Tom Curran is the only BBL|15 player currently listed as a confirmed departure.

Curran took 16 wickets from ten BBL|15 appearances at an average of 17.50. He was also used as a Powerplay bowler and finished with a batting strike rate of 187.50.

Jamie and Craig Overton have been signed to restore pace and lower-order hitting after Curran’s move to Brisbane.

Which Melbourne Stars players remain uncontracted?

The following BBL|15 players are not part of the confirmed Melbourne Stars squad as of 16 September 2026.

Uncontracted does not mean retired or unavailable. It means the player does not have a current BBL|16 primary-roster agreement with Melbourne Stars.

Is Haris Rauf playing for Melbourne Stars in BBL|16?

Haris Rauf is not currently contracted by Melbourne Stars for BBL|16.

The Pakistan fast bowler finished BBL|15 with a tournament-high 20 wickets at an average of 16.75. Despite that performance, he remains outside the confirmed squad.

Melbourne’s three primary overseas positions are now held by Finn Allen, Jamie Overton and Craig Overton. Rauf should not be included in the current Stars squad unless a new official arrangement is announced.

Is Glenn Maxwell playing for Melbourne Stars in BBL 2026-27?

Glenn Maxwell is contracted by Melbourne Stars through BBL|17.

Maxwell agreed to a two-year extension after receiving interest from other clubs. BBL|16 will continue his long association with the Stars, although he is no longer the captain.

His exact batting position has not been announced. He was often used at number six during BBL|15 but could move higher depending on Cameron White’s preferred combination.

Is Scott Boland still with Melbourne Stars?

Scott Boland is currently uncontracted for BBL|16.

The Australian Test fast bowler did not play a Big Bash match during the previous two seasons because of international commitments and availability. His history with Melbourne Stars does not place him in the current 14-player squad.

Where will Melbourne Stars play their home matches?

The MCG remains the primary home ground of Melbourne Stars.

Four designated home matches will be played at the MCG:

• Adelaide Strikers on 18 December
• Melbourne Renegades on 4 January
• Sydney Sixers on 7 January
• Hobart Hurricanes on 14 January

The fifth Stars home match is against Brisbane Heat at Junction Oval on 21 December. This fixture has been brought back to Melbourne after the club previously hosted a home match in Canberra.

The Stars will also face Melbourne Renegades in an away fixture at the MCG on 16 January. That creates five Stars appearances at the MCG and six matches in Melbourne when the Junction Oval game is included.

More information about each ground is available on the BBL venues page.

When are the Melbourne Derby matches in BBL|16?

Both BBL|16 Melbourne Derby matches will be played at the MCG.

The Stars host the first derby on Monday, 4 January 2027 at 6:05 PM AEDT. Melbourne Renegades host the return game on Saturday, 16 January at 7:15 PM AEDT.

This is the first BBL season in which both Melbourne Derby matches are scheduled at the MCG. The previous MCG derby attracted 68,124 spectators, the third-highest crowd recorded in Big Bash history.

The full Melbourne Renegades BBL|16 team guide covers their squad and change of home ground.

Which teams do Melbourne Stars play twice?

Melbourne Stars face three teams twice during the BBL|16 regular season:

• Adelaide Strikers
• Hobart Hurricanes
• Melbourne Renegades

They play Brisbane Heat, Perth Scorchers, Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder once each.

The Stars do not face the Sydney Sixers away or Perth Scorchers at the MCG during the regular season.

How did Melbourne Stars perform in BBL|15?

Melbourne Stars finished fourth in the BBL|15 regular season with six wins, four defeats and 12 points. Their net run rate was +0.759.

The Stars then lost a rain-shortened Knockout to Hobart Hurricanes by three runs under the DLS method. The result gave them an overall tournament record of six wins and five defeats.

Sam Harper scored 381 runs at an average of 54.42 and was voted BBL|15 Player of the Tournament. His season included an unbeaten 110 from 65 balls against Sydney Sixers on Boxing Day.

Five Stars players were selected in the official BBL|15 Team of the Tournament:

• Sam Harper
• Marcus Stoinis
• Tom Curran
• Haris Rauf
• Peter Siddle

Harper, Stoinis and Siddle remain contracted. Curran has joined Brisbane Heat, while Rauf is uncontracted.

Cricket Australia’s Melbourne Stars BBL|15 season review provides the full statistical breakdown.

Have Melbourne Stars ever won the Big Bash League?

Melbourne Stars have never won the men’s Big Bash League.

They are the only current men’s BBL club without a championship, despite reaching three finals. Their runners-up finishes came in:

• BBL|05 against Sydney Thunder
• BBL|08 against Melbourne Renegades
• BBL|09 against Sydney Sixers

Melbourne have returned to the finals in each of the past two seasons but lost at the Knockout stage in both BBL|14 and BBL|15.

The addition of BBL|15 leading run-scorer Finn Allen, Todd Murphy and both Overton brothers gives Cameron White a deeper squad for another title attempt.

What makes the BBL|16 squad different from last season?

Melbourne Stars have retained their four leading BBL|15 run-scorers and added the leading run-scorer from the entire competition.

The retained batting group includes:

• Sam Harper, 381 runs
• Marcus Stoinis, 273 runs
• Tom Rogers, 178 runs
• Campbell Kellaway, 172 runs

Finn Allen adds another 466 runs based on his BBL|15 performance for Perth Scorchers. Those five players produced a combined 1,470 runs last season.

The question is how successfully Melbourne can replace Haris Rauf and Tom Curran. The two fast bowlers took 36 wickets between them in BBL|15 but are not part of the confirmed BBL|16 squad.

Jamie and Craig Overton have been recruited to help cover that loss, while Todd Murphy gives the attack a new control option through the middle overs.