Gibbs, Arthur set for a reunion in Big Bash T20

Australian cricket is busy recruiting some international discards for its Big Bash T20 tournament that starts on December 16.

The latest signing is Paul Collingwood, who was recently dumped by England's limited-overs squad. He will join former Proteas opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs at the Perth Scorchers. Last week former West Indian captain Chris Gayle joined the Sydney Thunder.

Collingwood is the only England captain to have won a major international trophy, having led his team to victory at the Twenty20 World Cup last year.

Perth coach Mickey Arthur has welcomed both men to the team, but he will need to bury a hatchet with Gibbs, who criticised the coach severely in his recent biography "To the Point".

Gibbs claimed South African skipper Graeme Smith was allowed to dominate the Proteas team while Arthur was coach. However, Arthur dismissed Gibbs's claims with some contempt.

The relationship between coach and player now seems to be on its way to being mended.

"I expect we will have a quiet word about the whole thing when I arrive in Perth," said Gibbs. "But I maintain I was only giving an opinion and we can both respect that. Mickey would have been part of presenting me the opportunity to play for the Scorchers, so we will go back to a working relationship together."

Gibbs, 37, has recommended himself as a T20 specialist in the past few seasons. He is the seventh-leading scorer in T20 history with 2673 runs at an average of 26.20 and a strike-rate of 125.

"I was disappointed at not being able to sign for Sussex in England, but I didn't hesitate to say yes to the Scorchers. The games don't clash with the Cobras' season so I will continue to play locally," Gibbs said of his calendar this summer.

The Gibbs announcement cames a day after the Scorchers lost out on Gayle, who opted to head to the Sydney Thunder for more money.