Rookie leg-break bowler Peter Hatzoglou turned out to be quite a surprise package for Melbourne Renegades in the 2020/21 Big Bash, picking up two wickets on his BBL debut.

The little-known Hatzoglou found his way into the Renegades squad as a local replacement player when Will Sutherland withdrew to feature for Australia A team against the visiting Indian Test squad.

Peter Hatzoglou – background

Peter Hatzoglou, 22, hails from Melbourne, Victoria, and has little experience of playing top-flight cricket. He first represented Melbourne University Cricket Club in 2017 and has played just seven A-grade games.

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He’s featured for Sunshine Heights Cricket Club, in Melbourne West, and has also played for The Prospect Districts Cricket Club (or The Pirates).

Peter Hatzoglou was an overseas player for Ashton-on-Mersey CC, picking up 41 wickets at 18.39 in the 2019 Cheshire County Cricket League. Last year, he also toured the UK with the Australia Universities squad.

Cameron White, the veteran all-rounder who announced his retirement from all forms in August, reportedly spotted Hatzoglou at a Victorian Premier Cricket match in 2019, and pushed for his selection.

BBL debut and beyond

Peter Hatzoglou found a spot in the Renegades XI for their 2020/21 BBL opener against Perth Scorchers in Hobart. Called on to bowl first change by skipper Aaron Finch, he gave away 12 runs off his first over, the fourth of the innings.

He was pressed back into service in the ninth over, and instantly struck, sending a sharp googly that caught Cameron Bancroft on his pads in front of the stumps. Off the second ball of his next over, he trapped Mitchell Marsh in exactly similar fashion, ending with figures of 2-29.

Ricky Ponting, speaking on the post-match show, picked Hatzoglou as his ‘talking point’, seemingly impressed by the leg-spinner’s debut performance, in which he dismissed “two Test players”.

Josh Lalor, Hatzoglou’s Renegades teammate, hailed his “brilliant” debut performance after the game. “The most impressive thing is he was up for the contest,” Lalor said. “He’s a guy that’s a bit different to the rest (and) another string to our bow.”

In his second match, Hatzoglou picked up two wickets again, despite Sydney Sixers mounting a massive score of 205-4 and inflicting BBL’s biggest defeat on the Renegades. Opening the bowling alongside Lalor, Hatzoglou first dismissed opener Jack Edwards for one, and then came back to dismiss skipper Daniel Hughes, ending with figures of 2-40.

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