The Melbourne Stars and the Melbourne Renegades are set to merge and get a rebrand in a sensational BBL shake-up.

7SPORT expert Tom Morris has revealed that late on Tuesday afternoon Cricket Victoria staff were informed of the bombshell decision that will see the Stars and the Renegades become one new Victorian franchise to play at the MCG.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Melbourne Big Bash teams to merge

“It’s a massive day in Australian cricket ... it’s the end of the Melbourne Stars and the Melbourne Renegades as we know them. Fifteen years of history all gone,” Morris said.

The merged franchise will still be called Melbourne, however, they will have a new nickname with the Bushrangers emerging as a strong possibility.

“But it won’t be the Stars,” Morris said, while also revealing the merged team is likely to wear navy blue, widely associated with Victoria.

“The new club won’t be called Victoria due to Cricket Australia’s BBL rules,” Morris said. 

“Cricket Victoria has committed to selling its second licence entirely.”

The sale of that licence (which is effectively the licence attached to the Renegades) is expected to be imminent but Morris said it was unclear what would happen if Cricket Australia could not find a buyer at the right price.

“Cricket Australia is taking over the operations of the ‘second’ Victorian BBL team while the privatisation debate continues,” Morris said.

If a buyer can’t be found for the second licence, that team could still play in the tournament and be run by administrators.

Morris said it was also unclear what would happen to the players who are still under contract with the Renegades.

Renegades general manager James Rosengarten is tipped to take on the same role for the newly merged team.

Morris said more would be known about Cricket Australia’s privatisation plans after a meeting in Melbourne on June 15.

In other BBL news, English cricket legend Andrew Flintoff has been tasked with inspiring the Sydney Thunder up the BBL ladder following his appointment as coach.

Following weeks of speculation, the reigning wooden spooners confirmed on Tuesday that Flintoff had signed a two-year deal to replace Trevor Bayliss.

Known ubiquitously as ‘Freddie’, Flintoff is remembered for his prolific career as an allrounder that yielded 272 international caps across all formats.

He was notably crowned player of the 2005 Ashes series, when England clinched the storied urn for the first time since the summer of 1986/87.

As a coach, Flintoff led England Lions on tour of Australia over the summer and also Northern Superchargers, now known as Sunrisers Leeds, for two seasons of The Hundred.

Under Flintoff’s leadership, the Superchargers surged from wooden spooners in 2023 to semi-finalists two seasons later. He will continue to coach England Lions, who are currently playing a multi-format series against South Africa A, while in charge of the Thunder.

Flintoff’s Thunder deal marks his return to the BBL for the first time since his final season as a player ended in 2015.

“I can’t wait to get over there and get started,” Flintoff said.

“You look around the world now and everyone gets the opportunity to play for all different teams but one of my aims over the time with Sydney Thunder is that every player looks back thinking that’s the best part of the year, that’s a team that I want to play for.”

Flintoff inherits a Thunder squad that boasts plenty of talent, including former Test players Sam Konstas, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, English wicketkeeper Sam Billings and white-ball international Tanveer Sangha.

The Thunder managed just two wins in a dismal 2025/26 campaign, though, thwarted by a lack of firepower with the ball. Only one Thunder bowler ranked in the top 25 for most wickets taken last summer.

- With AAP