Monday, 16 July 2012:

Australia captain George Bailey will play for the Hobart Hurricanes in this summer's domestic Twenty20 competition.

The middle-order batsman, who plays his state cricket for Tasmania, controversially opted to play for the Melbourne Stars in last summer's Big Bash League.

The move worked for Bailey, who won selection into both Australia's T20 and one-day squads.

But the 29-year-old will head back to the Apple Isle this summer and said he was looking forward to linking up with the Hurricanes.

"I really like the way the Hurricanes line-up is coming together and I hope the team can go a step further than last season's semi-final," said Bailey, who is currently in England preparing for the Australia A tour.

The Hurricanes also confirmed on Monday that paceman Ben Laughlin had re-signed for the 2012-13 campaign.

Elsewhere, Adelaide's impressive recruitment continued with the capture of former Test all-rounder Andrew McDonald.

The 31-year-old is the second player the Strikers have poached from the Melbourne Renegades in the current recruitment window after Shaun Tait's capture last week.

McDonald, who captained the Renegades in last summer's BBL, said he was excited to link up with Strikers coach and former Victorian teammate Darren Berry in Adelaide.

"While it was a big decision to leave the Renegades, I think the structure and plans that `Chuck' Berry has for the Strikers this summer are really impressive," he said.

"I've always enjoyed playing at Adelaide Oval, and I know a lot of the guys in the team, so this was an opportunity I wanted to commit to."

McDonald is the latest player unveiled by the Strikers who have already named Tait, former Test opener Phil Hughes and ex-South Africa captain Johan Botha in their squad.

In response the Renegades unveiled Nathan Rimmington as their latest recruit, the paceman joining Melbourne from last year's runners-up Perth.

In Sydney, the Thunder unveiled their first signings of the recruitment period with five players announced.

Luke Doran, Scott Coyte and Sean Abbott have all re-signed for the western Sydney-based Thunder, who finished last in the inaugural BBL.

Coyte's younger brother Adam has been picked up by the Thunder as well as promising Australia under-19 left-arm quick Gurinder Sandhu.

In Perth, the Scorchers have re-signed quicks Ben Edmondson and Nathan Coulter-Nile while Jason Behrendorff, Joe Mennie, Tim Armstrong and left-arm spinner Ashton Agar will also play at the WACA Ground.

AAP