Heat look to the future, re-sign young guns for WBBL|10

Lucy Hamilton and Grace Parsons will remain in teal this Weber WBBL|10, with the highly rated young bowlers signing with Brisbane Heat for another two seasons.

The pair round out the Heat’s list of local players, leaving two overseas spots for last season’s runners-up to fill when the WBBL Draft is held on Sunday, September 1.

Leg-spinner Parsons is set to feature for Australia A in all three formats against India A next month, and while the 20-year-old has yet to debut in the Big Bash, she enjoyed a breakout one-day domestic season last summer.

After missing the entirety of WBBL|09 due to a shoulder injury, she came back with a bang, taking 20 wickets – the most of any Queensland player – at 19.9 to help the Fire reach the Women’s National Cricket League final.

Left-arm quick Hamilton debuted for the Heat aged 16 in WBBL|08 and has played five matches to date, but the departure of fellow quick Courtney Sippel is likely to open the door to greater opportunity.

Hamilton, who is completing her final year of high school in Bundaberg, was a member of Australia’s Under-19 T20 World Cup squad in 2023 and at 18, will still be eligible to feature in the next edition of the tournament to be played in Malaysia in January.

Brisbane Heat squad (so far) for WBBL|10: Bonnie Berry, Nadine de Klerk (South Africa), Sianna Ginger, Lucy Hamilton, Nicola Hancock, Grace Harris, Laura Harris, Ellie Johnston, Jess Jonassen, Charli Knott, Grace Parsons, Georgia Redmayne, Mikayla Wrigley

 

Ins: Nadine de Klerk, Sianna Ginger, Bonnie Berry, Mikayla Wrigley

 

Outs: Georgia Voll (Thunder), Courtney Sippel (Sixers), Amelia Kerr (Sixers), Mikayla Hinkley (Scorchers), Mignon du Preez

 

WBBL|09 overseas players: Mignon du Preez (South Africa), Sarah Glenn (England), Bess Heath (England), Amelia Kerr (New Zealand)

 

WBBL|10 Draft picks: 7, 15, 18, 31

"They deliver some specific skills to the group, as well as setting a high standard with their hard work in training," Heat coach Mark Sorell said.

"It’s been very fulfilling seeing both Grace and Lucy transform from promising youngsters into increasingly assured players who have a lot to offer the Heat, and hopefully Australia, in the future."

With Olympic Games fever currently gripping the country, former Australia coach Sorell said the pair could potentially be hitting their peak when T20 cricket makes its debut at the Los Angeles Games in 2028, or when Brisbane hosts in 2032.  

"There’s obviously a long way to go but watching the Olympics at the moment ... it is easy to wonder at what our first Olympic women’s cricket team could look like," he said.

"Leg-spinners and left-arm quicks are certainly the types of players you would like to have in your squads, so that would be in the back of my mind as we get closer to such an event taking place."

Brisbane have five confirmed departures from the group that finished runners-up to the Adelaide Strikers in last year's thrilling final at Adelaide Oval.

Batting allrounder Georgia Voll has shifted to Sydney Thunder in search of greater opportunity, while middle-order batter Mikayla Hinkley has relocated to Perth Scorchers for similar reasons.

Young quick Sippel and New Zealand superstar Amelia Kerr have both signed the Sydney Sixers, while South Africa's Mignon du Preez is expecting twins.