Australian leg-spin all-rounder Amanda-Jade Wellington has secured a new opportunity in England, signing as an overseas player for Hampshire ahead of their 2026 season. Despite going unsold in the recent Women’s Premier League (WPL) Mega Auction on 27th November 2025, the 28-year-old brings extensive English cricket experience to her new county side, following a strong summer with Somerset and a successful stint in The Hundred.
Wellington, currently representing the Adelaide Strikers in the ongoing 11th edition of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), which runs from 9th November to 13th December 2025. In the Strikers campaign, she has picked up 8 wickets at an average of 21.87 and an economy rate of 6.52 from 8 innings. With the bat, she has contributed 41 runs at a strike rate of 136.66 and an average of 20.50 across three innings. The Strikers stand 5th on the points table so far, having won 3 out of 8 matches, with 2 games washed out.
Her recent absence from the WPL auction was a surprise, given her pedigree and value as a seasoned international. Wellington has played 23 times for Australia across formats but has not featured for the national side since 2022. Her strong record in English conditions, particularly at the Utilita Bowl with Southern Brave in The Hundred, where she is the second-highest wicket-taker over the tournament’s five seasons, made her a notable signing for Hampshire. She joined Hampshire after a successful campaign with Somerset in the first year of the women’s Tier 1 county competition.
“I’m really excited to join Hampshire for the upcoming season,” Wellington said. “I had a great time at Utilita Bowl in my two years at Southern Brave, and I look forward to catching up with familiar faces and making new memories, which will hopefully result in trophies come the end of the summer.”
Hampshire’s regional director of women’s cricket, Adam Carty, expressed enthusiasm about the signing: “We’re really pleased to secure Amanda-Jade for the whole of next season. She’s a friend of the club and a vastly experienced cricketer, who boasts a fine record with bat and ball in England, having featured effectively in The Hundred and in Tier 1. We look forward to welcoming her back to Utilita Bowl in 2026.”
Wellington is expected to be available throughout Hampshire’s full season, bringing her aggressive leg-spin and handy batting to a team eager to make an impact in English domestic cricket in the coming months. Her arrival adds further depth to Hampshire’s squad as they seek success in 2026, while Wellington looks to rebuild momentum in her career after her latest WBBL campaign and missing out on a WPL contract.
(Quotes sourced from ESPN Cricinfo)
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