The veteran quick still going strong
Siddle's job is to bowl the hard overs and teach the young quicks how to do it. He is a right-arm fast-medium bowler who has played Test cricket against every side in the world, and his experience of bowling in Australian conditions — the bounce, the heat, the long spells — is unmatched in the Stars' squad.
He has been a BBL player for years, most recently with the Adelaide Strikers, and he has taken wickets in every season he has played. His value is not pace — he bowls in the mid-130s now — but skill: he swings the new ball, seams it off the pitch, and bowls the yorkers and slower balls that win T20 games at the death. He is contracted for BBL|16, and at 41 he is the oldest player in the Stars' squad by some distance.
Squad note: the Stars have announced 14 players so far, as of 31 October 2026. The full squad has not been announced — clubs can carry up to 18 players and are still adding names — so this page will be updated as the club confirms more signings.
Two hundred and twenty-one Test wickets
Siddle made his Test debut for Australia in 2008 and went on to play 67 Tests, taking 221 wickets. He was part of the Australian attack for more than a decade, bowling in Ashes series home and away, and he took a hat-trick against England at the Gabba on his birthday in 2010 — one of the most famous moments of his career.
He has also played one-day and T20 cricket for Australia, and county cricket in England with Essex and Nottinghamshire. His BBL career has taken him to the Adelaide Strikers and now the Stars, and he has been a mentor to young fast bowlers wherever he has played. The Stars' young quicks — Austin Anlezark and Liam Hatcher — will learn more from a season alongside Siddle than from any coaching manual.
Where he fits in the Stars
The Stars' pace attack is a mix of experience and youth: Siddle and Hatcher are the senior quicks, Anlezark is the future, and Jamie Overton provides the pace. Siddle's role is the powerplay and the death — the two hardest phases to bowl in T20 cricket — and his ability to bowl both makes him the captain's most trusted bowler.
His presence also changes the dressing room. The Stars have never won the title, and they have a history of losing the big moments — last season they lost the Knockout to Hobart Hurricanes after finishing fourth. Siddle has won Ashes series and played in World Cups; he knows what winning looks like, and he knows how to handle the pressure of a final. If the Stars reach the finals in BBL|16, his experience will be worth more than his wickets.
The BBL Points Table will carry the standings once the season starts — the Stars finished fourth last season, their best return in years, and the table is where their title chase will be measured.
What’s next
Peter Siddle starts BBL|16 at the MCG on 18 December, against Adelaide Strikers — the 221-wicket veteran in Stars colours for the first time this season.
The full list of every BBL fixture is on the BBL Schedule, with the MCG opener against the Strikers first.
- Match 5 — vs Adelaide Strikers: Fri 18 Dec, 1:45 PM IST · Melbourne Cricket Ground
- Match 8 — vs Brisbane Heat: Mon 21 Dec, 1:45 PM IST · Junction Oval, Melbourne
- Match 13 — vs Perth Scorchers: Sat 26 Dec, 3:45 PM IST · Perth Stadium
- Melbourne derby — vs Melbourne Renegades: Sat 16 Jan · Melbourne Cricket Ground
Follow every Stars result as it happens on SialTV, with the points table updated after every match day.
Frequently asked questions
How many Test wickets has Peter Siddle taken?
221 wickets in 67 Tests for Australia. He took a hat-trick against England at the Gabba on his birthday in 2010.
Which BBL team did Peter Siddle play for before the Stars?
The Adelaide Strikers. He signed with the Stars for BBL|16.
When does Peter Siddle play his first match for Melbourne Stars?
His first match is Match 5 against Adelaide Strikers on Friday 18 December 2026, starting at 1:45 PM IST at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.