BBL 2022-23: Melbourne Renegades has surprised one & all by signing uncapped Sri Lanka legspinner Ruwantha Kellapotha to their line-up for the upcoming edition of BBL as an overseas replacement player.
BBL 2022-23: What compelled Melbourne Renegades to sign uncapped Ruwantha Kellapotha?
Melbourne Renegades decided to include Ruwantha Kellapotha in their line-up on the back of his blistering performances for the Renegades Academy squad. Starting his career in Sri Lanka’s domestic arena, Kellapotha played 20 first-class fixtures & 12 List A fixtures in Sri Lanka between 2010 & 2013 before migrating to Australia. He then featured in eight seasons of Dandenong District Cricket Association in Melbourne’s southeastern suburbs representing four different clubs. Kellapotha then proved his prowess in premier cricket playing for Casey-South Melbourne last season where he scalped 46 wickets across 50-over format & T20 format to end the tournament as the leading wicket-taker & guide Casey South Melbourne to reach the final.
The turning point of Kellapotha’s career came when he accompanied the Renegades Academy squad to feature in the top-end T20 series in Darwin. He turned the heads around by displaying a spectacular bowling show. His extraordinary stint in Darwin compelled Renegades General Manager James Rosengarten and coach David Saker to sign Kellapotha as an overseas replacement player for the upcoming edition of the league.
Kellapotha will join other overseas signings, Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman and West Indies left-arm orthodox Akeal Hosein in the Melbourne Renegades line-up for BBL 2022-23. Notably, Rahman & Hosein have also signed deals in the UAE ILT20.
Speaking regarding the signing, Renegades General Manager, Rosengarten said, “We were amazed by Ruwantha Kellapotha’s performance for Renegades Academy in Darwin. He has had a special cricketing journey to reach this level. We are quite confident that he will join us & create a mark for us this season.”
Ruwantha Kellapotha said that he is overwhelmed to get a chance to play with Renegades in the BBL 2022-23. He said, “ My cricketing journey from local cricket to BBL 2022-23, has been exciting & different. I had achieved what I wanted to achieve in local cricket & premier cricket. Now I want to test myself at the highest level by playing in BBL 2022-23. This would be a great learning experience for me to play with some of the top players of world cricket. I aim to be a team player & will give by 100 percent.”
Melbourne Renegades BBL 2022-23 squad:
Zak Evans, Aaron Finch, Nic Maddinson (c), Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sam Harper, Akeal Hosein (West Indies), Ruwantha Kellapotha (Sri Lanka), Liam Livingstone (England), Mackenzie Harvey, Shaun Marsh, Jack Prestwidge, Kane Richardson, Tom Rogers, Will Sutherland, Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan), Jon Wells
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