Hooley Dooley: Ace Tassie spinner heading to Premier Cricket
Former Hobart Hurricanes spinner Paddy Dooley is heading to Victoria as he chases another BBL contract. And a leading Queensland grade player could be making the same move.
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As one ace spinner arrives in Victorian Premier Cricket, another prepares to leave.
Left-armer Paddy Dooley, the bowler with the windmill action, will make Melbourne his new home in 2025-26 as he sets out to win another Big Bash League contract.
The 28-year-old is presently playing in the UK and has yet to settle on a Premier club.
He’s certain to be in demand now that he’s made up his mind on a move.
“He’s had a couple of conversations but I’m not sure exactly where those are up to,’’ his manager, Kendel Fleming, told CODE Sports.
“I think a fresh start is going to be really beneficial for him.
“He’s a good player and he’s dominated grade cricket wherever he’s played, whether it be Brisbane or Tassie, and he’s won comps in both.
“He’d like to continue that at a strong Premier club in Melbourne and hopefully impress a couple of Big Bash teams.’’
After playing one match for Brisbane Heat in 2021-22, Dooley spent two seasons with Hobart Hurricanes, in the first grabbing 19 wickets to lift his name into BBL lights.
Fleming called it “one of the best seasons ever for a spinner’’.
“Twelve months later he didn’t quite live up to that. It was a pretty high standard to try to replicate,’’ he said.
Dooley was in Tasmania’s state squad in 2023-24, but lost his contract last year when Tassie swooped on Test man Matthew Kuhnemann.
Aside from BBL, he’s also played nine List A matches, including one last year against Victoria. At club level he took 25 wickets for University of Tasmania in 2024-25.
“His priority is trying to impress the Big Bash franchises and trying to get another crack there,’’ Fleming said.
“Obviously I’m biased but I think the Stars and the Renegades could do a lot worse than bring him on. Obviously there’s some young talent in Victoria, but I think the spinners might be an area where there’s some depth lacking.’’
But Casey South Melbourne club champion Ruwantha Kellapotha is likely to make the opposite move of Dooley, going from Victoria to Tasmania.
He is being linked with Dooley’s former club Uni.
Leg-spinner Kellapotha is frustrated at the lack of interest in him from the Victorian selectors and the Melbourne Stars and Renegades, for whom he last appeared in 2023-24.
Last season he captured 38 wickets at 22.14 for the Swannies and was in the Premier Cricket team of the year.
The 33-year-old played two Sheffield Shield matches for the Vics in 2022-23.
In better news for the Swans, they have welcomed quickie Muhammad Irfan Jnr from NSW.
The 30-year-old has been a leading performer for Western Suburbs in the past four seasons, jagging 172 wickets at 17.90, and has also played in the Pakistan Super League.
He’s joined Casey South Melbourne on a two-year deal.
Western Suburbs said “Big Mo’’ had been a “huge part of the club’’.
Another leading interstate player may be on the way to Melbourne, with Queenslander Scott Palombo weighing up a move to Victorian Premier Cricket.
He’s been in talks with Melbourne University.
The 26-year-old has represented the Queensland Under 19 and Second XI teams and scored heavily at grade level for Northern Suburbs.
Last season he plundered 123 off 59 balls in a T20.
Palombo has a UK passport and has also appeared at County Second XI level for Derbyshire.
Originally published as Hooley Dooley: Ace Tassie spinner heading to Premier Cricket
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