No spoilers for Tye's Phantom menace

In end, the much-hyped new mystery ball of Perth Scorchers quick Andrew Tye, which he's christened the Phantom, certainly lived up to its name.

Talk in the commentary box during Perth's thumping win over the Sydney Thunder on Monday night was that the right-armer, famous for his use of the knuckle ball, was going to unveil his newest trick on the big stage for the first time.

But Tye says the Phantom was just that on Sunday night and never actually made an appearance.

However, the 30-year-old was happy to join in the hype and add to the mystery of his latest variation.

"I can't give too much away," Tye told cricket.com.au with a grin after his side's 50-run win at the WACA Ground.

"It's a work in progress and the moment and, as the name suggests, the Phantom – it might not even be true.

"I'll keep practicing it in the nets and see what happens. I'm keeping it a secret for now."

Tye's famous knuckle ball, which has bamboozled batsmen in the KFC Big Bash League for years now, has earned him the reputation as one of the best death bowlers in the country.

It also earned him selection in Australia's T20 side last summer, a role he's keen to resume for the series against Sri Lanka in February.

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A late bloomer in top-level cricket – he didn't make his domestic debut until he was 26 – Tye says a new delivery can take up to 18 months from its original conception to his maiden appearance in a match.

The development of a delivery can have the most humble of beginnings; Tye says he watches other matches with a ball in his hand and tries out different grips and hand movements before giving them a go in the nets.

He also seeks out feedback from others, including from outside the game; Tye has spoken with several Perth Heat baseball players, whose ability to change their grip on ball can dramatically change the pace, dip and swing of a pitch.

He says the development of a knuckle ball – something reasonably common among baseball pitchers – has taught him that unveiling a new delivery in the high-pressure environment of a BBL game requires plenty of patience.

"As I learnt with the knuckle ball, it takes about a year or a year-and-a-half to master it," he said.

"But bowlers have to try and do something different.

"The way the game is going, you have to find something that works because the batters are just attacking you all the time.

"If you can try and bamboozle them, then that helps in your favour."

Tye's frugal spell of 1-16 from four overs on Sunday helped the Scorchers move to the top of BBL ladder ahead of their top-of-the-table clash with the Brisbane Heat on Thursday night.

While the lure of an international return against Sri Lanka in February under the watch of Scorchers coach Justin Langer is strong, Tye is staying focused on what should be yet another finals campaign for the BBL|03 and BBL|04 champions.

"It would be nice to be back in Australian colours, I'm not going to lie about that," he said.

"But at the moment I'm taking it game by game. We're starting to get on a roll here at the Scorchers and the Scorchers come first."