Photo Credit: Perth Scorchers
Rising Perth Scorchers star Cooper Connolly is going nowhere anytime soon, extending his contract until the end of the KFC BBL|16 season.
Twenty-year-old Connolly has added two years to his existing deal, which was due to expire at the end of BBL|14.
The dynamic left-hander took just four professional games to showcase his immense talent on the national stage, guiding the Scorchers to the BBL|12 title with a famous cameo against Brisbane Heat at Optus Stadium.
His nerveless 25 not-out from 11 deliveries – compiled alongside recently re-signed batter Nick Hobson in front of 53,588 fans – reignited a run-chase that flickered feebly as he entered the fray.
Connolly, who first signed for Perth in 2021-22, backed up the breakout performance by playing every game of the Scorchers’ BBL|13 campaign.
A sweet timer of the cricket ball, he showed promise as an opener and scored quickly when asked to resume his role in the middle order.
The Scarborough product also shapes as a genuine front-line bowling option, finishing BBL|13 with the best strike rate (11) and average (12.66) of any Scorchers bowler.
All told, Connolly collected six wickets from 11 overs of left-arm orthodox spin, including 3-25 against Sydney Thunder at Engie Stadium.
Connolly’s encouraging form translated across formats, blasting a critical 90 on debut for WA during the 2023-24 Sheffield Shield Final.
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Reflecting on his new Perth Scorchers deal, Connolly said:
“The last couple of years have been pretty surreal – that BBL|12 Final, and then playing a bit more last year – so I’m excited to see what the next few seasons hold.
“It’s still pretty early in my career so I’m honestly just trying to soak up as much as I can from my teammates and our coaches, who do a great job preparing us each week.
“I’ve also enjoyed the challenge of playing a few different roles with the bat and ball and testing my strengths against some really good players.
“As a group, our ultimate goal is to win another title in front of our Members and fans, so I’m aiming to contribute in any way I can.”
Comments attributable to Perth Scorchers General Manager – High Performance Cricket and Elite Teams, Kade Harvey:
“The exciting thing about Cooper is he’s still a young cricketer with plenty of development left.
“We’ve already seen glimpses of his ability, and anyone who watched the BBL|12 Final or last year’s Sheffield Shield Final knows there isn’t much that flusters him.
“As a batter, he times it beautifully and can bat anywhere in the order. With the ball, he has good control and reads the game well.
“We believe Cooper has significant upside, and he’s a hard worker. We’re looking forward to seeing what he becomes in the next few years, and into the future.”
Perth Scorchers squad for KFC BBL|14
Ashton Agar
Jason Behrendorff
Cooper Connolly
Aaron Hardie
Nick Hobson
Josh Inglis
Matthew Kelly
Mitch Marsh
Lance Morris
Jhye Richardson
Ashton Turner
