Photo Credit: Perth Scorchers
Perth Scorchers have added a pair of familiar international players ahead of the Weber WBBL|09 season, securing title-winning captain Sophie Devine and experienced English wicketkeeper batter Amy Jones in the inaugural WBBL Overseas Player Draft.
Devine returns for her fourth season in orange after being retained with the Scorchers’ Platinum selection (pick two, matching Melbourne Renegades’ bid).
The powerful allrounder is among the competition’s most admired leaders, renowned for her strong interpersonal qualities and excellent tactical nous.
These traits were consistently on show when Devine became Perth’s first championship-winning skipper in WBBL|07.
She finished that campaign with 442 runs at 34, including two half-centuries and a memorable century against Sydney Thunder in Launceston.
Crowned Player of the Tournament in WBBL|05 and WBBL|06, Devine sits third on the competition’s list for runs scored, compiling 3,258 runs (three centuries, 19 half-centuries) including 1,084 for the Scorchers.
Additionally, Devine has claimed 84 wickets at 23.29 (13th all-time) bowling her versatile medium pace at all stages of the innings.
Meanwhile, Jones returns to the Scorchers fold, having represented the club during WBBL|04-06.
Jones’ prized signature was secured via ‘direct nomination’, which made her unavailable for selection in Sunday’s inaugural WBBL Draft.
An elegant right-hand bat and silky wicketkeeper, Jones will add to her games tally in orange after representing the club 32 times in her three seasons with the club.
In 51 WBBL appearances (including 19 with Sydney Thunder), she has tallied 938 runs at 23.45, including six half-centuries.
Jones has also earned 174 caps for England across all formats, scoring 3044 runs since her debut in 2013. In addition, her 156 dismissals ranks her second all-time for her country.
Most recently, she scored 163 runs at 32.60 The Hundred for Birmingham Phoenix, where she appeared alongside Scorchers’ skipper Devine.
Perth’s third overseas signing, dynamic England batter Danni Wyatt will not represent the club in WBBL|09, after withdrawing from the tournament citing fatigue.
Wyatt was selected with Pick 11 (Gold Round) by the Scorchers.
The club is currently on the search for Wyatt’s replacement, with several international players still available.
