Photo Credit: Brisbane Heat
The WBBL Brisbane Heat are nearing the finalisation of their squad for this summer’s Weber Women’s Big Bash League.
The Heat today announced ACT Meteors pace bowler Zoe Cooke had re-signed for a second season with the club while exciting teenage leg-spinner Grace Parsons will embark on her first summer in the WBBL.
Cooke, 26, joined the Heat for the first-time last summer and while not playing a match during Brisbane’s run to the semi-finals, impressed the club hierarchy with her values and commitment to the team.
She followed up her BBL stint with a series of strong bowling efforts for the Meteors in the Women’s National Cricket League on the way to a haul of 12 wickets at 15.58 from eight games including a best of 3-5 against Victoria.
Parsons, a Lismore product who plays for the Gold Coast Dolphins in the Katherine Raymont Shield as part of the KFC Queensland Premier Cricket competition, made a stand-out debut for the Queensland Fire in the WNCL last season.
She claimed 4-33 on debut against South Australia and went on to play six games for the Fire in her maiden WNCL season.
Parsons, who turns 19 this month, also claimed 15 wickets in seven matches for the Queensland Under-19 women’s team that were undefeated on the way to clinching the National championships in Adelaide at the end of the season.
She was named in the Cricket Australia Team of the Tournament for her efforts.
Heat coach Ashley Noffke said the addition of Cooke and Parsons strengthened the squad in several areas.
“Zoe is an absolute champion human being,’’ he said.
“She brought an enormous sense of perspective to the group and made the most of every opportunity, even when she wasn’t in the playing XI.”
“It was great to see her have a strong WNCL season after the WBBL. She’s a skilful player and we are fortunate to have her in the group again.”
Noffke said the addition of another spin bowling option to the 15-player Heat squad gave them more options for the coming season.
“Grace is a great little character, and she’s a very calm person underneath as well,’’ he said.
“It’s a tough craft, leg spin, but she’s already shown that she is prepared to handle the rigours of domestic cricket.”
“We’re thrilled she will have the experience of being a part of the WBBL with us. The chance to work with Jess Jonassen and Amelia Kerr, two of the finest slow bowlers in the game, is just immeasurable for her development.
“It’s rewarding to know she is with the Heat, and we’re excited about her prospects.”
Cooke was awarded the Community Impact Award by Cricket Australia earlier in the year for her environmental advocacy and volunteer work with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
A volunteer coach at her club Wests in Canberra, she has also devoted her time to help a wide range of causes such the World Wildlife Foundation, Black Dog Institute and Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The Heat has one final contract to announce ahead of WBBL|08 that gets underway on Thursday 13 October when the Heat take on the Sydney Sixers at Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay.
Tickets to all WBBL Heat matches will be available via pre-sale from next Tuesday (August 16) and available to the public from next Thursday (August 18) through Ticketek.com.au.
The Brisbane Heat Fan Day will make its return on Sunday September 4, with the free event providing a lead-in to the Final of the men’s KFC T20 Max competition at Allan Border Field.
WBBL and BBL players will attend the morning event from 11am which will also feature T20 Blast games for kids and giveaways.
The decider of the T20 Max competition will get underway from 1pm. That event is also free.
2022-23 WBBL Brisbane Heat Squad
Jess Jonassen (c)
Amelia Kerr (Int)
Pooja Vastrakar (int)
Zoe Cooke
Nicola Hancock
Grace Harris
Laura Harris
Mikayla Hinkley
Ellie Johnston
Charli Knott
Grace Parsons (new)
Georgia Redmayne
Courtney Sippel
Georgia Voll
