SAN FRANCISCO UNICORNS LAND AUSTRALIAN RISING STAR OLIVER PEAKE

The San Francisco Unicorns have bolstered their 2026 Cognizant Major League Cricket (MLC) title ambitions with the signing of 19-year-old Australian rising star Oliver Peake.

Peake won the 2024 Under-19 World Cup with his country, and followed that with a run to the semi-finals as captain at the 2026 version, where he produced back-to-back centuries against the West Indies and England. Peake arrives in MLC as one of the game’s most exciting young talents, further confirmed by a breakout Big Bash League (BBL) campaign.

Known for a composed technique and game intelligence beyond his years, the left-hand batter is set to provide additional middle-order batting strength for the Unicorns, who will be looking to land their first MLC title on home turf at the Oakland Coliseum this summer.

Peake’s performances for the Melbourne Renegades in BBL 15, in which he averaged 33 across six matches, including a high score of 57 off 29 balls, has demonstrated his ability to step up onto the big stage against world-class bowling attacks. He has also been a key red ball player for his state, Victoria, in the in their run to the final of the Sheffield Shield.

Oliver Peake, San Francisco Unicorns’ latest signing, said: “Through my time with the Victoria set-up, I’m well aware of the MLC’s growth and the Unicorns’ ambitions. They’ve built a consistently strong roster with aggressive openers, classy middle-order batting, and world-class bowling attacks. I’m excited to be a part of a successful tournament this summer, as we aim to land our first championship at the Oakland Coliseum.”

Cameron White, Head Coach of San Francisco Unicorns, said: “Bringing in a player of Ollie’s potential to the Unicorns is a huge boost to our Championship hopes for this season. His form and experience as Australia’s age-grade captain and in the last BBL show he has what it takes in terms of building an innings and boundary-hitting prowess. I look forward to working with him in the coming months.”

Oliver Peake joins fellow Australian internationals Aaron Hardie, franchise captain Matt Short, and all-rounder Cooper Connolly in the 2026 Unicorns’ roster, as well as new signing and Indian legend Ravichandran Ashwin.

Tickets for the 2026 Major League Cricket season are available now at tickets.majorleaguecricket.com.