Adam Zampa, the Big Bash’s most prolific spinner and Australia’s leading T20I wicket-taker, is heading south. The 34-year-old has signed with Hobart Hurricanes for BBL 2026-27, leaving Melbourne Renegades via the league’s free-agent market in one of the standout moves of the off-season.
For Hobart, this is a statement. For every opposition batting order, it is a problem.
Zampa arrives with a body of work that needs no embellishment: 138 wickets in 121 BBL matches at an economy rate of 7.28. No spinner has taken more in the competition’s history. Hobart will be his fifth Big Bash club after earlier stints with Sydney Thunder, Adelaide Strikers, Melbourne Stars and the Renegades, a journey that has taken him through every shade of the league’s evolution and left him as one of its defining bowlers.
Now, that experience drops into a Hurricanes attack that was already one of the most feared in the tournament.
"I'm really excited to be joining the Hurricanes. It's a strong squad that has enjoyed plenty of success over the past couple of seasons and I'm looking forward to getting down to Hobart and being part of it," Zampa said, outlining both the pull of a settled side and the appeal of a fresh challenge at this stage of his career.
There is also a familiar face waiting for him.
“I’ve known Nath [Ellis] for a long time and we’ve played a lot of cricket together, so the opportunity to link up with him at the Hurricanes was definitely something that appealed to me. There’s a lot of quality in the group and hopefully I can come in, play my role and help the team have another successful season.”
That “role” is clear enough. Nathan Ellis, Riley Meredith and Billy Stanlake already give Hobart pace, hostility and variety with the new ball and at the death. Zampa adds the ruthless middle-overs control that separates good T20 sides from title contenders.
Inside Cricket Tasmania, the signing landed exactly as you would expect for a player of his stature.
"Adam was arguably the biggest name available on the market, and we're thrilled that he has chosen to join the Hurricanes," said Salliann Beams, Cricket Tasmania’s General Manager of High Performance.
"His record speaks for itself. He's Australia's leading T20I wicket-taker, the most successful spinner the Big Bash has seen and has performed at the highest level of the game for a long period of time."
The numbers back her up. Zampa has built his reputation on more than just wickets; he has made a career of changing games in the tight, nervy overs when batters usually cash in. That is exactly where Hobart want him operating.
“We already have an outstanding bowling group led by Nathan Ellis, Riley Meredith and Billy Stanlake, and adding someone with Adam's experience and skillset gives us another genuine world-class option," Beams said.
“Importantly, Adam knows the Big Bash incredibly well. He understands the competition, he understands how to perform in different conditions and he has shown throughout his career that he can have an impact in the crucial moments. To be able to add a player of his quality to the group is a significant result for the Hurricanes and we're really excited to see what he can bring to the team."
The Hurricanes have often flirted with contention without quite seizing a title. With Zampa now spinning away in purple, the margin for their opponents just narrowed.
