South Africa’s opening batter Lizelle Lee has left the Melbourne Stars and joined their rivals Melbourne Renegades for the WBBL Season 6 after a three-year stint with the Stars.
Lee is one of South Africa’s most experienced T20 players with 74 international T20’s appearances to her name and scoring 1664 runs as an opener. Lee is known for her aggressive batting style in the powerplay period which will be of great help to the Renegades. In her three-year stint with the Stars, she managed to score 1100 runs while picking up 2 centuries and 7 half-centuries.
Lee was also named in South Africa’s squad for the most recent ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia. Lee managed to score her first century in T20I cricket with her brilliant knock of 101 runs in South Africa’s match against Thailand.
SIGNED: Sophie Molineux locked in for another two years and welcome to two-time WBBL century maker Lizelle Lee!
Sophie and Lizelle are among some key signings ahead of the WBBL|06 season.
More: https://t.co/ysPTOjwTGS #GETONRED pic.twitter.com/wzH03KqVBz
— Renegades WBBL (@RenegadesWBBL) July 30, 2020
“I’m thrilled to be heading back to the WBBL and joining a new team will provide some extra motivation,” Lee said.
“The Renegades have done well recently and hopefully I can make a positive impact. I’ve had the pleasure of playing against a lot of these players in the WBBL and internationally, but it’ll be nice to be on the same team this time,” she added.
Renegades also managed to retain World Cup-winning Australia all-rounder and opening batsman Sophie Molineux, who has committed to a new two-year deal. Molineux has been with the Renegades since the inauguration of WBBL.
“It has been a special privilege to be a part of the club since the beginning of the WBBL,” Molineux said. “In that time it’s been a huge highlight to have formed some really incredible friendships with many people across the club. It feels as though every year the competition reaches a new standard and so it’s another exciting challenge for us this season. I’m very much looking forward to it.”
In other WBBL news, Brisbane Heat announced Australian star spinner Jess Jonassen will captain Brisbane Heat in the approaching WBBL as she signed a three-year contract extension with the Heat and ex-captain Kirby Short retired with a trophy-winning season last year. Jonassen was an integral part of the Heat last year, ending the season with 49 runs and was Heat’s leading wicket-taker with an impressive 21 wickets.
🔒 THREE YEARS
👩✈️ CAPTAINAussie Superstar @JJonassen21 has signed a new long-term deal and taken over the reigns as skipper.
👉 https://t.co/AdJ6suIZ07#BringTheHeat #WBBL06 pic.twitter.com/4hkuYgyQL5
— Brisbane Heat (@HeatBBL) July 29, 2020
“We know we will be tested on a number of fronts this summer, but I firmly believe we should embrace those challenges and be ready to perform to the best of our ability, individually and as a squad,” Jonassen said. “We have seen the WBBL perform an increasingly valuable role in growing the game with women and girls and inspiring them to support and participate in cricket, especially when you see how big the World Cup was for the game in this country.
“As a Heat player, the memories of the support we received at home and away in the past two championship seasons from our fans, and our friends and families still gives me goosebumps and it is the greatest incentive we have to produce our best again this season. With Kirby stepping down after playing such an influential role with the club, it’s a privilege to take on the job as skipper, and I’m excited to be part of what we are building here.”
Heat coach Ashley Noffke was confident that Jonassen would be a good fit as Heat captain
“JJ has been a senior player in the group for some time and we know the special qualities she can bring to the group. Her international experience is a bonus for us in terms of how we will look to operate within the squad,” Noffke said.
“The leadership is a great chance for her to take her game to another level again after really impressing with her consistency in the past two seasons, which is why we believe she is such an important signing,” Noffke added
The WBBL 6 is scheduled to begin on the weekend of October 17-18
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