Bethell & Pope put forward for Big Bash retention

England duo Jacob Bethell and Ollie Pope have put themselves forward for retention in the Big Bash draft for after the 2025-26 Ashes series concludes.

All-rounder Bethell, 21, and top-order batter Pope, 27, are set to be available for the final four to six matches of the league phase and the finals.

They have entered the draft, which takes place on 19 June, and could be retained by Melbourne Renegades or Adelaide Strikers respectively or be signed by any of the other teams if the retention option is not taken up.

Both were playing in the tournament for the first time last year and Bethell scored 195 runs at an average of 24.37 and claimed four wickets. Pope made 191 runs at 21.22.

Amy Jones (Perth Scorchers), Alice Capsey (Melbourne Renegades) and Dani Gibson (Adelaide Strikers) have done the same in the women's draft, adding to Heather Knight, Sophie Ecclestone and Danni Wyatt-Hodge earlier in the week.

Each team can retain one player in the draft, in addition to one pre-draft overseas signing.

England's Jamie Overton (Strikers), Chris Jordan (Hurricanes), Tom Curran (Stars) and Sam Billings (Thunder) have been pre-signed in the men's competition, but no English players are signed for the women's competition so far.

Other players available for retention include Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan, although he is set to have limited availability, and Pakistan's Usama Mir.

England's Sam Curran and Lauren Bell and Pakistan trio Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan and Shadab Khan are among the new names to be available.