A consistent Sheffield Shield performer and Afghanistan young gun are rewarded with Big Bash contracts as the season draws closer
Stars, Sixers snap up spinners as BBL clubs finalise squads
The Melbourne Stars and Sydney Sixers have bolstered their spin stocks with the signings of Corey Rocchiccioli and Izharulhaq Naveed respectively on the eve of KFC BBL|13.
Breakout star Rocchiccioli, largely unknown two years ago and now a leading spinner in the Sheffield Shield, joins from crosstown rivals the Melbourne Renegades after a four-game stint in red at the back-end of last summer’s Big Bash.
The off-spinner joins a new-look Stars spinners group after the departure of Australia’s No.1 white-ball spinner Adam Zampa in the off-season, who is set to partner Nathan Lyon at the Renegades.
Melbourne Stars BBL|13 squad: Scott Boland, Joe Burns, Hilton Cartwright, Brody Couch, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Liam Dawson (ENG), Sam Harper, Campbell Kellaway, Nick Larkin, Glenn Maxwell, Usama Mir (PAK), Joel Paris, Haris Rauf (PAK), Corey Rocchiccioli, Tom Rogers, Mark Steketee, Marcus Stoinis, Imad Wasim (PAK), Beau Webster
Rocchiccioli joins Liam Dawson (England), Usama Mir (Pakistan) and Imad Wasim (Pakistan) as spin options, while Glenn Maxwell is also expected to shoulder a significant bowling load for the club in a bid to make their first finals series since 2019-20.
Dawson is set to play the Stars’ first three games of BBL|13, including the league’s season opener against the Heat at the Gabba on Thursday night, before being replaced by Imad after Christmas for the remainder of the campaign.
With 18 wickets to date this Marsh Sheffield Shield season, second only to Queensland’s Mitchell Swepson (19) as the most prolific spinner, Rocchiccioli has risen sharply through the ranks after being told as a 21-year-old he wouldn't make it in Perth's first-grade competition.
Since switching WA Premier Cricket clubs to University in 2017 he eventually established himself as a premier spinner in the competition, and earned a Shield debut in September 2021.
The 26-year-old has taken 48 wickets in 20 matches for Western Australia.
"It's great to have another spinning option at our disposal and Corey has shown immense improvement over the past 18 months so it's great to secure someone who is in such great form," Stars general manager Blair Crouch said.
Crouch said allrounder Imad, who the club also announced this week, would complement the squad well.
"With Liam available for the first three matches, we identified Imad as a player who could come in and perform a role for us with his left arm spin and lengthen our batting lineup.
"I'm really looking forward to seeing lots of Pakistan fans in the crowd at the MCG with Imad joining his former national teammates, Usama Mir and Haris Rauf."
The Sixers’ signing of Naveed, meanwhile, comes after the Afghani took nine wickets in nine matches for the club last summer.
The 20-year-old leg-spinner replaces England young gun Rehan Ahmed who pulled out of BBL|13, and was set to provide a point of difference to the Sixers’ finger spinners in veteran Steve O’Keefe and Test off-spinner Todd Murphy.
He showed significant promise last summer, perhaps best underlined by a four-wicket haul against eventual champions the Perth Scorchers, including the wickets of Australia internationals Josh Inglis and Aaron Hardie.
“We are not going to get to see Rehan Ahmed this season but we wish him well, and at the same time welcome Naveed back to the club,” Sixers head coach Greg Shipperd said.
“We are fortunate to have been able to bring back a player of Naveed’s talent and we know he will fit in with our group.
“Our spinning group is building nicely with SOK (O’Keefe), Todd (Murphy) and young Joel Davies, whose left-arm offies complement his strong batting and fielding.”
Sydney Sixers BBL|13 squad (so far): Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Tom Curran (ENG), Joel Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Todd Murphy, Izharulhaq Naveed (AFG), Steve O'Keefe, Kurtis Patterson, Josh Philippe, Jordan Silk, Steve Smith, James Vince (ENG)
On Thursday the Renegades also bolstered their star-studded spin stocks, with Ruwantha Kellapotha added to the squad as another option alongside Zampa and Lyon.
The Sri Lanka-born leg-spinner initially caught the club’s eye playing for Casey-South Melbourne in Premier Cricket and the Renegades Academy prior to last summer, and went on to play two matches in BBL|12.
Renegades general manager James Rosengarten said the club was “ultra impressed” with his debut season, and another contract was well-deserved.
"We're confident he can take his game to the next level in BBL|13 and can't wait to see him impact for us during the tournament."
Melbourne Renegades BBL|13 squad (so far): Aaron Finch, Adam Zampa, Nathan Lyon, Quinton De Kock, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Harry Dixon, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mackenzie Harvey, Ruwantha Kellapotha, Nic Maddinson, Shaun Marsh, Kane Richardson, Tom Rogers, Will Sutherland, Jon Wells, Joe Clarke, Peter Siddle.
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