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Australian fast bowler Xavier Bartlett has signed with the San Francisco Unicorns for the upcoming season of Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States.
Bartlett, who is currently playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Punjab Kings under coach Ricky Ponting, will join fellow Australians Cooper Connolly, Jake Fraser-McGurk, and Matt Short at the Unicorns, according to ESPNcricinfo. He made an impressive start to his T20 international career, picking up 11 wickets in seven matches with an economy rate of 6.84. During the 2023-24 season, Bartlett became the leading wicket-taker in the Big Bash League (BBL) for Brisbane Heat, which helped him earn his international debut. Following his successful season, he was awarded a Cricket Australia contract, which he retained in the latest list released earlier this month. The 2025 edition of Major League Cricket will be held from June 12 to July 13. San Francisco Unicorns head coach Shane Watson praised Bartlett's bowling and his ability to lead the attack. "Xavier has shown his prowess leading the bowling attack for the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League, and he will be a great addition to the Unicorns bowling line-up with his wicket-taking ability with the new ball," Watson said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. Watson also noted Bartlett's growth through the Australian cricket system and his mature bowling approach. "Having developed through the national pathways in Australia and onto the international scene, he's matured into a very clever pace bowler, able to both keep the rate down and break key partnerships," he added. Major League Cricket is a professional T20 league in the US and includes six teams: Los Angeles Knight Riders, MI New York, San Francisco Unicorns, Seattle Orcas, Texas Super Kings, and Washington Freedom. (ANI)
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