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From Capsey to Kapp and Kaur to Kerr: the overseas stars in the WBBL

England, India, New Zealand, South Africa and West Indies are represented this season

Andrew McGlashan
Andrew McGlashan
09-Oct-2022
Sophie Devine has been prolific during her Perth Scorchers career  •  Getty Images

Sophie Devine has been prolific during her Perth Scorchers career  •  Getty Images

There is another strong collection of international stars arriving for the WBBL. Here's where they'll be playing (As of October 9, subject to change)

Suzie Bates (Sydney Sixers)

The leading run-scorer in T20Is is back in the WBBL after missing last season and is set to form Sixers' opening pair alongside Alyssa Healy. Bates has been in excellent form this year with runs throughout the ODI World Cup, Commonwealth Games, Hundred and tour of West Indies (plus a few wickets in the latter).

Tammy Beaumont (Sydney Thunder)

Beaumont has lost her England T20I place but brings a vast amount of experience to Thunder where she will have a key role at the top of the order. She has scored 1063 runs from 55 WBBL innings and will be looking to increase a strike-rate of 94.23. Had a lean end to the home season, not reaching 20 in her last nine innings in various competitions

Alice Capsey (Melbourne Stars)

One of the most exciting young players in the game, 18-year-old Capsey has followed Hundred success with evidence of her talent on the international stage. Has been used sparingly with the ball by England so far, but don't be surprised to see her used significantly by Stars.

Sophie Devine (Perth Scorchers)

Devine is the leading overseas run-scorer in WBBL by a comfortable margin - 3076 at 39.94 and a strike-rate of 128.81 - and will again line up for the defending champions, forming a formidable combination with Beth Mooney at the top of the order.

Deandra Dottin (Adelaide Strikers)

Now, effectively, a freelancer cricketer having retired from the international game, Dottin will be at her third club in Strikers. She will hope to improve on her overall modest WBBL record, but recently led Trinbago to the inaugural WCPL title where she was the leading run-scorer and player of the tournament.

Mignon du Preez (Hobart Hurricanes)

Hurricanes' leading run-scorer last season with 414, du Preez will hope for more support in this campaign. She now focuses on T20 having retired from ODIs and Tests following the World Cup earlier this year. Is closing in on becoming the third overseas player to 2000 WBBL runs after Devine and Rachel Priest.

Sophie Ecclestone (Sydney Sixers)

The world's No.1-ranked bowler across ODIs and T20Is, left-arm spinner Ecclestone will play in the WBBL for the first time as part of a Sixers side looking to rebound after three poor seasons under new head coach Charlotte Edwards. The team specifically targeted a left-arm spinner, having had India's Radha Yadav last year, and could not have gone for a better option.

Maddy Green (Perth Scorchers)

With the top order well looked after, Scorchers have recruited Green with an eye on bolstering the middle order. She has previously played 28 games for Heat, averaging 17.52 with a strike-rate of 104.28. Was impressive in tough conditions in West Indies. She is also an excellent fielder.

Shabnim Ismail (Melbourne Renegades)

One of the fastest bowlers in the world is back at her original club after a spell at Thunder were she produced some rapid spells and had an economy rate of just 5.72. Will help cover for the absence of Tayla Vlaeminck who remains sidelined with injury.

Hayley Jensen (Hobart Hurricanes)

The New Zealand allrounder, who was drafted in by Hurricanes as a replacement player in 2020, has been signed following the withdrawal of England's Issy Wong. Her bowling has proved effective on the recent tour of West Indies.

Amy Jones (Sydney Thunder)

After a break of a couple of seasons, Jones returns to the WBBL for her third club following spells with Sixers and Scorchers. She arrives having captained England in the final stage of their home season and joins team-mate Beaumont at the club.

Marizanne Kapp (Perth Scorchers)

The South Africa allrounder is something of a trophy-winning machine having been part of back-to-back Hundred titles with Oval Invincibles alongside last season's WBBL title with Scorchers - and she was Player of the Match in all three finals. Her 102 WBBL wickets make her comfortably the leading overseas bowler in the tournament's history.

Harmanpreet Kaur (Melbourne Renegades)

One of the in-form players around the world at the moment. Harmanpreet, India's captain, enjoyed a prolific ODI series in England and also had an impact in the Commonwealth Games with 65 against Australia. Is a well-known force in WBBL with 1119 runs at 41.44 and a strike-rate of 121.63. Will likely miss the start due to the Asia Cup.

Amelia Kerr (Brisbane Heat)

Kerr, the legspinning allrounder, is back in WBBL having missed last year as she took a break from the game. She has had a terrific year across formats, beginning with the prolific batting form that led into the ODI World Cup and has recently been very consistent with the ball in the Commonwealth Games, Hundred and in West Indies. Her 31 wickets for Heat have come at just 20.16 with an economy of 5.80.

Jess Kerr (Brisbane Heat)

The sister of Amelia who is a swing bowler has been drafted in by Heat as cover due to the later arrivals of Danni Wyatt and Pooja Vastrakar.

Lizelle Lee (Hobart Hurricanes)

Like Dottin, Lee is now a freelance cricketer having retired from South Africa duty amid a stand-off with the board. She has two WBBL hundreds, both made for Stars, and her move to Hurricanes comes after she opted out last year due to bubble fatigue.

Hayley Matthews (Melbourne Renegades)

At her best, Matthews is a dynamic player with bat and ball. After five seasons with Hurricanes she has moved to Renegades and will be looking to improve on batting returns of an average of 18.02 and strike-rate of 98.18. Her bowling has brought more WBBL success, though, with 40 wickets.

Jemimah Rodrigues (Melbourne Stars)

Rodrigues has moved across town from Renegades where she was their second-leading run-scorer last season. She was in superb form during the Commonwealth Games before picking up an injury at the Hundred. Is part of the Asia Cup squad, so will likely miss early matches.

Chloe Tryon (Sydney Thunder)

Tryon, the South Africa allrounder, has previously represented Hurricanes and will bring power to Thunder's middle order with a T20I strike-rate of 139.13 - the highest of anyone who has played at least fifty innings. In the recent 6IXTY competition in the Caribbean she struck 63 off 29 balls.

Pooja Vastrakar (Brisbane Heat)

The allrounder was considered a little unlucky not to bag a deal last season, especially as the Indian players were already in Australia at a time when border restrictions were still in place. This time, however, she has been picked up by Heat who have previously had Poonam Yadav and Smriti Mandhana. Will likely be tasked with bringing some power to the middle order.

Lauren Winfield-Hill (Melbourne Stars)

Winfield-Hill, who has previously played 41 WBBL matches, has lost her England place but, in her own words, has "fallen in love" in the game again after struggling through the Covid years. The results have shown on-field where she impressed in the Hundred for Oval Invincibles, striking at 136.02, then finishing the domestic season in prolific style for Northern Diamonds as they won the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint trophy.

Danni Wyatt (Brisbane Heat)

Having played 55 matches for Renegades between 2015 and 2019, which brought 1345 runs, Wyatt returns to the tournament with a new team. On the Ashes tour of Australia earlier this year she made 70 off 54 balls in the T20I in Adelaide which began the series. Will have a delayed arrival due to workload management.

Laura Wolvaardt (Adelaide Strikers)

Wolvaardt returns for another season at the top of Strikers' order after finishing as their second-highest run-maker last season. Her off-side strokeplay can be highlight reel in itself, but she will want to convert some of the starts into more substantial contributions after two fifties in 16 innings last time out and four overall from 45 WBBL knocks.

Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo