CoreyRocchiccioli

Off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli announced himself as one of those jostling to become Nathan Lyon's eventual successor with a sensational 46-wicket season in 2023-24, Western Australia's leading bowler as they surged to a hat-trick of Sheffield Shield titles.

It was Rocchiccioli's third Shield title in as many seasons after locking down a spot in WA's XI just prior to their drought-breaking championship in 2021-22.

Since then, the former Bunnings worker has emerged as one of their key threats, harnessing the pace and bounce of the traditionally pace-friendly WACA Ground and turning it into one of his biggest weapons.

Rocchiccioli spun into the record books with his 46-wicket Shield campaign in 2023-24, which was the most for a WA spinner in 55 years since Tony Lock's 46 in 1968-69. He was also just the third spinner in their Sheffield Shield history to take more than 40 wickets in a season after Lock and Bruce Yardley.

Only two right-arm finger-spinners (Ashley Mallett in 1972-73 and Greg Matthews in 1991-92) have taken more wickets in a single Shield season than Rocchiccioli in 2023-24.

A former top-order batter who dabbled in seam up and part-time off-spin as a junior, Rocchiccioli made it his primary craft when he moved to University Premier Cricket Club under the tutelage of Tom Hogan and guidance of Test-capped spinner Ashton Agar.