Photo Credit: Melbourne Renegades
A wealth of English talent, including the international captain and former Sydney Thunder top-order bat, Heather Knight, have officially put their hand up for next month’s inaugural Weber WBBL Overseas Player Draft.
The current English captain, Knight is looking to make a return to the competition this summer after missing WBBL|08 due to injury. Making 16 appearances for the Thunder, Knight played a crucial role in leading the club to their second title in WBBL|05 as the team’s leading run-scorer in the championship winning season.
Eligible for retention with the Thunder, the upcoming season would mark Knight’s seventh overall in the WBBL, if selected.
About Retention Picks:
- Players in both the WBBL & BBL Overseas Player Drafts will be an eligible retention player if they fit any of the following criteria:
- Have been in a Big Bash team squad for a minimum of two seasons and haven’t been contracted to another team since
- Have been in a Big Bash team squad the previous season
- Was in a team squad last season but did not play in the starting 13 and have been approved by the Big Bash Technical Committee
- Is otherwise approved by the Big Bash Technical Committee due to exceptional circumstances
The forthcoming Draft has also been electrified by nominations from some of England’s most exceptional batting talents.
After scoring an incredible 208 runs in the first innings of the recent Ashes Test and becoming the first women to hit a century in The Hundred, top order batter and potential Thunder retention pick, Tammy Beaumont has additionally put her name forward for the Draft.
A fellow WBBL|05 championship player, Beaumont notched 194 runs from her 12 appearances with the Thunder last summer.
A formidable group of English bowlers have put their names forward for selection, including Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn, Lauren Bell, and former Thunder fast bowler, Issy Wong.
Ecclestone, currently ranked first in the ICC T20I Bowling and tenth in the T20I All-Rounder rankings, has put her name forward for a second WBBL season, while Glenn is looking to play her second WBBL season.
One of England’s top T20 batters and potential Brisbane Heat retention pick Danielle Wyatt is hoping to return for another WBBL season as are Lauren Winfield-Hill and Alice Capsey who are both eligible retention picks for the Melbourne Stars.
Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia’s General Manager of Big Bash Leagues, said:
“We are extremely excited by these nominations. We saw the immense strength and depth of talent the English side has in the Women’s Ashes series earlier in the year, and we are excited so many of those players, including their captain, have put their names forward for consideration in the Weber WBBL Overseas Player Draft.
“With less than three weeks until the Draft, the anticipation is growing, and we know our domestic players and clubs alike are keen to see which top international talent will be Drafted to their team lists.”
The inaugural Weber WBBL Overseas Player Draft is set to be broadcast on Fox Cricket on September 3. Further details including additional nominations and the Platinum player list will be released in the coming weeks.
The Weber WBBL|09 season begins on October 19. Tickets are on sale to the general public at midday, Monday August 21.
