Hastings returns to Sydney for BBL|08

Former Melbourne Stars captain John Hastings will return home to NSW this summer after signing a one-year deal with the Sydney Sixers.

The former Australia quick, who retired from first-class and one-day cricket last year, played seven years with the Stars and captained them last season.

But after a last-placed finish in BBL|07, the fast bowler will head north to Sydney, where he grew up before his cricket career took him to Victoria.

"It is nice to be back in Sydney actually, it brought back a lot of nice memories walking through that NSW cricket office," Hastings said.

"I’ve got an opportunity to come back and play with a lot of close friends of mine, Stevie O’Keefe was best man at my wedding and Moises Henriques and I played a lot of cricket together as juniors and Pete Nevill is one of my good mates as well."

The move will see Hastings re-join his former Victoria coach Greg Shipperd.

"The relationship we’ve had over the years is great, he’s almost been like a father to me in a sense," he said.

"I went down (to Melbourne) as a 21-year-old kid so for me I really sort of made my way and he helped shape the man I grew into."

Last week, the Sixers threw their hat in the ring to sign South African superstar AB de Villiers, who announced his shock retirement from international cricket.

"We hope we'll be in a pretty good position if he wants to come out," Sixers general manager Jodie Hawkins told AAP.

"From a family point of view, we feel we offer a pretty attractive package in Sydney and he's previously stated his love for the SCG.

"We're very keen to have him, should he want to come out, but we also realise he said he's keen to play domestic cricket in South Africa."

The Stars endured their worst Big Bash season last summer, winning just two of their 10 matches to finish on the bottom of the table.

There has been plenty of player movement at the Stars in the off-season, with star batsman Nic Maddinson joining from the Sixers and allrounder James Faulkner departing to sign with Hobart Hurricanes.

English duo Kevin Pietersen and Luke Wright also won't return this season.

A report last week claimed the club had locked in Adil Rashid and Dwayne Bravo as their two overseas players.

SYDNEY SIXERS SQUAD: Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Mickey Edwards, John Hastings, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Nathan Lyon, Peter Nevill, Stephen O'Keefe, Henry Thornton.

In: John Hastings (Stars).

Out: Doug Bollinger (retired), Nic Maddinson (Stars).

Roster spots to fill: eight

Internationals signed: zero