The Premier Cricket talents BBL clubs should sign for BBL15
As BBL teams prepare to select their international stars at the draft, we’ve uncovered more than 40 hidden gems from around Australia who could find their way into a squad.
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Where is the next Josh Brown hiding?
As BBL clubs hone in on their international targets for the BBL15 draft, we’ve scoured Australia for the country’s best BBL prospects.
Brown was clearing fences in Queensland long before he blasted his way to fame with Brisbane Heat and earned a multi-year deal with Melbourne Renegades.
From the next wave of talent to ready-made prospects who can make an impact this summer, here are more than 40 players ready to make the leap to the BBL.
VICTORIA
Ruwantha Kellapotha, Casey South Melbourne
At 33, the hour is getting late for the former Sri Lankan first-class player. But he’s widely regarded as the best leg-spinner in Victoria and had a tremendous 2024-25 Premier Cricket season for the Swannies, snaring 38 wickets at 22.13. Kellapotha had a taste of BBL with the Renegades two years ago, setting out with 2-32 against the Strikers, and remains hungry for more of a bite at it.
Reiley Mark, Richmond
Mark spent the 2024-25 season with the Vics as a rookie player but was discarded at the end of it. At 22 he has plenty of time to come again and white-ball bowling is often praised as his strength; he has variations and at his best builds pressure by going for few boundaries.
Harry Hoekstra, Casey South Melbourne
The young left-arm paceman from Leongatha remains a work in progress but Cricket Victoria high-ups think he’s ticketed for good things in all formats. Skilful and spirited with the ball, good in the field and handy with the bat, Hoekstra represented the Australian Under 19 team in India last year.
Shobit Singh, Dandenong
The 22-year-old right-hander was the talk and toast of Victorian Premier Cricket last season as he soared to 1078 runs at 82.92 for Dandy after making the switch from Richmond. His golden summer included tons against Northcote (160), Greenvale Kangaroos (167), Footscray (100) and Casey South Melbourne (116). No one at Shepley Oval doubts his ability to be a T20 player.
Max Birthisel, Footscray
The left-arm medium-pacer’s deep bag of tricks makes him one of his state’s most likely T20 cricketers: he can operate up the top and at the death, and has a variety of slower balls. The 22-year-old took 12 wickets from eight matches in the inaugural Melbourne T10 Invitational.
Michael Archer, Carlton
A premiership leg-spinner with the Blues two years ago, Archer came to notice in the Melbourne T10 Invitational in April, topping the list of wicket-takers with 15 and snaffling a hat-trick. One coach who watched the series closely said Archer showed he had a good over-spinner and wrong ‘un and bowled at a good pace, making it difficult for batsmen to read him.
Arjun Nair, Camberwell Magpies
Nair, 27, has had some time at the top, playing 35 matches for Sydney Thunder. After an underwhelming stint at Footscray, he transferred to Camberwell Magpies last season and was outstanding with 38 wickets and 542 runs to show there’s much good cricket ahead of him.
NOTHERN TERRITORY
Jacob Dickman, Darwin
The hard-hitting batsman previously held a rookie contract with South Australia. He’s been plundering runs in the Darwin and District competition win and performed well for the NT Strike in the last year’s Top End Series.
Hamish Martin, Palmerston
Martin is a crafty left-arm orthodox bowler and handy lower-order batsman. He led Palmerston to a two-day premiership last season with 5-10 in the grand final and 9-52 in the semi-final.
NEW SOUTH WALES
Blake Nikitaras, St George
Nikitaras was called into the Thunder squad last season as an injury-replacement player for Nic Maddinson. The leading run scorer in last season’s NSW Kingsgrove Sports T20 Cup, his match-winning 107 not out off 59 balls lit up the finals.
Nick Carruthers, Fairfield-Liverpool
The clean-striking left-hand opener was a key component in his club’s run to the NSW Kingsgrove Sports T20 Cup final in 2024-25. Consistently destructive at the top of the order, he’s clattered 750 T20 runs at 37.5 – with a strike rate of 191 - in the past three seasons.
Dylan Hunter, Sydney University
Hunter, who hails from Newcastle, represented NSW at the Toyota Australian Country Cricket Championships last season, thrashing a quick-fire century against Victoria. The Vics players thought him in another class. Hunter’s form in the NSW Kingsgrove Sports T20 Cup was equally impressive, hitting 223 runs at 74.33 and with a strike rate of 200 and a highest score of 123 not out.
Jake Scott, Campbelltown Camden
The young all-rounder from Wagga Wagga who recently earned a rookie contract with the NSW Blues. Last season in the NSW Kingsgrove Sports T20 Cup he struck 266 runs at 66.5 with a strike rate of 146.96. And with the ball he took 29 First Grade wickets in all competitions.
Riley Kingsell, Bankstown
An Australian U19 representative, Kingsell has been elevated to the NSW Blues squad as a rookie for 2025-26. The attacking right-hand batsman dashed off 1147 runs in all NSW Premier Cricket competitions last season, including a First Grade hand of 227 off 196 balls.
Peter Francis, St George
As the leader of St George bowling attack, Francis helped his club take the T20 premiership last season. The paceman has been ultra-consistent in the T20 format, taking 31 wickets at 15.58 in the past three seasons and striking at a rate of 13.96.
Jeremy Nunan, Campbelltown Camden
From Newcastle, Nunan used his express pace to great effect last season, capturing 52 wickets in all First Grade competitions, including 10 at a strike rate of 12 in the NSW Kingsgrove Sports T20 Cup.
Liam Doddrell, Penrith
A former Sydney Thunder-contracted player, Doddrell has continued to make batting a tough proposition in NSW Premier Cricket. Last season he collected 49 First Grade wickets in all competitions, including four five-wicket bags.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Connor Blaxall-Hill, Perth
Blaxhall-Hill moved to Perth from NSW in search of more opportunities and in the past few seasons has consistently been a leading performer in Premier Cricket. In 2024-25 he was statistically the best player in the competition, hitting 624 runs at 39 and snaffling 39 wickets at 24.87. A right-hand batsman and right-arm offie, Blaxall-Hill turns 24 this month. He often plays in Darwin in winter and has been involved in WA Second XI and pathways matches.
Michael Dawson, Fremantle
The right-arm fast-bowling all-rounder, who turns 25 in September, had a breakout season with the ball last season, harvesting 51 wickets at 17. He’s also a solid lower-order batsman who can be thrown up the list to have a dart at the bowling. Dawson has played pathways cricket and is a good prospect for higher honours.
Lochie Hardy, Claremont-Nedlands
Hardy is a left-arm top-order batsman who can also send down some useful right-arm medium-pace. The 24-year-old has been among the top run scorers in Premier Cricket in the past few seasons – in 2024-25 he raised 718 runs at 48 - and gained team-of-the-year accolades. He has a dynamic batting style, with the ability to bat long hours in red-ball cricket as well as maintain a high strike rate when the white ball is flying.
Luke Holt, Willetton
The up-and-coming leg-spinner has appeared in the Cricket Australia under-age pathways, the WA Second XI and linked with the Scorchers Academy. Holt, 21, took 38 wickets at 17.58 last season and is highly rated in the WA set-up.
TASMANIA
Param Uppal, University of Tasmania
The top-order batsman and off-spinner captained University to a clean sweep of the CTPL titles in 2024-25, amassing 990 runs at 49.5 and claiming 51 wickets at 13.31 to claim the Emerson Rodwell Medal. The former first-class player and Australian Under 19 representative dominated the white-ball finals, averaging 77.67 in the T20s with a strike rate of 144.72. The 26-year-old is also an outstanding fieldsman.
QUEENSLAND
Scott Palombo, Norths
The hard-hitting top-order batsman from the two-day First Grade premiers was the second-highest run scorer in the T20 Max for the Vikings last season. His 363 runs were made at an average of 51.86 and including a 49-ball century, 123 off 59. Palombo made his Queensland Second XI debut last season and had a highest score of 74.
Preston White, Toombul
White, the Peter Burge Medallist in 2023-24, is an experienced allrounder who hits a long ball and bowls handy left-arm mediums or spin. His 669 runs and 29 wickets were a major factor towards Toombul claiming the minor premiership in the two-day competition. A former Australian Indigenous representative player, he’s also turned out for Queensland at Second XI level. He’s also earned social media fame for a six he hit at Toombul. It struck a parked car, prompting this exchange:
Tom Campbell, Western Suburbs
An Australian Under 19 player from the 2024 ICC World Cup championship team, Campbell is regarded as an exciting white-ball prospect. He bowls useful off-spin and is a clean-striker of the ball. Campbell was a Queensland Cricket Academy squad member last season and hit two half-centuries in the state Second XI competition.
Callum Taylor, Gold Coast
The Gold Coast product has dual citizenship and played first class, List A and T20 across four seasons with Glamorgan. He is best known for hitting a century on his Championship debut — just the fourth Glamorgan player to do so — in 2020. Taylor reached three figures with one of his 6 sixes after being on just 27 when the last batsman came to the wicket. A busy middle-order batsman who also bowls right-arm spin, the 26-year-old led the Dolphins batting last season and scored runs across all three formats, including four half-centuries and one century.
Sam Neale, Norths
The Toowoomba product was the leading wicket-taker for the 2024-25 season, taking 52 wickets at 15 across all formats as well as taking on leadership duties, culminating in the premiership. Neale swings the ball at a decent pace and is a handy lower-order batsman as well.
Will Sanders, University of Queensland
A genuine quick, Sanders had a taste of the BBL as an injury replacement with Hobart Hurricanes while still in his teens. He spent time in the Tasmanian system before returning to Brisbane last season to link with University of Queensland. The right-arm fast bowler was on the fringes of the Queensland Bulls and Academy sides last summer.
Ryan Walker, Norths
The left-arm wrist-spinner is a prolific wicket-taker for his club. Quick through the air, he can also get plenty of grip off the wicket. A former Australian Under 19 player who has rebuilt his career in recent seasons, Walker took 5-70 for a Premier Cricket rep team in a three-day game against a Bulls XI last summer. He finished with 39 wickets at 23.82 across all formats for Norths and is now wheeling away in Darwin.
Nick Fletcher, Sunshine Coast
In his first season in Queensland Premier Cricket, the former Melbournian made a big impact for the Scorchers as a bowling all-rounder. Fletcher was frequently in the action and was a significant reason behind his team’s surge in the two-day season. Despite playing only two-thirds of the season, he scored 389 runs and took 19 wickets. Those numbers don’t necessarily jump off the page, but it was a case of quality over quantity. His influence on matches was immense, particularly throughout the red-ball campaign.
Zanden Jeh, South Brisbane
The clever left-arm spinner took 5-27 on his Queensland Second XI debut and was on the verge of a Queensland Bulls call-up last season. His ability to vary pace is his biggest weapon and can shows up in his white-ball cricket. Steadily building a case for higher honours, Jeh is an athletic fielder and capable batter.
Dylan McLachlan, Valley
McLachlan played One Day Cup cricket for Queensland as a replacement for Jimmy Peirson two seasons ago and did not look out of place. He captained the Queensland Indigenous team to the national championships in Mackay and was one of the stand-out batsmen in the competition. Lightning-quick between the wickets, he is a fine gloveman and creative stroke-maker. McLachlan is spending the off-season playing league cricket in the UK.
Lachy Aitken, Gold Coast
Aitken was a member of the Australian Under 19 team that won the 2024 ICC World Cup championship, where he shared keeping duties with NSW-contracted Ryan Hicks. Aitken himself will start his second season as a rookie player with Queensland. His glovework is pin-sharp and his batting came on last season, hitting a century for Queensland in the Toyota 2nd XI competition.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Jake Winter, Glenelg
A former state Second XI skipper and Redbacks rookie, Winter is a regular runscorer for his club side and led them to victory earlier this year in the SA T20 competition. Winter scored 201 runs at an average of better than 50 in that tournament.
Ryan King, East Torrens
A left-handed batter known for how cleanly he strikes the ball, King has the type of skillset BBL clubs crave. Not only is he dangerous with the willow in hand but also bowls leg-spin. He has been a Redbacks rookie and won East Torrens’ Les Favell Medal last season.
Josh Kann, Northern Districts
No stranger to the BBL, Kann has been a replacement player with the Strikers and Sixers and featured in three matches for Hobart Hurricanes. He bowls a heavy ball and is a capable striker, scoring 71 in one innings during South Australia’s T10 competition.
Tom O’Connell, Sturt
Having returned to his home state after several years in Victoria, O’Connell is looking to re-establish himself as a BBL player. He has shown promise with the bat in grade cricket after playing as a leg-spinner in eight games for Melbourne Stars. Played for the Strikers in the Top End T20 series last year.
Aidan Cahill, Woodville
An exciting talent who has been around the fringes of the South Australian state squad and was listed as a rookie earlier this year. Originally from NSW, he bowls with good pace and can hit a long ball — traits most BBL clubs would love in their middle to lower order.
FOR THE FUTURE
Jack Czosnek, Richmond, Victoria
There’s a bit of a boom about Czosnek, a powerful right-hand batsman who fields like a bandit in any position. He had a busy 2024-25, turning out for the Tigers, his school (Caulfield Grammar), the Victorian Metro Under 17s, the Melbourne Stars Academy and even his junior club, Le Page Park. In the previous season he made his First XI debut at age 16 and smoked 149 off 105 deliveries in a Dowling Shield final. There’s a big difference, of course, between the BBL and an under-age competition but Czosnek is a name we’ll hear more of in the next year or two.
Aryan Sharma, Carlton, Victoria
The 17-year-old allrounder was among the contingent of Premier players called up to play in the Melbourne T10 Invitational. It was more about getting exposure to a higher level than a reward for stand-out performances, but the Victorian coaches are excited by his batting, his left-arm spin and his fielding. Sharma was a good performer for Vic Metro at last season’s national Under 17 titles, hitting two half-centuries.
Tye Beer, Tracy Village, NT
The 15-year-old left-arm orthodox bowler announced himself with 4-20 against Nightcliff this season. Beer was selected in the Under 15 School Sport Australia team and did well for the NT as a double-underage player at the Under 17 national championships.
Will Malajczuk, Subiaco-Floreat, WA
The left-hand batsman and right-arm off-spinner was one of the top players in the national Under 17s titles last season, making 337 runs at 84.25 and eight wickets at 19.5. His performances at club level - 232 runs at 33.14 and 19 at 17.16 – were encouraging. Malajczuk made his first-grade debut at 16 and will no doubt soon be involved in the WA Second XI and T20 pathways.
Zed Hollick, Scarborough
Hollick is a regular WA pathways and Cricket Australia underage championships player. He made his first-grade debut at 15 and turned 17 last month. A left-hand batsman, he hits the ball hard, and his right-arm off-spin is developing nicely.
Originally published as The Premier Cricket talents BBL clubs should sign for BBL15
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