This time last summer, Laurie Evans was a Perth Scorchers fan favourite.

He arrived as an unknown Englishman, then became a championship hero, missed a season as he fought a drug ban he was then cleared of and returned a fully-fledged star of the Big Bash.

But on Tuesday night he returns an enemy, wearing red as part of a bold and brash Melbourne Renegades top order eager to be the latest team to raid Optus Stadium.

Evans was taken with the third pick in this season’s draft by the Renegades. The Scorchers had run into a salary cap wall after bringing New Zealand opener Finn Allen to the club on a two-year deal and had prioritised players available for the whole tournament after Evans had left before last season’s final.

The English veteran had professed his love to the club and his teammates and there was a strong sense he was keen to return to Perth.

“I’m looking forward to walking out at a great stadium with two great sides,” Evans said.

“The Scorchers, it is well documented they have won this tournament so many times and every team that turns up to Perth after that flight is up against it.

“It was one of those things in cricket. The T20 world is moving at a fast pace, you just have to roll with it sometimes.

“I was obviously really delighted that I went at the top of the draft to a great franchise and it’s just unlucky that Perth had made the move at the top of the draft to get Finn and they didn’t match it (the Renegades bid).”

Evans said he expected a “couple of claps, a couple of boos maybe” in front of his former home fans on Tuesday night. The fiercely loyal Perth crowd have a place in their heart for fan favourites, but another reserved for players who have left.

“It is no secret, I obviously loved playing here and it will be nice to play in front of the home crowd,” he said.

The Renegades’ batting lineup feels like a ticking timebomb. There are so many short-form weapons there they could tear a game apart quickly.

Australian white-ball star Jake Fraser-McGurk is there with Big Bash slugger Josh Brown, New Zealand import Tim Seifert and Evans.

Melbourne has won just two of their first six matches and sit in sixth.

“They had a great winter in terms of recruitment, both local and overseas,” Evans said.

“We have played on some tricky surfaces. It has been tough at times and guys probably haven’t put in the performances they want to, but it has been tough and we have got a big game tomorrow in terms of our season.

“It is probably a must-win for both teams, so it is a huge fixture.”

Evans will leave to head to Abu Dhabi from Perth on Wednesday, bringing and end to his first season with the Renegades.