Nottinghamshire have confirmed the signing of Peter Siddle for this summer’s Vitality Blast, giving the Outlaws a seasoned new-ball option and a familiar face in the dressing-room.
The 41-year-old Australian, who ended his first-class career after the 2024-25 season, is expected to be available for the entire campaign. He reunites with head coach Peter Moores, his boss at Melbourne Stars, and heads back to Trent Bridge for the first time since a County Championship stint in 2014.
“I’m so excited and really looking forward to be heading back to Trent Bridge, and this time for the Vitality Blast,” Siddle said. “I’ve enjoyed my experiences in the Blast before, and coming off the Big Bash, where I felt great and made some good contributions, I can’t wait to get over to England again.
“It’s been great to work with Peter Moores at the Stars over the last couple of seasons, so I’m excited to continue that link-up. Playing in front of the Notts members and supporters was also something I really enjoyed last time, so I’m excited to see them again and hopefully contribute to some success.”
Siddle’s Big Bash numbers back up the enthusiasm: 17 wickets at 17.00 during a campaign that took the Stars into the knockout stage. Though his Test whites were packed away in 2019, his white-ball skills – slower balls, yorkers, and that trademark accuracy – have aged well. He took 17 wickets at 17.88 for Somerset in the 2022 Blast and has gathered county experience with Durham, Essex, Lancashire and Somerset over the past decade.
Notts finished fifth in last year’s North Group and have already added South Africa left-arm spinner George Linde and all-rounder Benny Howell. Moores sees Siddle as the final piece of a varied attack.
“I’m really excited that Pete has agreed to come back to Notts and rekindle his association with the club,” Moores said. “Over the years he’s managed to simplify the game, and his wealth of experience will be really valuable for our bowling group. His whole approach to playing and training has allowed him to extend his career, and he’s now bowling as well as he ever has.
“Having watched him over the last two years at Melbourne Stars, I’m sure our members and supporters are going to love his wholehearted approach to playing the game.”
Siddle’s arrival should lighten the load on Luke Fletcher and Jake Ball, while also giving young quicks such as Dane Paterson a seasoned mentor. The Blast’s congested schedule often rewards reliability over raw pace, and Siddle offers precisely that.
Kabir Ali back at Old Trafford
Over at Emirates Old Trafford, Lancashire have brought in Kabir Ali as men’s lead bowling coach, replacing the long-serving Glen Chapple in that day-to-day role and allowing Chapple to focus more broadly on strategy.
“I’m incredibly excited to be back at Lancashire in this new role,” Kabir said. “This is a club with proud history and traditions, and I’m looking forward to working with the whole professional squad. It’s a great challenge to help shape our bowling group, and equally important to support the development of the next generation of fast bo—” (He paused, smiled, and admitted the sentence was running away from him.)
Kabir’s playing career included two seasons with Lancashire before shoulder trouble forced retirement in 2014. Coaching posts followed at Worcestershire, various franchise leagues and, most recently, a spell as Warwickshire’s women’s bowling lead. Those who have worked with him speak of a practical style: fewer buzzwords, more feel-for-the-crease drills.
Lancashire finished runners-up in the Blast last season, so the margins are tight. With Saqib Mahmood coming back from injury and Tom Bailey entering his thirties, Kabir’s brief is clear: squeeze more out of the powerplay and death overs without losing the control that underpins Lancashire’s red-ball cricket.
Early March will see both clubs head to warm-weather camps – Notts to Abu Dhabi, Lancashire to La Manga – before the County Championship starts. For now, the paperwork is done, flights are being booked, and two familiar names are back on the English circuit, armed with new roles and the same old enthusiasm.
