The 2023-24 season felt like a breakout one for Xavier Bartlett. He was the leading wicket-taker in the BBL for Brisbane Heat then earned an international debut - taking four-wicket hauls in his first two ODIs against West Indies. A little while later he was handed his first Cricket Australia contract.

Bartlett represented Australia at Under-19 level and was on Queensland's books at 18. But his progress was stalled by a series of back stress fractures. He also became a regular feature of the BBL's now defunct X-Factor rule, which allowed a player to be subbed out of a game, and there was a period where he would bowl a single over and be finished. A late-season opportunity in 2022-23 brought a matchwinner performance in the Knockout final against Melbourne Renegades and later in the season he was in the Australia A set-up for four-day matches in New Zealand.

He has potential with the bat, too, and made twin half-centuries - his first at first-class level - against New South Wales.

Bartlett grew up in Adelaide before moving to the Gold Coast and there was an early influence of Australian rules football with his dad, Kym, having played in the South Australian state league. He also was a talented swimmer with a speciality in backstroke and won numerous medals at state level.