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{{short description|Australian cricketer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2012}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Ben Laughlin
| image =
| full_name = Ben Laughlin
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|10|03|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Box Hill, Victoria|Box Hill]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], Australia
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = Right-arm [[Fast bowling|fast-medium]]
| role = [[Bowling (cricket)|Bowler]]
| international = true
| country = Australia
| internationalspan = 2009–2013
| odidebutdate = 3 April
| odidebutyear = 2009
| odidebutagainst = South Africa
| odicap = 173
| lastodidate = 3 May
| lastodiyear = 2009
| lastodiagainst = Pakistan
| T20Idebutdate = 29 March
| T20Idebutyear = 2009
| T20Idebutagainst = South Africa
| T20Icap = 37
| lastT20Idate = 28 January
| lastT20Iyear = 2013
| lastT20Iagainst = Sri Lanka
| club1 = [[Queensland cricket team|Queensland]]
| year1 = {{nowrap|2007/08–2010/11}}
| club2 = [[Tasmania cricket team|Tasmania]]
| year2 = {{nowrap|2011/12–2013/14}}
| club3 = [[Hobart Hurricanes]]
| year3 = {{nowrap|2011/12–2014/15}}
| club4 = [[Nagenahira Nagas]]
| year4 = 2012
| club5 = [[Canterbury cricket team|Canterbury]]
| year5 = {{nowrap|2012/13}}
| club6 = [[Chennai Super Kings]]
| year6 = 2013
| club7 = [[Northern Districts men's cricket team|Northern Districts]]
| year7 = {{nowrap|2013/14–2017/18}}
| club8 = [[Antigua Hawksbills]]
| year8 = 2014
| club9 = [[Adelaide Strikers]]
| year9 = {{nowrap|2014/15–2018/19}}
| club10 = [[Quetta Gladiators]]
| year10 = 2018
| club11 = [[Rajasthan Royals]]
| year11 = 2018
| club12 = [[Balkh Legends]]
| year12 = 2018
| club13 = [[Guyana Amazon Warriors]]
| year13 = 2019
| club14 = [[Brisbane Heat]]
| year14 = 2019/20–2020/21
| columns = 4
| column1 = [[One Day International|ODI]]
| column2 = [[Twenty20 International|T20I]]
| column3 = [[List A cricket|LA]]
| column4 = [[Twenty20|T20]]
| matches1 = 5
| matches2 = 3
| matches3 = 39
| matches4 = 164
| runs1 = 1
| runs2 = –
| runs3 = 157
| runs4 = 172
| bat avg1 = –
| bat avg2 = –
| bat avg3 = 13.08
| bat avg4 = 6.37
| 100s/50s1 = 0/0
| 100s/50s2 = –
| 100s/50s3 = 0/0
| 100s/50s4 = 0/0
| top score1 = 1[[Not out|*]]
| top score2 = –
| top score3 = 34[[Not out|*]]
| top score4 = 22
| deliveries1 = 224
| deliveries2 = 71
| deliveries3 = 2,048
| deliveries4 = 3,390
| wickets1 = 4
| wickets2 = 2
| wickets3 = 69
| wickets4 = 191
| bowl avg1 = 54.75
| bowl avg2 = 59.00
| bowl avg3 = 25.86
| bowl avg4 = 23.96
| fivefor1 = 0
| fivefor2 = 0
| fivefor3 = 2
| fivefor4 = 1
| tenfor1 = 0
| tenfor2 = 0
| tenfor3 = 0
| tenfor4 = 0
| best bowling1 = 1/28
| best bowling2 = 1/32
| best bowling3 = 6/23
| best bowling4 = 6/28
| catches/stumpings1 = 2/–
| catches/stumpings2 = 1/–
| catches/stumpings3 = 9/–
| catches/stumpings4 = 59/–
| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/315623.html ESPNcricinfo
| date = 4 October
| year = 2021
}}

'''Ben Laughlin''' (born 3 October 1982) is a former Australian [[cricket]]er. A right-arm [[Fast bowling|fast-medium]] bowler, he was primarily a [[Twenty20]] specialist, featuring for a number of teams in the top global leagues. He also represented [[Australian Cricket Team|Australia]] in white-ball cricket eight times. Laughlin last featured in professional cricket for the [[Brisbane Heat]] of the [[Big Bash League|BBL]] in 2021.

Laughlin began his career playing [[grade cricket]] in [[Queensland]], and following his [[First-class cricket|first-class]] debut for the side in 2008 he was selected to play for [[Australia national cricket team|Australia]] in [[One Day International]]s and [[Twenty20 International]]s, though his time in the national side only lasted 8 matches across 4 years. He emerged as a star of Twenty20 cricket, playing for the [[Hobart Hurricanes]] in the [[Big Bash League]] (BBL) for three years before moving to [[Adelaide Strikers|Adelaide]]. He last featured in the BBL in 2021 for the Heat, and as of 2024 is the competition’s 9th highest wicket taker of all time. He also played for the [[Northern Districts men's cricket team|Northern Districts Knights]] in New Zealand and has played in the [[Indian Premier League]].

==Cricket career==
===Before first-class debut===
Laughlin's father, [[Trevor Laughlin]], played [[Test cricket]] for Australia in 1978.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/6261.html |title=Trevor Laughlin. Cricket Players and Officials |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=13 March 2009}}</ref> Though his father had played [[grade cricket|District Cricket]] in [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], Laughlin played his grade cricket for [[Wynnum Manly District Cricket Club]] in [[Queensland]].<ref name=gun>{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/geoff-mcclure/and-the-winner-is--a-son-of-a-gun/2006/04/24/1145861284580.html|title=And the winner is ... a son of a gun|last=McClure|first=Geoff|date=25 April 2006|access-date=16 December 2017|work=[[The Age]]}}</ref> For three seasons in a row, starting from when he was 19 years old, Laughlin had stress fractures which ruined his opportunities to play cricket. He made his way back into the team by bowling [[Off break|off-spin]] rather than pace, though he played as a specialist [[Batting (cricket)|batsman]] at the time.<ref name=spinner>{{cite web|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/cricket/adelaide-strikers-star-ben-laughlin-says-spinner-spell-allowed-him-to-carve-out-prolific-t20-career/news-story/4f4367927bc2f1de5d5c3162909f3507|title=Adelaide Strikers star Ben Laughlin; Big Bash League's most prolific wicket-taker|last=Craddock|first=Robert|date=30 January 2018|access-date=9 February 2018|work=[[The Courier-Mail]]|publisher=[[News Corp Australia]]}}</ref> His form as a pace bowler improved towards the end of the 2000s, and in 2006 he was awarded the Peter Burge Medal for the best grade cricketer in Queensland over the 2005–06 season,<ref name=gun/> and in the three seasons leading up to his first-class debut in 2008 he took a total of 126 wickets, including 50 wickets in the 2006–07 season alone.<ref name=ESPNcricinfo>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/315623.html|title=Ben Laughlin. Cricket Players and Officials|access-date=16 December 2017|work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref>

===Queensland (2008–2011)===
Laughlin made his [[First-class cricket|first-class]] debut for [[Queensland cricket team|Queensland's state team]] at the end of the [[2007–08 Pura Cup season]] against [[Victoria cricket team|Victoria]] and took the wicket of Victorian captain [[Cameron White]].<ref name=ESPNcricinfo/><ref>{{cite web |date=6 March 2008 |title=Victoria drop Wade for must-win match |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/victoria-drop-wade-for-must-win-match-341224 |access-date=16 December 2017 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> He was then given his first contract with Queensland for the 2008–09 season and started to play [[List A cricket]] for them in the [[2008–09 Ford Ranger One Day Cup season]].<ref name=ESPNcricinfo/> Despite it being his first season, he was very impressive and played in all eleven games, taking 23 wickets.<ref name=ESPNcricinfo/> He recorded a particularly exceptional bowling performance in a match against [[New South Wales cricket team|New South Wales]] in October 2008. In only his second List A match,<ref>{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/180/180606.html |title=Queensland v Tasmania in 2008/09 |access-date=13 March 2009 |work=CricketArchive}}</ref> he claimed 6/23, the best List A bowling figures for Queensland in two decades and the third-best of all time,<ref>{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Records/Australia/ListA/Queensland/Bowling_Records/Best_Innings_Bowling_For.html |title=Most Wickets in an Innings for Queensland |access-date=13 March 2009 |work=CricketArchive}}</ref> not only for Queensland but for any Australian domestic team.<ref name=ESPNcricinfo/> He also played in three matches in the [[2008–09 Sheffield Shield season]], but he was far less successful in the longer form of the game.<ref name=ESPNcricinfo/>

Despite having started the season only hopeful of playing a few matches for Queensland, by March Laughlin was called up to the [[Australia cricket team|Australia]] squads for a series of five [[One Day International]]s and two [[Twenty20 International]]s against [[South Africa national cricket team|South Africa]]. Laughlin and fellow fast bowler [[Brett Geeves]] were drafted into the squad to replace [[Peter Siddle]] and [[Ben Hilfenhaus]], who were being rested as a precaution before the [[2009 ICC World Twenty20]] and [[The Ashes]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 March 2009 |title=Australia give Siddle and Hilfenhaus a break |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/australia-give-siddle-and-hilfenhaus-a-break-394911 |access-date=13 March 2009 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> He did alright in the matches, finishing with four wickets in the ODIs,<ref name=cricket>{{cite web|url=https://www.cricket.com.au/players/ben-laughlin/YTlW2FLgwUyxZOZ73iN9OA|title=Ben Laughlin|access-date=16 December 2017|work=[[Cricket Australia|cricket.com.au]]}}</ref> but he didn't star in any of them. After this brief stint in the national team he was not included in Australia's squad for the [[2009 ICC World Twenty20]] and he wasn't given a [[Cricket Australia]] contract.<ref name=ESPNcricinfo/> His career went downhill quickly, as he suffered from a painful stomach injury and was only able to play six state games in the 2009–10 summer,<ref name=ESPNcricinfo/> then in 2011 he was cut from Queensland's contract list altogether.<ref>{{cite web |date=27 June 2011 |title=Carseldine, Simpson cut by Queensland |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/australian-news-lee-carseldine-chris-simpson-cut-by-queensland-520894 |access-date=16 December 2017 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref>

===Tasmania and the Hobart Hurricanes (2011–2014)===
When Laughlin was cut from Queensland's contract list he changed state teams to [[Tasmania cricket team|Tasmania]],<ref name=cricket/> joining them for the [[2011–12 Ryobi One-Day Cup]]. Echoing the start to his career for Queensland, Laughlin took his second six-wicket haul in his second match for Tasmania, also against New South Wales.<ref>{{cite web |date=4 December 2011 |title=Laughlin bowls Tasmania to victory |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/nsw-v-tasmania-ryobi-cup-canberra-ben-laughlin-bowls-tasmania-to-victory-543683 |access-date=16 December 2017 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> He also played for Tasmania's team in the new [[2011–12 Big Bash League season|Big Bash League]] (BBL), the [[Hobart Hurricanes]]. Despite being cut from Tasmania's contract list at the end of the season,<ref>{{cite web |date=2 April 2012 |title=Drew, Kruger among eight axed by Tasmania |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/australia-news-brendan-drew-nick-kruger-among-eight-axed-by-tasmania-559522 |access-date=16 November 2017 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> his form for the Hurricanes was good enough that he was named in Australia's extended 30-man squad for the [[2012 ICC World Twenty20]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Coverdale |first=Brydon |date=18 July 2012 |title=Lyon and Pattinson overlooked for World T20 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/icc-world-twenty20-2012-nathan-lyon-and-james-pattinson-overlooked-for-world-t20-572853 |access-date=16 December 2017 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref>

Though Laughlin was unable to play much cricket for Tasmania, his performances for the Hurricanes were stellar in [[2012–13 Big Bash League season|BBL{{pipe}}02]]. He took 14 wickets for the tournament, the most of any player, and was brought back into the national team for a two-match Twenty20 series against [[Sri Lanka national cricket team|Sri Lanka]].<ref name=cricket/> He didn't make the most of his opportunity and his performances were sub-par, as he fell short of the international standard and conceded 20 runs off of the final over of one of the matches.<ref>{{cite web |last=Coverdale |first=Brydon |date=29 January 2013 |title=Bailey eager to find a death bowler |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/george-bailey-eager-to-find-a-death-bowler-602590 |access-date=16 December 2017 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref>

Despite his failures in international cricket, Laughlin continued to perform strongly in domestic Twenty20 competitions in the 2013–14 season. He started to play for [[New Zealand]] team the [[Northern Districts men's cricket team|Northern Districts Knights]] and was a crucial part of the side as they won the [[Burger King Super Smash|HRV Cup]].<ref>{{cite web |date=28 October 2014 |title=Laughlin back with Northern Knights |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/laughlin-back-with-northern-knights-793509 |access-date=16 December 2017 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> including his third six-wicket haul and his first in a Twenty20 against [[Wellington cricket team]]. His figures of 6/28 equaled the record for the best bowling figures in a Twenty20 in New Zealand.<ref>{{cite web |date=19 November 2013 |title=Laughlin's six give Northern easy win |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/hrv-twenty20-2013-14-665521/wellington-vs-northern-districts-665653/match-report |access-date=16 December 2017 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> He was again the leading wicket taker for the Hurricanes, but this time only the second best in the tournament for [[2013–14 Big Bash League season|BBL{{pipe}}03]] with 18 wickets at an incredible [[strike rate]] of a wicket every 12.8 balls.<ref name=signs>{{cite web|url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/ben-laughlin-signs-with-adelaide-strikers-for-bbl04/2014-06-25|title='Death' master joins Adelaide|last=Burnett|first=Adam|date=25 June 2014|access-date=16 December 2017|work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> After three seasons with the Hurricanes he had taken 35 wickets.<ref name=verge>{{cite web|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/cricket/bbl-wickets-record-holder-ben-laughlin-says-the-adelaide-strikers-are-on-the-verge-of-something-special/news-story/41795160fa8538683f4ae98ef8ff7b38?nk=c12855ad84e52edb48b553d4a7bcdebc-1513403001|title=BBL wickets record holder Ben Laughlin says the Adelaide Strikers are on the verge of something special|last=Capel|first=Andrew|date=21 December 2015|access-date=16 December 2017|work=[[The Advertiser (Adelaide)|The Advertiser]]}}</ref>

===Adelaide Strikers (2014–2019)===
In 2014 Laughlin changed BBL teams, signing a two-year contract with the [[Adelaide Strikers]]<ref name=signs/> and continued his stellar form, taking another 13 wickets in his first season at his new club.<ref name=verge/> The next year in [[2015–16 Big Bash League season|BBL{{pipe}}05]] he became the first player in the Big Bash League to reach 50 career wickets in the tournament when he took two wickets in a match against the [[Melbourne Stars]].<ref name=verge/> He continued his strong form in [[2016–17 Big Bash League season|BBL{{pipe}}06]] with 9 wickets, still exceptional in the competition, at an [[Bowling average|average]] of 14.9 and remained the all-time leading wicket taker in the BBL.<ref name=strikers>{{cite web|url=http://www.adelaidestrikers.com.au/players/ben-laughlin|title=Ben Laughlin. Adelaide Strikers - BBL|access-date=16 December 2017|work=[[Adelaide Strikers|adelaidestrikers.com.au]]|archive-date=6 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706134544/http://www.adelaidestrikers.com.au/players/ben-laughlin|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Laughlin was also part of a controversial moment in BBL|06 during a match against the [[Sydney Thunder]]. [[Network Ten]] commentator [[Mark Howard (journalist)|Mark Howard]] gave advice to the Strikers' captain [[Brad Hodge]] on air, informing him that Laughlin had dismissed Thunder captain [[Shane Watson]] twice in his last eight balls to the batsman. Hodge then brought Laughlin on to bowl the next over. Cricket Australia investigated as the act was potentially an integrity breach.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/cricket-australia-angered-as-channel-ten-provide-onair-tactics-to-adelaide-strikers-captain-brad-hodge-20170119-gtuhfi.html|title=Cricket Australia angered as Channel Ten provide on-air tactics to Adelaide Strikers captain Brad Hodge|last=Wu|first=Andrew|date=19 January 2017|access-date=16 December 2017|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]}}</ref> In February 2017, he was bought by the [[Sunrisers Hyderabad]] team for the [[2017 Indian Premier League]] for 30 [[lakh]]s.<ref name="IPL">{{cite web |title=List of players sold and unsold at IPL auction 2017 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/list-of-players-sold-and-unsold-at-ipl-auction-2017-1083407 |access-date=20 February 2017 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref>

During [[2017–18 Big Bash League season|BBL{{pipe}}07]] Laughlin was part of what was called by [[Damien Fleming]] "the greatest outfield [[Caught|catch]] ever taken", though he was not credited for the catch on the scorecard. [[Melbourne Renegades]] batsman [[Dwayne Bravo]] hit the ball off of the bowling of [[Rashid Khan (Afghan cricketer)|Rashid Khan]] towards the boundary through the air. The ball was heading over the rope for [[Boundary (cricket)|six runs]], but Laughlin was sprinting underneath it and caught it within the boundary rope. Laughlin was unable to keep his balance and had the throw the ball backwards to keep it in the boundary, and he threw it 30 metres backwards before running over the rope. The ball was thrown far enough and high enough that teammate [[Jake Weatherald]] was able to dive and catch it. As Weatherald was the fielder to finally catch the ball, he was credited with the catch.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-23/adelaide-strikers-jake-weatherald-ben-laughlin-incredible-catch/9351566|title=Adelaide Strikers Jake Weatherald and Ben Laughlin combine for amazing catch|date=29 January 2018|access-date=9 February 2018|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]}}</ref> The Strikers, with Laughlin in the team went on to win the tournament, their first BBL title.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/8044/game/1114898/|title=Final, Big Bash League at Adelaide, Feb 4 2018. Match Summary|access-date=9 February 2018|work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref>

===Brisbane Heat (2019–2022)===
After being delisted in Adelaide after BBL08 Ben rejoined former Queensland teammates for the first few years of the Covid era BBL bubble.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.brisbaneheat.com.au/players/ben-laughlin | title=Player Profiles }}</ref>

===T20 franchise career===
In September 2018, he was named in Balkh's squad in the [[2018–19 Afghanistan Premier League|first edition]] of the [[Afghanistan Premier League]] tournament.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.crictracker.com/afghanistan-premier-league-2018-all-you-need-to-know-from-the-player-draft/ |title=Afghanistan Premier League 2018 – All you need to know from the player draft |work=CricTracker |date=10 September 2018 |access-date=10 September 2018}}</ref>

==Player profile==
Laughlin is an exceptional [[pace bowler]], the all-time leading wicket taker in the [[Big Bash League]].<ref name=strikers/> His bowling mainly relies on bowling [[outswinger]]s and changing his pace, sometimes bowling faster deliveries and sometimes bowling slower deliveries.<ref name=ESPNcricinfo/> He developed his [[Off cutter|off-cutter]] slower ball variation because of his time spent bowling off-spin early in his career.<ref name=spinner/> He is known as a "death bowler", as many of his wickets are taken in the final overs of a Twenty20 match, known as the "death" of the innings.<ref name=signs/>

Laughlin is one of few Australian international cricketers in the 21st century who also kept a "normal" occupation during his cricket career, as he continued to work as a [[carpenter]] throughout his career, giving up days of work whenever he had to play cricket.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/cricket/recalled-australian-paceman-ben-laughlin-sharpens-his-tools-on-and-off-the-field/news-story/f677b81c87b8313309e486dcce4c8008?nk=c12855ad84e52edb48b553d4a7bcdebc-1513403932|title=Recalled Australian paceman Ben Laughlin sharpens his tools on and off the field|last=Stubbs|first=Brett|date=21 January 2013|access-date=16 December 2017|work=[[The Mercury (Hobart)|The Mercury]]}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{cricinfo}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Laughlin, Ben}}
[[Category:1982 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Cricketers from Melbourne]]
[[Category:Australian cricketers]]
[[Category:Australia One Day International cricketers]]
[[Category:Australia Twenty20 International cricketers]]
[[Category:Queensland cricketers]]
[[Category:Tasmania cricketers]]
[[Category:Hobart Hurricanes cricketers]]
[[Category:Nagenahira Nagas cricketers]]
[[Category:Australian expatriate cricketers in Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Canterbury cricketers]]
[[Category:Chennai Super Kings cricketers]]
[[Category:Northern Districts cricketers]]
[[Category:Antigua Hawksbills cricketers]]
[[Category:Adelaide Strikers cricketers]]
[[Category:Quetta Gladiators cricketers]]
[[Category:Rajasthan Royals cricketers]]
[[Category:Balkh Legends cricketers]]
[[Category:Guyana Amazon Warriors cricketers]]
[[Category:Brisbane Heat cricketers]]
[[Category:Australian expatriate sportspeople in Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Australian expatriate sportspeople in New Zealand]]
[[Category:Expatriate cricketers in Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Australian expatriate cricketers in India]]
[[Category:Expatriate cricketers in New Zealand]]
[[Category:Australian expatriate cricketers in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Expatriate sportspeople in Antigua and Barbuda]]
[[Category:Expatriate sportspeople in Guyana]]
[[Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen]]

Ben Laughlin (cricketer) - Revision history

Aidan93118681: Started New Article.