Southern Smash: BBL spinner Liam O’Connor joins Tillakaratne Dilshan, Jaron Morgan and Kallen Bond as signings

The big name signings are beginning to flow for the fifth edition of Albany’s Southern Smash to be played on December 28-30. Regional WA’s premier Twenty20 cricket tournament continues to grow from strength to strength and organisers have already locked in one of the marquee players from last season to return for a second year. Sri Lankan champion Tillakaratne Dilshan was the highest profile player at the 2022 Southern Smash and organisers have confirmed the 47-year-old is coming back again. Dilshan was a terrific addition to last year’s tournament, playing a key role with bat and ball for eventual champions the Inswing Ignition. He took three wickets and scored 51 runs in four matches and was a fan favourite amongst young fans and fellow players. The decorated world-class all-rounder amassed more than 17,000 runs and 39 centuries in a glittering international career. The biggest new recruit of the Smash will be well-credentialed leg spinner Liam O’Connor, who was announced earlier this week. O’Connor played 23 Big Bash League games for the Adelaide Strikers and also played First Class cricket for WA. The 30-year-old is in terrific form for his club Bayswater-Morley, having snared 10 first grade wickets at an average of 11.6 in the first four games. Last year’s player of the Smash and ex-Perth Scorcher Jaron Morgan will be back to wow crowds, having plundered 205 runs at an average of 102 across the 2022 tournament. Morgan, who plays for Joondalup in the WA Premier Cricket competition, was a key part of the Aces reaching the grand final last year. Brilliant all-rounder Kallen Bond is another returning star for the Smash. The Willetton gun has won three titles with the Ignition and two player-of-the-final awards at the Smash. He belted 84 with the bat and took 2-16 in a destructive performance in last year’s decider. Spin duo Cruize Ciallella and Luke Holt are also confirmed for the 2023 tournament. Ciallella hails from colts cricket in the Bunbury and Districts competition and was an All-Australian after a stellar campaign with WA at the Australian Country Cricket Championships earlier this year. Holt is playing with Willetton and played under-19s for Australia and WA, and will be high on the wish list for teams on draft night. Organisers have begun to announce some of the captains for the six franchise teams. Experienced Albany and Districts cricketer Alex Fergie has taken the reins as skipper of the Albany Finance Fury. Homegrown product Daniel Rees will remain in charge of the Ignition, having led the side to two of their three consecutive Smash titles. Talented all-rounder Damien Burrage has been reappointed as skipper of the Camtrans Bulldogs while Country XI captain Tim Hutchison is again leading the Arc Infrastructure Aces in the bid to go one better this year. Mt Barker star and Country XI all-rounder Jeremy Wood will lead the Elders Avengers while skipper of the Retravision Warriors is yet to be announced. The Smash is an exciting T20 event in which players from metropolitan, regional and country areas get to rub shoulders with former State and international stars each December. Players nominate to play and are then either retained by their team or selected in a draft prior to competition. This year’s draft will be held at Inswing Sports Bar on November 13. For players wanting to register, visit cognitoforms.com/SouthernS.../SouthernSmash5Rego.