Melbourne, Oct 9 (IANS) Italy all-rounder Ben Manenti has landed a two-year contract with Melbourne Renegades for the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) season. Manenti, who previously had brief BBL spells with Sydney Sixers and Adelaide Strikers, inked the deal on the back of a breakout year across international and domestic cricket.
The 29-year-old off-spinner and hard-hitting batter was Italy’s star performer during their maiden Men’s T20 World Cup appearance in February by finishing as their highest run-scorer with 138 runs in three innings and second-highest wicket-taker with five scalps.
His T20 World Cup campaign featured a blistering 25-ball 60 against England at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, including six sixes and four fours, and was followed by a 29-ball half-century against Scotland and a match-winning spell of 2-9 in Italy’s historic victory over Nepal.
After playing for Rotterdam Dockers in the inaugural edition of the European T20 Premier League, the all-rounder carried that rich vein of form into the Australian domestic season for South Australia. Becoming the stand-in captain for South Australia in their Sheffield Shield opener against Victoria on Friday, Manenti smashed a 112-ball century and eventually made 128 to power his side past 500 in the first innings.
With leg-spinner Adam Zampa moving to Hobart Hurricanes in the off-season, Manenti’s off-spin bowling presents him with a prime opportunity to push for the main spin bowling role in Melbourne.
“He’s coming off an outstanding period of cricket, and he’s a highly competitive player who offers genuine flexibility with both bat and ball, and just as importantly, he’s the type of character we want in our environment,” said newly appointed Renegades head coach Luke Ronchi.
Manenti joins a spin group that includes re-signed left-arm spinner Callum Stow, leg-spinner Michael Archer, and New Zealand’s off-spin bowling all-rounder Michael Bracewell. The side also has the likes of Jason Behrendorff, Josh Brown, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Ollie Peake and Will Sutherland in their setup.
The Renegades, who have also bolstered their batting lineup with England wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow, will kick off their BBL season 16 against defending champions Perth Scorchers at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on December 12.
–IANS
nr/bc
