Perth Scorchers centurion Simmons set for IPL contract

Burly club cricketer Craig Simmons didn't even have a contract with a Big Bash League team at the start of the Australian summer, but now is in line to land an Indian Premier League (IPL) contract after becoming the first man to hit two hundreds in a Big Bash season.

Playing for the Perth Scorchers, Simmons smashed 112 off just 58 balls in a semi-final against Sydney Sixers at the SCG.

Three weeks go, the left-hander set the record for the fastest ever Big Bash century, reaching triple figures off just 39 balls against Adelaide Strikers.

Those two innings sent the Twitter sphere into meltdown with thousands of fans calling for IPL franchises to pick Simmons up at this month's player auction, reports news.com.au.

Last week the IPL released a list of 651 players from around the globe who will be available for purchase in this year's tournament, and thankfully for the 31-year-old, his name was on it.

That doesn't guarantee him a contract, but it would surely be a travesty if the hard-hitting batsman was overlooked for the Twenty20 showcase.

It would complete an incredible late-career bloom for Simmons, who made his domestic cricket debut back in 2005 and averages just 15.58 in first-class cricket.