Laura Harris, one of the most dynamic power hitters in women’s cricket, has signed with the Sydney Thunder for the eleventh season of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL). Harris, who has been a cornerstone of the Brisbane Heat for the past ten years, is ready to take on a new challenge in her illustrious career.
The 34-year-old leaves the Heat as their second most capped player, having played 123 matches since 2015. Across her time with the franchise, Harris accumulated 1,275 runs at a blistering strike rate of 159.17. Her finest performance came in 2022, when she smashed 270 runs at a strike rate of 204.54 with an unbeaten 68 against the Hobart Hurricanes. Despite these achievements, her WBBL 10 campaign ended on a sour note with a golden duck in the final against the champions Melbourne Renegades.
Harris is widely regarded as a Power Surge expert, known for her clean striking and ability to accelerate the innings at any stage. She boasts a career T20 strike rate of 167 and scored her maiden century (102* off 46) for the Heat during the T20 Spring Challenge, days out from WBBL 10.
Sydney Thunder, who lost to Harris’ former team Brisbane Heat in the Challenger final last season, will look to her experience and aggressive style to bolster their middle-order batting, which struggled for consistency outside the top three.
Excited about her move, Harris expressed her admiration for her new team, “I’ve watched Sydney Thunder from afar, and there’s so much talent in the group. Players like Phoebe Litchfield have been really inspiring to watch – they just play with so much freedom.”
“There’s also a lot of exciting young talent in the Thunder squad, and I’m looking forward to bringing a bit of calmness and experience to help everyone back themselves and play their own game,” Harris added.
In another key signing, the Thunder have brought in 19-year-old leg-spinner and all-rounder Hasrat Gill from the Melbourne Stars. Gill, who is expected to feature in Australia’s U19 World Cup squad, showcased her talent during October’s Spring Challenge with a three-wicket haul against the Thunder. She also delivered standout performances in an U19 tri-series in Sri Lanka, including an unbeaten 40 and a 4-20 against England.
The 10-day WBBL Player Movement Window is now closed with these major moves announced on deadline day, following Tess Flintoff’s move to Renegades revealed a day before. The Player Movement Window allows WBBL teams to secure a maximum of 10 contracted players before a league-wide embargo on further signings is imposed. Clubs will have the chance to finalize their rosters when the contracting period resumes in March 2025.
Sydney Thunder squad for WBBL 11 (so far):
Chamari Athapaththu, Sam Bates, Hannah Darlington, Hasrat Gill, Laura Harris, Anika Learoyd, Phoebe Litchfield, Taneale Peschel, Georgia Voll, Tahlia Wilson
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