Xavier Bartlett has been playing in the Indian Premier League (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
Quick Xavier Bartlett, who has represented Australia in the white-ball formats and is currently playing in the Indian Premier League, will play in this season’s Major League Cricket after signing with San Francisco Unicorns.
It is the first time Bartlett, the Big Bash League’s leading wicket-taker in the 2023-24 season, will play in the well-heeled American tournament and looms as an opportunity for him to push his case for national selection ahead of a busy slate of white-ball cricket for Australia before next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Bartlett has been on the Australia hierarchy’s radar as they strive to build depth behind their frontline quicks of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.
He claimed four-wicket hauls in his first two ODIs against West Indies in early 2024 and has taken 11 wickets from seven T20Is at an average of 14.72.
Xavier Bartlett has starred in the BBL (Photo by Albert Perez – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty … More
Bartlett was unlucky not to be part of Australia’s weakened squad at the recent Champions Trophy, but should be part of their longer-term 50-over plans given the next ODI World Cup is in the favorable seam-bowling conditions of southern Africa.
Under a big spotlight and in uncompromising conditions for bowlers, he has performed credibly in the powerplay in his debut IPL season since being called off the bench for Punjab Kings.
Bartlett is the latest unveiling for Unicorns, last season’s runner-ups, and comes on the back of the franchise signing emerging Australian all-rounder Cooper Connolly, as I first reported earlier this month, and New Zealand wicketkeeper Tim Seifert.
Capable of conjuring menacing late swing with the new ball, Bartlett is set to form a formidable partnership with Pakistan speedster Haris Rauf at the Unicorns.
“To play alongside and against some of the best international cricketers around in this year’s MLC, under the tutelage of (head coach) Shane Watson, is an opportunity too good to turn down,” Bartlett said.
“The Unicorns is an exciting franchise with a real opportunity of winning the championship this year.”
Xavier Bartlett has played white-ball cricket for Australia (Photo by Morgan Hancock – CA/Cricket … More
The Unicorns, backed by Silicon Valley venture capitalists, will be without Australian star players Cummins and Josh Inglis due to Test duties, but are building around emerging players such as Bartlett, Connolly and dynamic batter Jake Fraser-McGurk.
“Having developed through the national pathways in Australia and onto the international scene, he’s matured into a very clever pace bowler,” Watson said.
“(Bartlett’s) able to both keep the rate down and break key partnerships, and alongside Haris (Rauf), and our skilled domestic fast bowling contingent, we’re now well set in that department.”
Bartlett will get the opportunity to play at the iconic Oakland Coliseum, which will host nine matches from June 12-18 before the 34-game, monthlong tournament shifts to Dallas and Broward County in Florida.
Located near Interstate 880, with its stunning views of the Oakland hills a favorite for many seated in the terraces, the Coliseum hosted almost 5000 baseball games and was the home ground of the Athletics for 57 years.
The Raiders in the NFL were also based there before being lured to the bright lights of Las Vegas, while the Coliseum for a wider audience might be best known for being immortalized in the hit 2011 film Moneyball starring Brad Pitt.
The Unicorns open the tournament at the Coliseum on June 12 against defending champions Washington Freedom in a rematch of last year’s final.