The 27-year-old right-arm bowler Jhye Richardson is in line to play his first game in Australia after being included as part of Perth Scorchers for the Top-end T20 tournament in Darwin.
Richardson is the most notable inclusion in the Scorchers’ group which is largely made up of young players on the fringes of the BBL and Western Australia sides plus some from the WA academy.
Richardson was handed a Cricket Australia contract in March and has not played a game at home since injuring himself during the BBL. He also made an appearance for Delhi Capitals in the IPL earlier this year after being ruled out of IPL 2023 due to injury.
He was part of the Australia training camp in Brisbane this week but was not considered for next month’s tour of Scotland and England. He is eyeing an ODI return against West Indies last season before picking up a side strain.
“He’s fit and firing now, and again looking for match opportunities,” national selector George Bailey said last month. “I think he’ll get opportunities again across the summer.”
Richardson will join the squad by Matt Kelly whose season was also ended by injury. Batter Sam Fanning has been named captain while Baxter Holt moved to Western Australia from New South Wales.
“We also see this tournament as an opportunity for Jhye and Kells [Matt Kelly] to find touch in a competitive environment,” stand-in coach Tim MacDonald said. “They didn’t play a lot of cricket last year but they’re a big part of what we do at the Scorchers and WA, so we’re looking forward to seeing both of them back in action.”
The top-end competition also features Northern Territory Strike, Pakistan A, ACT, Melbourne Renegades, Melbourne Renegades, Melbourne Stars and a Bangladesh High-Performance Side.
Perth Scorchers Squad for Top End T20 series: Sam Fanning (Perth), Keaton Critchell (Midland-Guildford), Joel Curtis (Perth), Baxter Holt (Fremantle), Luke Holt (Willetton), Bryce Jackson (Melville), Matthew Kelly (Claremont-Nedlands), Lucas Martin (Subiaco-Floreat), Declan Power (Melville), Jhye Richardson (Fremantle), Matthew Spoors (Scarborough), Josh Vernon (Midland-Guildford), Corey Wasley (Rockingham-Mandurah),
Teague Wyllie (Rockingham-Mandurah)
