Strikers sign South Africa skipper: Dane van Niekerk incorporates a modern WBBL domestic, replacing New Zealand’s Suzie Bates at Adelaide Strikers. The Adelaide Strikers will do without captain Suzie Bates this season from Weber WBBL, but they have moved quickly to sign a notable replacement, with South Africa captain Dane van Niekerk joining the club. New Zealand star Bates has been a fixture in blue since WBBL | 02, but she withdrew from WBBL | 07 due to difficulties with international travel after the closing of the trans-Tasman bubble.
The all-rounder has toured England with the White Ferns. And the team is guaranteed their hotel quarantine spots when they return to New Zealand this week. Bates would not have had such a guarantee if he had gone to Big Bash in Australia; With a strict cap on places in managed isolation, more than 30,000 kiwis around the world are waiting to return home, a cohort that includes players stranded in Australia when the NRLW season was postponed last month.
“At the time I had to make the decision. I had a spot booked by New Zealand Cricket. To get me back into NZ and if I gave it up to fly straight to Australia. There was a high chance of being stranded in Australia post the Big Bash,” Bates explained.
Meanwhile, the Brisbane Heat have confirmed the resignation of rhythm bowling all-rounder Courtney Sippel. And the admission of young top-level hitter Ellie Johnson, who signed her first contract with Big Bash. Sippel, 20, has played seven WBBL matches | 06. And she played in Queensland’s WNCL final victory over Victoria, winning three wickets in the tiebreaker. Johnson was also part of that triumphant Fire XI after making her debut earlier in the season.
Strikers WBBL|07 list so far
Darcie Brown*, Sarah Coyte, Tahlia McGrath*, Tegan McPharlin, Katie Mack, Bridget Patterson, Maddie Penna, Dane van Niekerk (SA), Amanda-Jade Wellington, Laura Wolvaardt (SA)
In: Dane van Niekerk (Sixers), Jemma Barsby (Scorchers)
Out: Suzie Bates, Ellen Falconer (Renegades)
WBBL|06 players off contract
Megan Schutt*, Annie Neil, Alex Price, Stafanie Taylor (WI)
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