Perth Scorchers spinner Luke Holt credits club legend Brad Hogg as a huge influence on his development

Perth Scorchers bolter Luke Holt has had the club’s finest practitioner of leg-spin bowling in his corner for the entirety of his cricketing life. Holt has opened up on his strong family ties with Scorchers legend and cult hero Brad Hogg and also revealed he went from siting in the top tier of Optus Stadium watching the side play the very day before he flew with teammates to make his debut. With stalwart spinner Ashton Agar sidelined by injury, the 22-year-old came from outside the club’s list to leap into its side for the back-end of the Big Bash League season as they hunt a sixth title. He has played each of their past three games. Holt’s father Greg was a long-time teammate of Scorchers fan-favourite Hogg at grade cricket club Willetton, with the pair both figuring in the club’s team of the past 40 years named in 2024. Speaking after his side’s six-wicket win over Melbourne Stars on Saturday — which secured top spot on the BBL ladder — Holt said he had been hugely fortunate to count Hogg as a long-time mentor. “He’s been so big. He’s been so awesome for me,” Holt told The West Australian. “I was down at Willetton this morning, just checking in on the fellas, and he was down presenting a cap to someone. “It was awesome to check in with him. We had about a 45-minute chat, just about calming myself down when coming on to bowl.” Hogg told The West Holt’s talent had not taken long to become obvious, but the first trait he had been struck by was his enthusiasm. The seven-Test left-arm wrist spinner had a career rebirth with the Scorchers and is still the oldest-ever player to feature in the competition. “When you see a kid that’s got that drive, that ambition to go to the next level, you just want to try and guide him on that pathway,” Hogg said. “I think I get more nervous for him than I did for myself when I was playing. “(The relationship) has always been honest and straightforward.” As the nerves took over on his debut against Adelaide Strikers, Holt was given the toughest of initiations to BBL cricket by two-time player of the tournament Matt Short, who deposited the pair of half-trackers he started with to and over the boundary. But he fought back from the difficult start to concede only eight runs in his next 10 deliveries, including just four in his match-turning second over. Holt said his captain Ashton Turner having enough faith to throw him the ball again meant he deserved all the credit for the turnaround. “The first two balls (against Adelaide) went the way they did and it was a fight-or-flight moment. I could’ve bowled an over which went for 20 and never played again, but I was pretty happy to be able to stand up and show a bit of fight,” he said. “I was on the boundary thinking ‘I might be okay here’, and then when AT waved at me and told me I was coming on at the other end, my stomach sunk a little bit. You start getting those demons on your shoulder, asking questions if you’re really up to it. “The 10-over break just gave me a bit of a chance to take a deep breath and relax a little bit.” Hogg said he was delighted to see how Holt had bounced back when given another opportunity. “That was a good over, the way he was able to control it in a tough situation in that game,” he said. “It showed he’s got the ability to be at that level, it’s just what’s between the ears. He’s got the ability, he’s got the skills, he’s got the desire, it’s just about controlling those emotions out in the middle.” Holt, who has regularly trained with WA and the Scorchers in recent years, was earning a living at a lawnmowing company as recently as the start of this year. But earlier this month, he had to put a call in to his boss to say he would not be able to work because he had been picked to join the Scorchers for their trip to Adelaide. He said his week had been a “dream come true”. “The last home game we played here against the Renegades where we just lost it, I was sitting in the top row at the back of the stand,” Holt said. “To be on the plane to Adelaide two days later, a week later to be out here playing in front of 50,000 for top spot on the ladder and a home final, I probably would’ve laughed at you if you’d told me that. “Just before I got on the plane to Adelaide, Dad went through the camera roll on his phone and found a stack of old photos of me as a young fella sitting on the grass bank at the WACA holding a Scorchers flag.” If he retains his place, the young leg-spinner’s next test will come in Tuesday’s Qualifier, where a win will grant the Scorchers direct passage and hosting rights to Sunday’s grand final. Hogg said he had no doubt the confidence Holt has drawn from his first three games at the level would help him raise his game in the finals. “He’s got that exposure now, a bit more experience,” Hogg said. “I think you’ve got to back him to go into the finals if Ashton Agar isn’t fit, it’s as simple as that. I think you need that extra variety with the ball.”