Craig Overton is an English all-rounder who plays for the Melbourne Stars. Born on 11 April 1994 in Bideford, England — three minutes before his twin brother Jamie — he’s played 8 Tests and 7 ODIs for England and arrives in Australia as the PCA’s 2026 Men’s Player of the Year. BBL|16 is his first Big Bash season, and he’ll make history alongside Jamie as the first twins to appear in the competition. Read the full story: Overton twins sign with Melbourne Stars for BBL 2027.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Born | 11 April 1994, Bideford, England |
| Role | All-rounder |
| Batting | Right-handed |
| Bowling | Right-arm fast-medium |
| BBL team | Melbourne Stars (first BBL season) |
| England caps | 8 Tests, 7 ODIs |
| County | Somerset |
| Twin | Jamie Overton (younger by 3 minutes) |
Background and Early Life
Craig and Jamie Overton grew up in Bideford, Devon, and came through the Somerset academy together — identical twins rising through the ranks as a pair. Craig is the elder by three minutes. He made his Somerset debut as a teenager and announced himself in 2016 with a maiden first-class hundred, 138 against Hampshire, sharing a record 217-run eighth-wicket stand with Roelof van der Merwe. From there he became a fixture of the Somerset attack: he passed his 400th first-class wicket in May 2022 and has three first-class hundreds to his name.
International Career
Test Career
Craig made his Test debut at the Adelaide Oval in 2017, so Australian conditions aren’t new to him — fitting, given his BBL home will be at the MCG. He played 8 Tests for England, with his last coming against the West Indies in March 2022. His height and hit-the-deck style have always suited bouncier surfaces, which is one reason the Stars were so keen.
ODI Career
He’s also played 7 ODIs for England, bringing genuine international experience to the Stars’ new-look squad.
T20I Career
He hasn’t played T20 internationals for England.
The 2026 Season That Won Everything
Overton’s 2026 northern summer was one of the great English domestic seasons. He helped Trent Rockets reach The Hundred final with 8 wickets and a batting strike rate of 250, then smashed a career-high 79 not out off just 30 balls — with eight fours and five sixes — in Somerset’s T20 Blast quarter-final win over Yorkshire, hitting the winning runs off the final ball after Somerset had slumped to 82/8 chasing 162. It was the innings of the competition.
Across the 2026 season he scored 951 runs, took 76 wickets and held 45 catches, finishing top of the MVP standings with 680.08 points. He averaged just 19.18 with the ball in the County Championship. Then came the PCA Awards: Overton collected a remarkable quadruple — the Toyota PCA Men’s Player of the Year, the Domestic Overall MVP, the County Championship Player of the Year, and selection in the Team of the Year. He was the first Somerset player to win the headline award since Nick Compton in 2012.
It wasn’t all smooth. Overton underwent double hernia surgery late in 2025 and worked hard to get his body right for 2026 — the quadruple was his reward. Read the Stars’ official announcement of the signing: Stars create history landing Overton twins.
The Twin Signing
The Stars signed Craig and Jamie on one-year deals — the first twins in BBL history, reunited at club level for the first time since Jamie left Somerset for Surrey in 2020. Stars director of coaching Peter Moores, who worked with Craig during the 2026 northern summer, was central to the recruitment.
Jamie arrives from the Adelaide Strikers, where he spent the last three seasons. Both are genuinely quick and both hit it long — Melbourne GM James Rosengarten promised “fireworks at the end of the batting innings.” Under new Stars head coach Cameron White, the twins are the headline acts of a bold rebuild alongside Finn Allen.
Domestic and Franchise Career
Overton has been a Somerset man for his whole county career, becoming one of the most reliable all-rounders in English domestic cricket. In franchise cricket he’s played for Southern Brave in The Hundred (2021-22) before joining Trent Rockets for the 2026 season, and his 2026 form has put him on every T20 league’s radar. The BBL move to the Stars is his first taste of Australian franchise cricket — and on Australian pitches, his bounce and carry could be even more dangerous than in England.
Playing Style and Strengths
Craig is a tall, hit-the-deck seamer who bowls with pace and bounce, plus a powerful lower-order hitter. His Test experience and county nous make him the steadier of the twins — he knows how to build pressure over a spell rather than just blast. But as the 79 off 30 showed, he can still clear the ropes when the situation calls for it.
What to Watch in BBL|16
Watch the new-ball partnership. If both twins play, opposition openers will face serious pace from both ends at the MCG. Craig’s ability to swing the new ball and then come back at the death could make him one of the signings of the season. The twin storyline will be everywhere — but the cricket should be worth watching on its own.
Key Stats
International Career (England)
| Format | Matches |
|---|---|
| Tests | 8 |
| ODIs | 7 |
The Hundred 2026 (Trent Rockets)
| Wickets | Batting Strike Rate |
|---|---|
| 8 | 250 |
T20 Blast 2026 (Somerset)
| Highlight |
|---|
| 79* off 30 balls (quarter-final) |
Last verified: 18 October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the Overton twins?
Craig and Jamie Overton — identical twins from England who both signed with the Melbourne Stars for BBL|16, the first twins in BBL history.
Has Craig Overton played Test cricket?
Yes. He debuted at the Adelaide Oval in 2017 and has played 8 Tests and 7 ODIs for England.
What did Craig Overton win in 2026?
A PCA Awards quadruple: Men’s Player of the Year, Domestic Overall MVP, County Championship Player of the Year, and Team of the Year selection.
See the BBL 2027 schedule for Stars fixtures, meet the other BBL 2027 teams, and check the BBL 2027 points table once the season starts.