Nathan Ellis
Nathan Ellis is an Australian professional cricketer renowned for his right-arm fast-medium bowling, particularly in limited-overs formats where his variations, including an excellent yorker and slower balls, have made him a standout death-over specialist.[1][2] Born on 22 September 1994 in Greenacre, New South Wales, Ellis began his career as a club cricketer while working odd jobs as a labourer and gardener to make ends meet, before relocating to Tasmania in pursuit of professional opportunities.[3][4][5] Ellis made his international debut in a T20I against Bangladesh on 6 August 2021, where he became the first bowler in history to take a hat-trick on T20I debut, claiming three wickets in consecutive deliveries.[6][7] His ODI debut followed against Pakistan on 29 March 2022.[1] Domestically, he represents Tasmania in first-class and List A cricket, and the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League (BBL), where he debuted on 20 December 2019 and later captained the side to their maiden BBL title in the 2024–25 season.[8][6] In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Ellis has played for Punjab Kings and Chennai Super Kings, establishing himself as a reliable T20 performer.[2] By November 2025, Ellis had achieved the milestone of 50 T20I wickets in just 31 matches, becoming the fifth Australian male bowler to reach the mark after Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa, and Pat Cummins, with an impressive average of 17.48 and economy rate of 7.82.[9][10] His rapid rise underscores a career defined by adaptability, precision, and perseverance, positioning him as one of Australia's premier white-ball bowlers ahead of major tournaments like the 2026 T20 World Cup.[11][1]Early life
Childhood and family
Nathan Trevor Ellis was born on 22 September 1994 in Greenacre, a suburb of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia.[1] He grew up in a working-class family environment, where financial stability was a challenge, shaping his early determination and work ethic.[5] Ellis's parents are Trevor Ellis and Simone Vaughan, who divorced when he was young but maintained a cordial relationship.[12] His mother later remarried Alan Vaughan, becoming his stepfather.[13] He has a sister named Jaime Leigh Byrne, along with additional siblings including one brother and another sister.[14] The family provided strong support during his formative years, emphasizing resilience amid modest circumstances in Greenacre.[15] Prior to committing to cricket full-time around 2016–2017, Ellis held various manual jobs to make ends meet, including work as a construction labourer, landscaper, furniture removalist, air-conditioner installer, and door-to-door salesman.[16][17] These roles, often requiring long hours seven days a week, highlighted the economic pressures of his early adulthood in New South Wales before his relocation to Tasmania at age 22.[18] His initial exposure to cricket came through local clubs in the Sydney area.[1]Entry into cricket
Nathan Ellis began his cricket journey in local clubs around Sydney, where he grew up in the Greenacre suburb. His early exposure came through community-level play, progressing to competitive grade cricket in New South Wales Premier Cricket. He made his first-grade debut for Randwick-Petersham at the age of 19 in the 2013–14 season, replacing an injured teammate in a match against Eastern Suburbs at Waverley Oval. Over the following seasons, he continued with Randwick-Petersham until 2014–15 before switching to St George for the 2015–16 campaign, where he honed his skills in Sydney's premier competition.[19] During these years, Ellis established himself as a promising right-arm fast-medium bowler, standing at 5 feet 9 inches and relying on a skiddy action to generate pace. He developed key variations, including a pinpoint yorker and subtle changes of pace, which proved particularly effective in limited-overs formats like T20 cricket. In grade matches, he excelled with notable performances such as 4-10 and 4-18 in T20 fixtures, contributing to his overall haul of 160 wickets at an average of 22 across four first-grade seasons for Randwick-Petersham and St George. These efforts showcased his potential as a death-over specialist, though quantitative details like exact seasonal breakdowns highlight his consistency rather than exhaustive statistics.[1][20][19] Despite strong club performances, Ellis encountered limited pathways for youth representative honors in New South Wales, including being overlooked for under-19 state teams and higher contracts amid stiff competition. This lack of progression prompted a pivotal decision in his career.[16] In 2017, at age 22, Ellis relocated from Sydney to Hobart, Tasmania, seeking greater opportunities to break into professional cricket, as prospects in New South Wales appeared stagnant. To fund the move and sustain his ambitions while working multiple jobs—including construction labor—he took a calculated risk without a guaranteed state contract.[5][21]Domestic career
State representation for Tasmania
Nathan Ellis relocated from New South Wales to Tasmania in 2017 to pursue greater opportunities in professional cricket, working various jobs while playing club cricket for Kingborough Lions. He earned a rookie contract with Cricket Tasmania ahead of the 2019-20 season after impressing in pre-season trials.[5][20] Ellis made his List A debut for Tasmania on 23 September 2019 against Victoria in the Marsh One-Day Cup at the W.A.C.A. Ground in Perth, taking 3/35 from 8.5 overs to help restrict Victoria to 185; Tasmania fell short by one run in a thrilling chase.[22][23] His first-class debut came on 24 February 2020 against Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield at Bellerive Oval, Hobart, where he claimed 3/68 in the first innings and a career-best 6/43 in the second, finishing with match figures of 9/111 to secure a six-wicket victory for Tasmania. In his next outing against New South Wales at Blundstone Arena, he took 6/86 in the first innings to bowl out the visitors for 195. These performances marked a breakout 2019-20 Sheffield Shield season, in which Ellis took 18 wickets across just two matches at an average of 16.00.[24][21] In the 2020-21 Sheffield Shield season, Ellis featured in several matches, including taking 3/99 against Queensland at the Gabba to help Tasmania draw after being forced to follow on. He continued to contribute as a key pace option for Tasmania in subsequent seasons, though his red-ball appearances became limited due to international commitments and T20 focus. As of November 2025, Ellis's domestic career statistics for Tasmania stand as follows:| Format | Matches | Wickets | Best Bowling | Average | Economy | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-class | 10 | 42 | 6/43 | 29.33 | 3.43 | 51.33 |
| List A | 38 | 51 | 5/38 | 31.67 | 5.32 | 35.7 |
Big Bash League performances
Nathan Ellis made his Big Bash League debut for the Hobart Hurricanes on 20 December 2019 against the Sydney Sixers at Traeger Park in Alice Springs, where he contributed 6 not out from 6 balls in a chase but did not bowl in the match.[27] His early opportunities were limited, but strong domestic form for Tasmania in the preceding seasons facilitated his selection and gradual integration into the Hurricanes' pace attack.[1] Ellis emerged as a key death-over specialist during the 2020–21 BBL season (BBL|10), taking 20 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 21.65 and an economy rate of 8.31, ranking fifth-best in the competition.[8] His variations, including yorkers and slower balls, proved effective in restricting scoring in the closing overs, highlighted by figures of 4/34 against the Sydney Thunder.[3] This breakout campaign established him as the Hurricanes' leading wicket-taker and the seventh overall in the tournament, paving the way for international recognition.[28] In the 2023–24 season (BBL|13), Ellis maintained consistency despite international commitments, capturing wickets at a strike rate of around 18 while captaining the side for the first time, appointed ahead of the campaign to replace Matthew Wade.[29] His tactical acumen, including smart use of pace variations and field placements, helped the Hurricanes reach the playoffs, with notable performances such as restricting opposition run rates below 8 in multiple death overs. The 2024–25 season (BBL|14) marked a pinnacle under Ellis's continued leadership, as he guided the Hurricanes to their maiden BBL title with a seven-wicket victory over the Sydney Thunder in the final on 27 January 2025 at Blundstone Arena.[31] He took 3/23 in the decider, playing a starring role in restricting the Thunder to 182/7; his earlier tournament contributions included 13 wickets in 11 matches at an economy of 7.86, supporting the team's bowling depth.[32] Ellis's captaincy emphasized aggressive fielding and bowler rotations, contributing to a balanced attack.[33] Across his BBL career up to November 2025, Ellis has played 71 matches for the Hurricanes, claiming 86 wickets at an average of 24.90 and an economy rate of 8.19, with best figures of 4/27.[1] He has earned multiple Player of the Match awards, including one for a 3/23 spell against the Melbourne Stars in BBL|14.[3]| Season | Matches | Wickets | Average | Economy | Best Figures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–21 (BBL | 10) | 10 | 20 | 21.65 | 8.31 |
| 2023–24 (BBL | 13) | 11 | 12 | 25.50 | 8.20 |
| 2024–25 (BBL | 14) | 11 | 13 | 21.77 | 7.86 |