An expected influx of overseas cricketers for this summer’s domestic Twenty20 competition will pave the way for the proposed Southern Premier League, Victorian coach Greg Shipperd believes.

The Bushrangers on Wednesday confirmed the signing of West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo for January’s Big Bash competition.

After NSW drafted in explosive New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon McCullum for last season’s Twenty20 final, Shipperd expects all states to follow suit this season.

Cricket Australia (CA) is encouraging the trend, allowing each state to bring in two overseas players, up from one last season, and helping to fund their recruitment.

Shipperd said the Bushrangers would look to add another overseas star besides Bravo, with speculation they are chasing hard-hitting fellow West Indian Chris Gayle.

“I’m getting the feeling with Cricket Australia opening the door to two international players that they’re drip-feeding if you like for the emergence down the track of the Southern Premier League,” Shipperd said.

“… I’ve got the feeling that all states are going to access international players for this year’s competition.

“Every team’s going to improve, I believe the quality of the cricket is going to improve.

“The interest from the public is going to be, as it was for the last couple of years in Australia, fantastic.”

The Southern Premier League is envisaged as an Indian Premier League-style competition featuring teams from Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.

Shipperd said Bravo suited Victoria’s needs as they expect homegrown all-rounder Andrew McDonald to be unavailable due to Australia’s Test series against Pakistan at the time.

The West Indies play a Test series in Australia beforehand and a one-day series afterwards, making it an attractive proposition for their players to fill the gap with short-term state stints.

“It’s common speculation that a number of West Indies players would probably be interested,” Cricket Victoria chief executive Tony Dodemaide said.

“We know they’re interested and they’re around so we’re very excited at the opportunity and jumped at Dwayne who very clearly we see as a great acquisition.”

Dodemaide refused to confirm they were chasing Gayle.

“We’d consider all options as I suppose are the other states but we’re certainly in no position to say any further than that at this stage,” he said.

Bravo has been impressive with the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League and was also named in the team of the tournament for the recently completed Twenty20 world championships.

© AAP 2012

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