Aaron Hardie

The UK born, Perth raised Hardie was awarded a rookie contract for both Warriors and Scorchers squads for the first time in 2018-19. The 20-year-old captained Western Australia’s Under-19’s side to victory in the national chamionship last summer and represented Australia at under age level, highlighted by an impressive knock of 85 against Pakistan for the under 19’s side. Hardie made headlines around the world when he took the impressive scalp of England captain Joe Root during their tour match against a WA XI in 2017, and then sent Virat Kohli packing with a classic caught-and-bowled dismissal of the Cricket Australia XI’s clash against India in November 2018. His best bowling figures for Willetton 6-41 came in the 2018-19 season, and he top scored with 115 in a Toyota Futures League game against ACT facing Pat Cummins and Josh Hazelwood. Hardie’s nickname “Budge” came after his first meeting with the WACA dietitian, where it was discovered his packed lunch consisted of a bag of seeds that resembled ‘bird food’.