West Indies skipper commits to Renegades for WBBL|10

Hayley Matthews will bring her world-class all-round talents to the Melbourne Renegades once again in Weber WBBL|10 after the West Indies captain penned a one-year deal with the club.

The Renegades are the fourth WBBL club to confirm an international signing ahead of the overseas player draft under the new signing provisions introduced by the league this year.

It will be Matthews' third season with the Renegades, who initially contracted the Windies star ahead of WBBL|08 then selected her with pick No.3 in last year's inaugural overseas player draft.

The 26-year-old led the club in the absence of injured captain Sophie Molineux last season, but it was a tournament the Renegades would rather forget after winning just two games and finishing on the bottom of the table.

Matthews' performances with the ball were one bright spot of that campaign and she finished as their equal-leading wicket taker with 14 scalps for her off-spin, while she scored 255 runs at a strike rate of 114.34.

"I'm super excited to be back with the girls; I'm confident I can play a massive role within the team and help put up some really good performances and hopefully lead us to a finals series," Matthews said.

"The main thing I can appreciate about this club is the way they bring me in and make me feel so welcome. I can step back in to what feels like a massive family.

"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.

"One of the biggest things for me, after not having the best seasons with the Renegades in my first two years, I definitely feel like I want to go out there and give the club a lot more."

Melbourne Renegades WBBL|10 squad (so far): Josie Dooley, Ella Hayward, Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham, Courtney Webb

 

In: TBC Out: Jess Duffin (retired)

 

Local players off contract: Ellen Falconer, Erica Kershaw, Rhiann O'Donnell, Georgia Prestwidge, Tayla Vlaeminck, Sarah Coyte, Emma de Broughe (local replacement player), Sara Kennedy (local replacement player)

 

WBBL|09 overseas players: Harmanpreet Kaur (India), Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Tammy Beaumont (England)

Matthews will strengthen a Renegades batting line-up that is also set to welcome back captain Sophie Molineux this summer, after the Australia allrounder missed the entirety of WBBL|09 as she recovered from a ruptured ACL.

The absence of Molineux and fellow injured Australia star Tayla Vlaeminck was a major factor in the Renegades' struggles last season, while their high-profile overseas trio of Matthews, Harmanpreet Kaur and Tammy Beaumont did not reach the heights expected of them with the bat.

"It hampered us not having our full squad together for either of the two years I've been there ... just having Sophie around the group again is going to be such a plus," Matthews said.

"I saw what she was able to do at the WPL, the way she was able to go out there and express herself and just be free, we're super excited to have her back at the Renegades and hopefully doing even better."

Matthews will also join an enviable Renegades spin brigade, with her off-spin complementing Molineux's left-arm orthodox and Georgia Wareham's leg-spin. The trio of international stars will be accompanied by rising off-spinner Ella Hayward.

In particularly good news for the club, the West Indies have no conflicting tours scheduled during the WBBL|10 which will run from October 27-December 1.

Matthews has been signed under the league's new multi-year, pre-draft contract provision.

The introduction of the multi-year provision enables each club to sign one overseas player for up to three years outside of the WBBL draft, securing high-profile talent for clubs on a longer-term basis.

All remaining overseas players must be secured by clubs via either the draft, or alternatively may be signed as a replacement player in place of a full-time squad member.

Matthews' pre-draft signing means the Renegades part with their Platinum selection (pick No.3), leaving picks 11, 22 and 27.

Players signed under the provision must be available for the entire season from WBBL|11 onwards, and four signings have been confirmed so far – Amelia Kerr (Sydney Sixers), Nadine de Klerk (Brisbane Heat), Marizanne Kapp (Stars) and Matthews.

The draft will be held in September, with the date to be confirmed in due course.