Brown joins Breakers as NSW, ACT announce squads

New South Wales have pulled off a coup by adding recent Australia call-up Maitlan Brown to a strong Breakers squad for the 2021-22 season but have had three players poached by rival states.

Brown, the 23-year-old who earnt selection in Australia's limited-overs squad to face New Zealand last year, has crossed from the ACT Meteors to join the WNCL's most successful team.

But the Breakers have lost promising teenager Hayley Silver-Holmes, who was offered a contract by her home state but is expected to sign elsewhere, while wicketkeeper Maddy Darke and allrounder Lisa Griffith have been confirmed as Western Australia recruits.

Silver-Holmes, the 17-year-old who remains contracted with the Sydney Sixers, is an aspiring allrounder who took seven wickets at 19 last WNCL season but only batted once in four games.

Image Id: 005BAD8E907F40FCBDBC859686955F73 Image Caption: Hayley Silver-Holmes has departed NSW // Getty

Darke, a former Australia A representative, was behind Australia star Alyssa Healy and young gun Tahlia Wilson in the pecking order for a spot behind the stumps in NSW and joins a WA squad that has delisted its keeper from last season, Megan Banting.

Griffith captained the Breakers during the 2019-20 season but has now also headed west.

The Meteors also announced their 14-player squad on Wednesday, with veteran former Australia allrounder Erin Osborne transitioning off their contract list to "strike a better balance between her playing commitments and her coaching aspirations".

"Every player reaches a point in their career where they have to ponder 'What's next?' and Erin has made great strides to ensure she has a strong coaching career waiting for her once her playing days are over," said ACT coach Jonathon Dean.

Both Osborne and Alison McGrath, who has also been delisted, will continue to train with the ACT squad, which has welcomed bowlers Gabrille Sutchliffe and Chloe Rafferty to help offset the loss of Brown, as well as emerging batter Kayla Burton.

Brown hails from Wingham, in the central-north coast region of NSW, but got her first professional opportunity in Canberra in 2016 having not been able to crack the strong Breakers squad.

She has since been a standout in both the WNCL for ACT as well as in the WBBL for the Melbourne Renegades, culminating in an emotional and surprising maiden inclusion in a senior Australian squad last year.

After running the drinks for last summer's T20 and ODI series against NZ, Brown suffered a season-ending hamstring injury during the WBBL in November, a blow of similar severity to Ellyse Perry's during last year's World Cup.

"We are disappointed to lose a quality player such as Maitlan from our squad, however we will always put the best interests of the player first and understand that she wanted to be closer to her partner and family and explore other opportunities," said Dean.

The award-winning industrial design student has recently resumed running and lifting weights, and is expected to begin bowling again once the pre-season is underway.

"Maitlan is a product of the NSW pathway and we are thrilled to have her back with us," said NSW's Head of Female Cricket, Leah Poulton.

"She is a is a quality fast bowler and an excellent all-round athlete. She's also a fantastic team person who will add a great deal to our environment."

Brown is joined by a pair of 17-year-olds as new inclusions in the NSW squad; Jade Allen, a leg-spinner from Cobargo, and Claire Moore, the leading run scorer in Sydney's Premier competition last season.

Both Allen and Moore are in their final year of high school.

"Jade Allen and Claire Moore have been standouts in our pathway programs and thoroughly deserve their opportunity to step into an elite program," Poulton said.

"Jade is a skilful young leg-spinner from the South Coast who will add variety to our attack, while Claire was the leading run scorer in Women's First Grade this season.

"We place significant value on Premier Cricket and this selection is great reward for Claire after a dominant season."

NSW Breakers squad for 2021-22 season

Ins: Maitlan Brown, Jade Allen, Claire Moore

Outs: Maddy Darke, Lisa Griffith, Hayley Silver-Holmes

Alyssa Healy (c), Jade Allen, Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Stella Campbell, Lauren Cheatle, Hannah Darlington, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes, Emma Hughes, Sammy Jo-Johnson, Anika Learoyd, Phoebe Litchfield, Claire Moore, Lauren Smith, Rachel Trenaman, Tahlia Wilson

ACT Meteors squad

Ins: Kayla Burton, Gabrielle Sutcliffe, Chloe Rafferty

Outs: Erin Osborne, Maitlan Brown, Allison McGrath

Angela Reakes, Katie Mack, Madeline Penna, Kayla Burton, Gabrielle Sutcliffe, Chloe Rafferty, Carly Leeson, Matilda Lugg, Olivia Porter, Rebecca Carter, Erica Kershaw, Amy Yates, Nicola Hancock, Zoe Cooke.