WBBL: West Indies captain Hayley Matthews returns to Melbourne Renegades

Melbourne [Australia], July 16 (ANI): West Indies captain Hayley Matthews is set to return to Women’s Big Bash League outfit Melbourne Renegades after she was secured by the club as a pre-draft signing on a one-year deal.

Last season, she was picked as the third pick in the draft after entertaining fans with an exceptional set of performances for the West Indies against Australia.

However, the string of eye-catching performances never came from her bat. She struck 255 runs at an average of 19.61 and a strike rate of 114.34. But she spread her charm with the ball and became the joint-leading wicket-taker with 14 scalps.

“We haven’t achieved what we’ve wanted to the last couple of years, but with some key members back and some new additions cooking up as well, I’m confident we can go out there and put it all together,” Matthews said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

Matthews is the fourth overseas signing for the Renegades ahead of the WBBL draft after the club acquired Amelia Kerr (Sydney Sixers), Nadine de Klerk (Brisbane Heat) and Marizanne Kapp (Melbourne Stars).

For the 2024-25 season, Renegades’ prospects will be further boosted by the availability of Sophie Molineux.

There has been movement in other clubs as well, with the Sydney Sixers bringing in Courtney Sippel on a three-year deal. The 23-year-old pacer is a part of the Australia A squad to face India A next month. Meanwhile, the Sydney Thunder have acquired Taneale Peschel from the Perth Scorchers.

“At the Scorchers, I’ve been given…every opportunity, but I felt like I’d been stagnant for the last season or two. I always play the safe card, and I’ve always stayed in WA and thought, okay, I’m still getting an opportunity, I’ll stay here. I think just this year, something clicked,” Peschel said.

“I thought, I’ve got to try something else. I’ve got to stop playing a safe card. Who knows what something like a change to another team can offer my career,” she added.