Finn Allen set to join Perth Scorchers on a two-year deal

New Zealand’s swashbuckling opener Finn Allen is likely to join the Big Bash League (BBL) franchise Perth Scorchers on a two-year deal. 

Earlier this week, the 25-year-old joined the list of Kiwi players to turn down the national contract to be available for franchise cricket. According to ESPNCricinfo, the Scorchers’ move will be confirmed in a few days. 

Allen will join Scorchers under the new mechanism that allows multi-year deals as pre-draft signings. Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Sixers are the remaining two sides yet to announce their signings under this system. 

Having made his international debut in 2021, Allen has played 22 ODIs and 47 T20Is for New Zealand. The Blackcaps had recently preferred Allen over their veteran opener, Martin Guptill. If the Scorchers deal goes through, Allen will miss New Zealand’s white-ball series against Sri Lanka at home in the 2024/25 season. 

Allen was originally included in New Zealand Cricket's (NZC) list of centrally contracted players, which was announced last month. The right-hander opted out of the contract to be available for Scorchers, the interest of whom came after the contract from his board. 

In 47 T20I innings, Allen averaged 24.3 for New Zealand at a strike rate of 158.7. The strike rate is the highest for any Kiwi batter with more than 30 matches for the Kiwis. He set the foundation for New Zealand’s campaign in the 2022 T20 World Cup where his 42 off 16 balls shot the Kiwis to a famous win against Australia in the lung opener. In all T20s since 2022, Allen’s strike rate of 166 is the second-highest for any opener with more than 1000 runs. 

In the recently concluded Major League Cricket (MLC) season, Allen smashed 306 runs for San Francisco Unicorns at a strike rate of 187.7, taking his team to the final. 

Alongside Allen, New Zealand’s all-format opener Devon Conway also turned down the central contract. Trent Boult and Kane Williamson are the other two Kiwi international to take this measure earlier. Conway and Williamson, however, signed casual agreements to be available for Test cricket. 

At BBL, Allen will be the third confirmed New Zealand cricketer, after Tim Seifert (Melbourne Renegades) and Colin Munro (Brisbane Heat). While Munro is retired, Seifert, not in New Zealand’s scheme of things at present, denied a contract form his domestic side, Northern Districts.

Allen will be Scorchers' first overseas player if and when the deal is announced. The draft for season 14 will take place on September 1.

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