Bumrah imitator lands BBL deal with Hurricanes

A Big Bash COVID replacement player who modelled his action on Indian superstar Jasprit Bumrah has landed a full-time gig in BBL|12 after being picked up by the Hobart Hurricanes.

Paddy Dooley impressed former greats Michael Hussey and Michael Vaughan when he was thrust into the limelight last summer after a dozen Brisbane Heat players were struck down with the virus.

The 25-year-old spinner – whose sister Josie also plays in the WBBL with Melbourne Renegades – made an immediate impression on debut against the Hurricanes at the Gabba in January, taking the new ball and conceding just three runs from the opening over.

He didn't take a wicket but went for just 25 runs from his four overs, with his unique 'windmill' action leaving Hussey and Vaughan mystified as to what he was bowling despite the benefit of numerous television replays.

"That will be challenging – if you've never seen that before it will take a few balls to get used to that action," Hussey said at the time.

Dooley's maiden KFC BBL performance must have also impressed his Hurricanes opponents and their new head of strategy, Ricky Ponting, who have signed the left-arm finger spinner on a one-year deal.

During a radio interview following his BBL debut, Dooley said the inspiration for his bowling action came from Bumrah during India's 2018-19 tour of Australia.

"He absolutely dominated and like anyone after watching the Test you play backyard cricket and you start imitating all the players," Dooley told 4BC.

"I was bowling 'Bumrah's' and then I thought 'this is actually pretty good for my rhythm' so I started bowling my offies with it and it worked quite well and just went with that."

Dooley, who was holidaying with his girlfriend's family in the Yarra Valley east of Melbourne when he received a shock BBL call up with the Heat, has churned out wickets for Queensland Premier Cricket club Western Suburbs with 155 scalps over the past five seasons.

He's also started the 2022-23 summer in fine form, collecting nine wickets with an economy rate of 7.97 in Queensland's new KFC T20 Max competition.

Dooley has been on the radar of state selectors for a while with six appearances for Queensland's Second XI in 2019-20 and another appearance in February this year following his Big Bash cameo.

"I've always aspired to get a crack at the Big Bash and I've just kept working hard at it," he said.

"(It was) such an amazing experience, unexpected obviously with all this COVID stuff going on but such an amazing, surreal feeling being out there getting to challenge myself against some of the best players in Australia, I had an absolute ball out there."

Dooley will be in line to partner Pakistan ace Shadab Khan when the Hurricanes launch their BBL|12 campaign against Melbourne Stars on December 16 after the club selected the leg-spinner with their platinum pick in last month's overseas player draft alongside compatriots Asif Ali and Faheem Ashraf.

The Hurricanes still have three spots available for domestic players to complete their list for BBL|12.

Hobart Hurricanes BBL|12 squad (so far): Asif Ali (Pakistan), Faheem Ashraf (Pakistan), Tim David, Paddy Dooley, Nathan Ellis, Caleb Jewell, Shadab Khan (Pakistan), Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Mitch Owen, Joel Paris, Wil Parker, D'Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Matthew Wade

Tickets for Weber WBBL and KFC BBL games are on sale now. Get yours at cricket.com.au/big-bash