Peterson a further boost to SA's young pace stocks

South Australia's women's outfit have further boosted their stocks of budding young quicks by securing 18-year-old swing bowler Kate Peterson from New South Wales for the 2021-22 season.

Peterson, who made her Rebel WBBL debut last summer for Sydney Thunder where she remains contracted, is a product of the Thunder academy that also produced NSW Breakers' stand-in skipper and Australia squad member Hannah Darlington.

Renowned for her capacity to swing the new ball and regularly land a yorker, Peterson is excited about the prospect of pushing for state representation as part of an otherwise unchanged Scorpions squad.

"I'm really looking forward to joining the girls in Adelaide and getting stuck into pre-season and working with Luke (Williams) and Jude (Coleman) who are such experienced coaches," Peterson said.

"When SA expressed interest, I jumped at the opportunity and I’m looking forward to a new scenery to help progress my cricket."

Peterson entered the WBBL village 'bubble' last November immediately after finishing her final year secondary school exams in Sydney where she was afforded a warm welcome by her Thunder teammates upon completing her in-room quarantine stint.

She had also earned selection in a Cricket Australia XI at the national under-18 championships in 2018-19 (aged 16) where she played alongside another Thunder prodigy Phoebe Litchfield and against current Australia players Annabel Sutherland and Darcie Brown.

It was 18-year-old Brown's elevation to the national contract list last month that created an opening for Peterson on the Statewide Super Scorpions Scorpions' list, with no other changes made to the SA squad from last summer.

The Scorpions finished fifth on the WNCL ladder last season, but were pushing for a berth in the play-off against Victoria before falling to a narrow last-over loss to ACT Meteors in the final round.

Their batting will once again be led by Bridget Patterson, last summer's top-scorer for SA in the WNCL with 371 runs at an average of 61.83 with two centuries, and Josie Dooley who posted 308 at 51.33 with a highest score of 116.

With a packed women's international program expected either side of WBBL|07, the Scorpions face the prospect of losing pace pair Brown and Megan Schutt as well as allrounder Tahlia McGrath to national duties which could bring opportunities for Peterson to make her senior debut.

SA employed their leading WNCL wicket-taker last summer Sam Betts (11 wickets at 22.36) alongside Brooke Harris (7 at 18.57) with the new-ball in Schutt and Brown's absence for much of their 2020-21 campaign.

Scorpions head coach Luke Williams is hopeful his young squad continues the improvement it showed last summer and can challenge for the WNCL title it won in 2015-16 to end NSW Breakers' run of 10 consecutive crowns.

"After some improved and encouraging performances and results in the WNCL last season we are pleased to retain consistency in our contracted playing group as we seek to take further steps forward in the 2021-22 season," Williams said.

"With Darcie Brown’s elevation to a Cricket Australia contract which we are delighted about, we are equally thrilled that Kate (Peterson) has accepted a contract to join the SA Scorpions.

"We’re certain Kate will be a great acquisition for the SA Scorpions and South Australian cricket and look forward to seeing her continue to develop and prosper in our program."

SA Scorpions 2021-22 season

In: Kate Peterson

Out: nil

Squad: Jemma Barsby, Sam Betts, Emma De Broughe, Darcie Brown*, Eliza Doddridge, Josie Dooley, Ellie Falconer, Brooke Harris, Tahlia McGrath*, Tegan McPharlin, Annie O’Neil, Bridget Patterson, Kate Peterson, Alex Price, Megan Schutt*, Courtney Webb, Amanda-Jade Wellington

* denotes CA contract