Youth Ashes star Dixon signs with Renegades

Australia Under-19 gun Harry Dixon has secured his first professional contract just days after smashing England for 167 and 83 in the first Youth Test.

Dixon has signed a two-year deal with the Melbourne Renegades where the young opener will develop his craft alongside some of the best to have played, including former Aussie white-ball skipper Aaron Finch, South Africa star Quinton de Kock and veteran Shaun Marsh.

"I've always wanted to play in the Big Bash and it's great to be joining a squad with some of the biggest names in Australia," Dixon said.

"I can't wait to share a locker room with guys like Aaron Finch, Shaun Marsh, Nic Maddinson and Nathan Lyon. I'm looking forward to getting into it, learning as much as I can and becoming the best player I can."

The 18-year-old left-hander from St Kilda Cricket Club is one of the nation's brightest young batting talents having also scored a 148 – which included nine sixes – in a Youth ODI against England U19s in February.

He added a maiden Premier Cricket first XI century later that month, and while he missed out on a rookie contract with Victoria this season, a strong start to the summer with St Kilda would no doubt have him in the frame for a state debut in 2023-24.

The Renegades' list has undergone a transition in the past two years from one of the least experienced to one of the most, and Dixon will be part of the club's next generation alongside Will Sutherland, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Mackenzie Harvey.

"Harry's one of the country's most promising batters and we're thrilled to have him agree to join our club," Renegades general manager James Rosengarten said.

"We've got a wealth of experienced players within our group and also some exciting young talent like Will Sutherland and Harry.

"Harry has all the attributes to be a successful player in this format of the game for a long period of time."

After only selecting two overseas players in the KFC BBL|13 Draft, the Renegades have one international and two domestic list spots remaining for the upcoming season.

De Kock remains the only wicketkeeper in the squad and he will only be available for the first eight games of the season due to commitments in the South African domestic T20 league.

Sutherland is also the only genuine allrounder, which alongside another gloveman, is the two skillsets the club could be targeting to fill their roster for BBL|13.

"We've got a couple of ideas as to how that keeping will work at the back end … Quinton will have played eight games before the South Africa (league) starts, which gives us a really short window to replace him," Rosengarten said.

"The one area there was a heap of depth in (during the draft) was the 'keeper-batter position, there was probably five or six that we'd still be happy to take (as a replacement player)."

The Renegades begin their BBL|13 campaign on December 8 at the SCG against the Sydney Sixers before their first home game on December 10 against the Perth Scorchers in Geelong.

Renegades BBL|13 squad (so far): Nic Maddinson (c), Quinton de Kock (South Africa), Harry Dixon, Aaron Finch, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mackenzie Harvey, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Kane Richardson, Tom Rogers, Peter Siddle, Will Sutherland, Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan), Jon Wells, Adam Zampa