Come in, spinner! Corey set to 'Rocc' and roll with Sixers

Sydney Sixers have found their replacement for Test-capped Todd Murphy by signing Western Australia off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli for KFC BBL|16.

Rocchiccioli, who hasn't featured in the Big Bash since 2023, has signed a one-year deal with the three-time BBL champions.

The news comes after Murphy was poached by Melbourne Stars following five seasons at the Sixers, leaving the club without a frontline spinner.

Rocchiccioli put pen to paper with Perth Scorchers last summer as a local replacement player, but he didn't take part in the team's successful quest for a sixth men's Big Bash title.

The 29-year-old from Subiaco is looking forward to making a contribution to another team vying for silverware this season, having been starved of opportunities with the reigning champions.

"I grabbed at the chance when management offered me a chance to play at the Sixers," Rocchiccioli said. 

"I've always loved the heritage and atmosphere when I've been the away team and it's super exciting to now call it home for this summer.  

"It's great to be a part of a side that has a deep history of making the last stages of the tournament. Hopefully I can contribute heavily in us making a return to Big Bash final which we made last year."

Rocchiccioli has only played five Big Bash matches since signing his first deal with Melbourne Renegades in 2022.

After representing the Renegades across four fixtures in BBL|12, he switched to cross-town rivals Melbourne Stars in BBL|13 where he managed just one game in green.

While he hasn't played a T20 match since, Rocchiccioli's red-ball returns have been profound in his five-year first-class career.

No spinner has taken more wickets in the Sheffield Shield (154) since the beginning of the 2021-22 season, leading to several opportunities with the Australia A squad and Cricket Australia XI.

The right-arm finger-spinner took 6-83 for the CA XI against Bangladesh in August.

He backed up this performance with a four-wicket haul against India A in Puducherry last month.

Sixers general manager Rachael Haynes said Rocchiccioli was an important acquisition to boost their spin stocks for BBL|16, considering the club has lost Murphy and spin-bowling allrounder Ben Manenti to the Renegades last week.

"Corey (Rocchiccioli) has been one of the standout spinners in Australian domestic cricket for a couple of seasons now, and we're thrilled to have him in magenta this summer," Haynes said in a statement.

"His wicket-taking ability and capacity to generate extra bounce gives our attack a point of difference through those middle overs. He's earned this opportunity."

Rocchiccioli is set to join versatile left-arm orthodox bowler Joel Davies as the club's only other regular spin-bowling option on their men's roster to date.

Davies, who made his T20 international debut for Australia in June, took 14 wickets in the men's side's run to the BBL|15 final.

The Sixers have announced 16 of a maximum 18 players allocated to a BBL side's primary list, securing two stalwarts of the T20 circuit in Tim Seifert (New Zealand) and Chris Jordan (England) as international recruits.

Sydney Sixers BBL|16 squad (so far)

Contracted for BBL|16: Sean Abbott (contracted until BBL|16), Joel Davies (BBL|16), Ollie Davies (BBL|18), Ben Dwarshuis (BBL|17), Jack Edwards (BBL|16), Chris Jordan (BBL|16), Hayden Kerr (BBL|16), Riley Kingsell (BBL|16), Fergus O'Neill (BBL|17), Josh Philippe (BBL|16), Corey Rocchiccioli (BBL|16), Jake Scott (BBL|16), Tim Seifert (BBL|16), Lachlan Shaw (BBL|16), Jordan Silk (BBL|17), Steve Smith (BBL|16)

 

Uncontracted: Babar Azam (Pakistan), Jafer Chohan (England), Sam Curran (England), Josh Hazlewood, Daniel Hughes, Mitch Perry, Harjas Singh, Mitchell Starc, Charlie Stobo

 

Head coach: Matthew Mott

The pair join Ollie Davies and Fergus O'Neill as new additions to the Sixers' squad, while veterans Kane Richardson and long-term captain Moises Henriques have retired.

No call has been made on who will replace Henriques as their men's skipper after the 39-year-old called time on his Big Bash career in June.