Perth will get a massive boost for their quest of a record fourth Big Bash League title with Jhye Richardson confirmed for a finals return.

The reigning Simon Katich medallist is on a charter flight from Hobart to Melbourne on Tuesday with other members of Australia’s victorious Ashes squad and will re-join his Scorchers teammates ahead of their finals campaign.

The Scorchers clinched the minor premiership on Monday and will face either Sydney Sixers or Sydney Thunder on Saturday, likely to be at Marvel Stadium, for direct entry into the BBL grand final.

Fellow Ashes squad members Mitch Marsh and Josh Inglis were released early from their Test duties to feature in Monday night’s win over Brisbane at Marvel Stadium.

Marsh won his fourth player-of-the-match award in six BBL11 appearances to continue his golden run of form.

Scorchers coach Adam Voges said last week he was in constant communication with Richardson, who took a competition-high 27 wickets last summer, about coming back.

“Jhye might be after the Test series but we’re hopeful of getting him back for finals,” Voges said.

“I had a good chat with Jhye the other day and he’s keen to be involved.

“He’s been part of that Test bubble the whole time and he’s only played one game so I think he’ll actually be keen to play to play some cricket in the lead up to Australia’s white-ball series (against New Zealand and Sri Lanka).

“Hopefully he can come in and play a couple of nice finals for us and then he’ll be cherry ripe for the ODI series (starting January 30).”

It will be a tough squeeze for finals spot for the Scorchers with seamer Matthew Kelly (COVID) and English import Laurie Evans (toe) also likely to be available.

Several other finals-bound Big Bash franchises will enjoy some star inclusions for the business end of the season.

Adelaide, who have won their last four games to storm up the ladder, will be the biggest beneficiaries with captain Travis Head and vice-captain Alex Carey returning for Friday’s eliminator final.

Carey and Head are third and fourth in the Strikers’ all-time run-scorers list with 1588 and 1349.

Fellow top-three hopefuls Sixers and Thunder will get Nathan Lyon and Usman Khawaja back respectively, while Boxing Day hero Scott Boland has been named for his Hobart return on Wednesday.

Australia’s Hobart Test XI

David Warner: Doesn’t have a contract for BBL11.

Usman Khawaja: The Thunder will welcome back their captain before finals in a massive boost for their title hopes.

Marnus Labuschagne: The world’s top-ranked Test batter will feature in the Heat’s final regular-season match against Sydney Sixers on Wednesday, but his team are already out of the top-five race.

Steve Smith: Doesn’t have a contract for BBL11, despite playing for Sydney Sixers as recently as the successful BBL09 final.

Travis Head: Head will join the late-blooming Strikers for finals with the team storming up the ladder after a four-game winning streak.

Cameron Green: The towering all-rounder doesn’t have a contract for BBL11, despite playing for the Scorchers in recent tournaments. Will get a well-earned rest after a big Test summer where he played all five matches.

Alex Carey: Like Head, Carey will return to Adelaide as they hunt a second BBL title after turning around a horror start to the tournament.

Mitchell Starc: Doesn’t have a contract for BBL11.

Pat Cummins: The Australian Test captain doesn’t have a contract for BBL11.

Nathan Lyon: The two-time reigning champions have named Australia’s greatest ever off-spinner in their 13-player squad for Wednesday’s clash against Brisbane. Will be his first appearance since the BBL09 final victory over Melbourne Stars.

Scott Boland: The first player of Australia’s Hobart Test XI to officially return to his Big Bash franchise, Boland has been confirmed for the Hurricanes’ clash against Melbourne Stars at the MCG on Wednesday.

Others

Jhye Richardson: Perth will get a massive boost for their quest of a record fourth BBL title with Richardson confirmed for a finals return.

Marcus Harris: With the Renegades out of the finals race, it appears unlikely Harris will suit up for their last two regular-season matches.

Mitch Marsh: Dominated in his return for the Scorchers against Brisbane, picking up his fourth player-of-the-match award.

Josh Inglis: Returned in the same game as Marsh on Monday night after the pair were released from Ashes duties midway through the final Test in Hobart.

Michael Neser: Neser, who made his Test debut in Adelaide, has played the Heat’s last two matches.

Mitch Swepson: Like Neser, Swepson featured in back-to-back matches for the Heat against Melbourne Stars and Perth Scorchers.

Josh Hazlewood: Doesn’t have a contract for BBL11 and is recovering from a side strain that saw him miss the last four Test matches of the Ashes.