Ben McDermott, the son of Australian fast bowling legend Craig McDermott and younger brother of Alister McDermott, chose a different cricketing path from his family’s legacy. Rather than following in the footsteps of his father and brother as a bowler, Ben opted to make his mark with the bat — a decision he made at a young age. A top-order right-handed batter and a part-time wicketkeeper, McDermott has steadily built a reputation for his aggressive strokeplay and power-hitting ability. He first caught the eye in 2013 when he earned a rookie contract with Queensland and featured for Brisbane Heat in the 2013-14 Big Bash League. His debut against Adelaide Strikers was promising, scoring 30, but it remained his only appearance that season. That same year, he represented Australia in the Under-19 World Cup in the UAE, where he was the team's wicketkeeper as they finished fourth. After struggling to establish himself with Queensland, McDermott made a move to Tasmania in 2014. The switch proved fruitful — he impressed immediately, scoring 65 on his Sheffield Shield debut at the MCG against Victoria. His breakout moment came in BBL06, where playing for Hobart Hurricanes, he smashed a sensational century (114 off 52 balls) against his former team, the Melbourne Renegades. The innings included 8 fours and 9 sixes and came against a quality attack featuring Sunil Narine, James Pattinson, and Brad Hogg. The knock made headlines across the cricketing world and firmly established McDermott as one of Australia’s brightest T20 talents. He followed it up with his maiden first-class century just two months later against South Australia, underlining his all-format potential. His domestic performances earned him a T20I debut in 2018 against the UAE, and he made his ODI debut in 2021 against the West Indies. One of McDermott’s most notable achievements came in the Big Bash League when he became the first player to score back-to-back centuries, showcasing his consistency and explosiveness at the top of the order. While international consistency is still a work in progress, Ben McDermott continues to be a key figure in domestic cricket and a strong contender for Australia's white-ball squads, especially in the T20 format.
