‘Water under the bridge’: Ashes villain ready to bury Aussie hatchet after signing $400k BBL deal

England batsman Jonny Bairstow has signed a deal worth more than $400,000 with the Melbourne Renegades for the upcoming Big Bash League season. The 37-year-old expressed readiness to face Australian crowds, who heavily mocked him following his controversial stumping at Lord's during the 2023 Ashes. Bairstow stated that the incident is now water under the bridge and that he expects the reception from local fans to be fun.

Bairstow joins fellow English players Ben Stokes and Zak Crawley in heading to the BBL this summer. He was recruited by Renegades high-performance manager Clint McKay to replace Tim Seifert, who joined the Sydney Sixers. The move marks Bairstow's first stint in the tournament, giving him the chance to play at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as the Renegades' new home venue.