Melbourne Renegades add Matt Critchley as overseas replacement

The Essex allrounder joins after Akeal Hosein and Mujeeb Ur Rahman finished their stints in the Big Bash

Essex allrounder Matt Critchley has joined Melbourne Renegades as an overseas replacement.

His arrival follows the departures of Renegades' international spinners Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Akeal Hosein.

The duo shared 21 wickets between them, with West Indies left-armer Hosein a particular hit in his first season in the competition. He picked up 13 scalps in nine games and contributed 90 runs down the order.

Mujeeb, the Afghanistan star, has featured previously in the Big Bash for Brisbane Hear. He took nine wickets for Renegades with an economy rate of just 6.63 runs per over.

Critchley, who joined Essex from Derbyshire in 2022, has represented Welsh Fire in The Hundred as a hard-hitting right-hander and useful leg-spinner.  He made 248 runs in last year's T20 Blast and took 15 wickets.

^{Critchley played for Welsh Fire in The Hundred (Harry Trump/Getty Images)}

Renegades general manager James Rosengarten explained that the team "had our eye on Matt for some time", while an Essex connection – Renegades team manager Mark Pettini captained Essex during his palying days - meant that they knew "a lot about his game and what he can bring to the Renegades as a bowler, batter, fielder and teammate".

"Mujeeb and Akeal have been world-class," added Rosengarten. "While it's a shame to see them leave, it's exciting to welcome someone with the skillset that Matt provides and we're confident he'll make an impact on the competition."

Critchley was last week named in the England Lions squad to face Sri Lanka A in a one-day series in February.

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