On 18th June 2024, the Hobart Hurricanes announced the signing of Lauren Smith to their WBBL squad from Sydney Thunder ahead of the 2024-25 Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) season.
Smith, a right-arm off-break bowler, played for Sydney Thunder in the previous season (from 2020/21) and for Sydney Sixers from 2015/16 to 2019/20. She has played 124 matches in total for the Thunder and the Sixers, having debuted as a 19-year-old in the inaugural season of WBBL.
Smith, aged 27, expressed her excitement about joining the Hobart Hurricanes, stating, “I’m really excited for the opportunity to be playing in purple.” She also explained that she has loved her time in Tasmania playing for the Tigers and is looking forward to the forthcoming WBBL season 10.
She competes for the Tasmanian Tigers in the Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL), Australia’s premier 50-over women’s cricket tournament. This signing is highly valuable for the Hurricanes due to her exceptional cricketing skills, including powerful lower-order batting, talented off-spin bowling, and outstanding fielding abilities.
Lauren Smith has been part of the WBBL since its inception in WBBL season 01, making her one of the only Hurricanes listed players to do so. Her extensive experience will be crucial as the Hurricanes aim for their maiden WBBL title.
In WBBL season 09, Smith featured in nine matches for the Sydney Thunder, where she took 11 wickets with best figures of 3/16 to have her career-best season wickets total. As of 2024, her tally stands at 74 wickets in the WBBL, reflecting her impactful contributions over the years.
Cricket Tasmania’s High-Performance General Manager, Salliann Beams, was excited about the prospect of Smith playing WBBL in purple. Beams said, “When the opportunity arose for Loz to come and play for the Hurricanes, it was an easy decision for us, she has all the skills required to succeed in WBBL cricket.”
Beams discussed how they have seen her take down bowling attacks in the WNCL with the bat and take crucial wickets at important moments in matches, expressing confidence that this will translate in purple. He emphasized that her experience on the field, along with all she brings off it, will make her a vital component of the Hurricanes list as they continue to find ways to improve.
Lauren Smith joins Heather Graham, Ruth Johnston, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Amy Smith, Molly Strano, and Rachel Trenaman as confirmed Hurricanes players for WBBL|10. Additional signings and re-signings will be announced in the upcoming weeks.