Matthew Kelly is a Australian cricketer who has gained a lot of recognition through consistent performances in domestic cricket and the Big Bash League (BBL). Born on December 7, 1994, in Claremont, Western Australia, Kelly is a tall man at 6 feet 5 inches, and his right-arm fast seam bowling has been an asset for his teams. He also contributes with the bat as a right-handed lower-order batsman.
Kelly’s cricketing career started gaining momentum in 2013 when he played for the Australia Under-19 team. He played against strong teams such as India, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. This performance led him to sign a rookie contract with Western Australia in 2016. By October 2017, he had made his List A and first-class debut during the JLT One-Day Cup and Sheffield Shield seasons, respectively.
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Kelly joined Perth Scorchers for the BBL in January 2018, where he came in as a replacement player. It was during his debut match against Sydney Thunder that marked the start of his successful time in the tournament. Season by season, Kelly has managed to gain a spot in the side as a main bowler for the Scorchers.
As of December 2024, Kelly has played 38 T20 matches and taken 57 wickets at an average of 19.59. His best bowling figures are 4 for 25, which showcases his capability as a strike bowler. He has scored 102 runs with an average of 12.75 and a top score of 23 not out with the bat. In the BBL, he has 41 wickets in 27 matches and has a great strike rate of 122.3 with the bat.
Kelly’s last matches have been outstanding. Against the Melbourne Renegades, he bagged 4 wickets for 24 runs and has been seen shining at big matches. Again, he came up in great fashion with 3 wickets for 8 runs against Bangladesh A. These victories go on to show the worth of the bowler, who does not panic and is very much on target in high-pressure matches.
His brief stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2019 saw him joining the Kolkata Knight Riders as a replacement for Anrich Nortje. He did not play any matches, but his selection indicates the growing recognition of his skills on an international level.
Matthew Kelly Stats:
Bowling Stats
| Format | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FC | 55 | 95 | 9814 | 4532 | 159 | 6/67 | 9/57 | 28.50 | 2.77 | 61.7 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| List A | 26 | 26 | 1144 | 977 | 31 | 4/25 | 4/25 | 31.51 | 5.12 | 36.9 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| T20s | 38 | 38 | 807 | 1117 | 57 | 4/25 | 4/25 | 19.59 | 8.30 | 14.1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Batting & Fielding Stats
| Format | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | Ct | St |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FC | 55 | 71 | 18 | 919 | 89 | 17.33 | 2097 | 43.82 | 0 | 1 | 112 | 15 | 21 | 0 |
| List A | 26 | 14 | 3 | 115 | 33 | 10.45 | 141 | 81.56 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 0 |
| T20s | 38 | 13 | 5 | 102 | 23* | 12.75 | 84 | 121.42 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 0 |