Big Bash League attracts the world's top T20 talent

The world's best T20 players will come face to face across Australia from 16 December, when the battle for the KFC T20 Big Bash League title starts.

The initial player contracting window closed at 5pm today with 129 players signed to the eight KFC T20 Big Bash League teams.

Chris Gayle and David Warner signed up for the Sydney Thunder within minutes of the player contacting process opening on 30 June, and as time ticked down to the end of the window this afternoon, dynamic English T20 opener Michael Lumb became one of the last names to join the world's newest cricketing revolution, signing on with the Sydney Sixers.

While two teams, Sydney Thunder and Adelaide Strikers, have completed their 18-player lists, the remaining teams now have until 9 December to finalise their squads before the first ball is bowled.

Cricket Australia's Mike McKenna said: "We've been blown away by the interest from players and fans in the KFC T20 Big Bash League during the first player contracting period. Now the dust has settled and all the big names have been signed we can look around at a sea of cricketing talent spread evenly around the eight city-based teams.

"To have Chris Gayle, Daniel Vettori, Brendan McCullum, Paul Collingwood, and Shahid Afridi mixing it with Shaun Tait, Cameron White, Ricky Ponting, Shane Watson, Brad Hodge, Aaron Finch, Shaun and Mitch Marsh, and a wealth of other Australian talent makes the mouth water. It's exciting to think that the first game is only 147 days away and fans around the country are going to be asked to pick which team they support."

Fans can't wait to see some of the new combinations on display for the eight city-based teams. Sydney fans will have a choice of watching Gayle and Warner explode for the Sydney Thunder at ANZ Stadium or travelling across town to take in the majesty of Sydney Sixers' Brett Lee charging in off the long run and the raw-talent of young Patrick Cummins with the new ball at the SCG.

Likewise in Melbourne, fans could opt to for Shaun Tait and Dirk Nannes cranking up the pace and short-balls for the Renegades at Etihad Stadium or cross town to see Cameron White and David Hussey smashing the ball out of the MCG for the Melbourne Stars. The Adelaide Strikers fans can enjoy watching a middle-order that includes the stylish Callum Ferguson and big hitting West Indian Kieron Pollard. Australia's Shaun Marsh is expected to sizzle at the top of the order with Proteas short-form specialist Herschelle Gibbs at the Perth Scorchers. In Hobart, local-hero Ricky Ponting will link with rising star Tim Paine to try and blow the opposition away with the bat. In Brisbane, Australian short-form stalwarts Ryan Harris and James Hopes will be putting the Heat on the opposition with the seaming white ball.

The captains of these brand new teams will be announced on 27 July at the KFC T20 Big Bash League launch, when logos, uniforms, website and the match schedule will also be unveiled.

New allegiances have been formed in the past three weeks as players have crossed traditional state borders to become part of the new sound of summer. George Bailey and James Faulkner will relocate to the Melbourne Stars from Tasmania and Adam Voges will join the Stars too from Western Australia. South Australian 'Wild Thing' Shaun Tait will be a Melbourne Renegade, Adelaide-man Dan Christian will turn it up for the Brisbane Heat, while former Aussie opener batsman Phil Jaques will blow over Bass Strait to create a storm as a Hobart Hurricane.

Some players are returning home having been away some time. The prodigal son Simon Katich, who has been a 'blue-bagger' since 2002, has been scorched and returns to Perth for the KFC T20 Big Bash League. Queenslanders will be pleased to see one of their own, Nathan Hauritz, swapping the Sydney lifestyle for the cauldron of the 'Gabba with the Brisbane Heat.

The KFC T20 Big Bash League has attracted the biggest overseas names in T20 ? four of whom have captained their country in the shortest form of the game. West Indies' Chris Gayle, England's Paul Collingwood, Pakistan's Shahid Afridi along with Kiwi captain Daniel Vettori believe the BBL is the place to be this summer.

Teams have until 9 December to finalise their list of 18 players and it all starts 16 December 2011 with live and exclusive coverage on FOX SPORTS over the Christmas and New Year holiday period. Teams that make the KFC T20 Big Bash League Final qualify to participate in the world's pinnacle of domestic cricket, the Champions League Twenty20 tournament in 2012.