Photo Credit: Adelaide Strikers
The Adelaide Strikers have filled their third WBBL overseas list slot, signing English all-rounder Georgia Adams post-draft.
Adams will reunite with her Southern Brave Assistant Coach Luke Williams at the Strikers, in what will be her first time in the WBBL.
Only a month ago, Adams and Williams won the Hundred together, with Adams topping the competitions wicket tally.
It’s been an interesting journey for Adams to become a leading wicket taker – from her only starting to play formalised cricket in her early teens and growing from a medium pace bowler, to a top order batter, to now being a fully-fledged all-rounder (who bowls off-spin).
Despite having a cricketing family, with her father Chris representing England in the late 90s and captaining Sussex, it took Adams a while to properly join a team.
“I’ve been around cricket for as long as I remember really, I was in the nets every day whilst watching my dad,” Adams said.
“I was maybe 12 or 13 years old before I hit a proper cricket ball and Clare Connor, who was captain of England and Sussex at the time, vaguely knew my dad and one day she asked him why haven’t you sent your daughter to Sussex trials, I’ve seen her playing in the outfield a few times and she can play.
“He actually still never did, I think my school actually nominated me and I got into the Under 13s and it went from there.
“It was quite a nice upbringing with not too much pressure on my shoulders and not too much coaching really, I sort of learned my own way.”
From there, Adams played at college, university, in academies and under-age English sides, starting out as a medium-pace bowler batting seven or eight, until being given the opportunity around 16 to open the batting and from then on, she was a top order batter.
She kept working on her bowling, with off-break now her style, but it wasn’t until this seasons’ championship winning The Hundred season where her bowling really stood out.
“For me, the biggest thing that has come out of The Hundred is that it’s made me focus on my bowling,” Adams said.
“I got the opportunity and got thrown the ball a fair few times and the coaches were saying you need to take it more seriously because it’s pretty effective and you could be an all-rounder.
“I never expected to lead the wickets tally in a million years and it was pretty cool to go win the tournament.”
It was at the Brave where Adams struck up a relationship with Strikers Head Coach Williams, which helped her secure her shot in the Big Bash.
“It was really cool to get two years working with him and using his knowledge, Luke’s a great guy and I’ve got a great relationship with him,” she said.
“We say he is a bit of a cricket ‘badger’.” (Or a nuffie for those of us in Australia).
“I was really excited to get the opportunity to go out there and see Luke as a head coach, as he was brilliant as an assistant for us over here.”
Williams said it was a pleasure working with Adams at the Southern Brave during the last couple of seasons.
“Georgia is someone that consistently performs in domestic cricket in the UK and is able to perform in a number of different roles with bat, ball and in the field,” Williams said.
“Her adaptability and ability to perform under pressure is something that stood out and fitted what we we’re looking for.
“Georgia is a great team person who has some experience in leadership positions as well, so I have no doubt that Georgia will fit in fantastically with the Strikers group and I’m really looking forward to her contribution.”
Now, Adams simply can’t wait for October to be involved in her first Big Bash.
“It can’t come soon enough, I’m over the moon to have the opportunity, it’s been a tournament that I’ve followed for many years and one I’ve always wanted to play in,” Adams said.
“It’s up there with being the best franchise tournament around in the women’s game, so I’m ecstatic to have the opportunity and I can’t wait to get out there.”
Adams is the third overseas signing for the Strikers in WBBL|09, after Laura Wolvaardt and Dani Gibson were drafted in the inaugural WBBL Draft.
