Faf du Plessis joins Perth Scorchers for BBL12

The South African will be available for the first seven matches as a partial replacement for Laurie Evans

Faf du Plessis has joined Perth Scorchers for the 2022/23 Big Bash.

The South African will be available for the first seven matches of BBL12 as a partial replacement for Laurie Evans, who had his contract with the club terminated following a positive drugs test.

A veteran top-order batter, du Plessis represented South Africa 50 times in T20Is, serving as captain in 40 of those matches and scoring over 1,500 runs at a strike rate of 134.38.

Across his T20 career, which has seen him earn overseas contracts in the IPL, Bangladesh Premier League, CPL, PSL, T20 Blast and The Hundred, he has scored 8,074 runs at a strike rate of 130.85 in 311 appearances. He has also picked up 50 wickets.

The 38-year-old has, however, played just one match in the Big Bash prior to this season, scoring 14 runs for Melbourne Renegades against Melbourne Stars in 2012/13.

^{Faf du Plessis represented South Africa in 50 T20Is between 2012 and 2020 [Shaun Botterill/Getty Images]}

Commenting on joining the defending champions, du Plessis said: "I think the first thing that jumps to mind is that Perth are four-time champions, which is very impressive. Any player who plays around the world wants to win competitions, so it's a great franchise to be part of.

"I'm also keen to come in and learn. I think it's important to learn from other people and organisations, and find out why they're successful. I'm also excited to share my experiences and the things I've learned, and hopefully that can be a great combination.

"Looking from afar, it looks like Optus is probably the quickest wicket in the world. Watching the World Cup, the bounce looked very, very steep. Obviously, the wickets in South Africa and Australia are quite similar with more pace and bounce than spin, so it is something I've grown up with and I'm looking forward to playing in Perth this summer."

General manager, Kade Harvey, added: "We're thrilled to sign a player of Faf's calibre at such short notice.

"His record in T20 cricket speaks for itself. He can play in all conditions, bats anywhere in the top six, and has proven himself at the highest level for more than a decade. 

"Faf has been outstanding when playing for the Proteas in Australia, and he's no stranger to the sort of pace and bounce that Optus Stadium offers.

"We believe his versatility, experience and leadership will be really valuable to our squad, and we can't wait to get him around the group."

Related Topics

• Big Bash 2022-23 squads: Full BBL12 player list for all teams
• Perth Scorchers terminate Laurie Evans contract after positive anti-doping test