Biography

Alex Ross is an Australian cricketer best known for his inventive stroke play and his trademark sweep shot, a skill that earned him the nickname “sweepologist.” Born in Melbourne in 1992, Ross spent several years of his childhood in Christchurch, New Zealand, where his father worked as a cricket coach. During his time there, he devoted more attention to hockey than cricket, but after returning to Australia in 2009 he shifted his focus entirely to cricket. He progressed through Adelaide’s development pathway, making a strong impression in grade cricket for Kensington Cricket Club before earning selection in South Australia’s first class and one day teams.

Ross began to rise to prominence during the 2014-2015 season as his consistency grew across formats. His true breakthrough came in the Big Bash League with the Adelaide Strikers, where an explosive innings of 65 from 31 balls, filled with his trademark sweeps and reverse sweeps, drew national attention and cemented the “sweepologist” reputation. His rapid improvement during this period earned praise from national selector Mark Waugh, who labelled him the most improved player in Australian cricket during the 2015-2016 summer. Ross backed that acclaim with strong performances for South Australia, scoring heavily in both one day and first class cricket and playing key innings in major Sheffield Shield matches.

As his profile developed, Ross gained opportunities in domestic T20 leagues beyond South Australia. He featured for the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League and also represented the Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League, gaining valuable experience in varying conditions. In 2016, he was honoured with the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year Award, recognising his emergence as one of Australia’s most promising batting talents.

In the seasons that followed, Ross established himself as a dependable T20 specialist. His experience, calm finishing ability, and tactical awareness made him a valuable asset for the Adelaide Strikers, the Sydney Thunder, and the Brisbane Heat across multiple campaigns. Ahead of the 2024-2025 season, Ross returned to the Strikers by signing a two year contract.