Lucky Strike: The Strikers' history of WBBL imports

The Big Bash Draft is almost upon us as the league's eight clubs ramp up their preparations for a milestone season of the Weber WBBL. Clubs will add at least two overseas players to their list for the tenth season of the competition at the draft on September 1.

In a new measure introduced this off-season, clubs have also been able to sign an overseas player prior to the draft on a multi-year contract. The Adelaide Strikers made a major move with their pre-selection signing, securing the signature of superstar Indian batter Smriti Mandhana. 

After nine seasons of the WBBL, we're looking back, club-by-club, at every import that has turned out in the tournament, memorable or otherwise.

History of overseas signings

WBBL|01: Sophie Devine, Stacy-Ann King, Sarah Taylor

 

WBBL|02: Tammy Beaumont, Sophie Devine, Charlotte Edwards

 

WBBL|03: Tammy Beaumont, Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates

 

WBBL|04: Danielle Hazell, Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates

 

WBBL|05: Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates, Stafanie Taylor, Lauren Winfield-Hill

 

WBBL|06: Suzie Bates, Stafanie Taylor, Laura Wolvaardt, Katie Perkins

 

WBBL|07: Laura Wolvaardt, Dane van Niekerk

 

WBBL|08: Laura Wolvaardt, Deandra Dottin

 

WBBL|09: Laura Wolvaardt, Dani Gibson, Georgia Adams

 

WBBL|10: Smriti Mandhana

The players (sorted by matches played)

Sophie Devine (New Zealand)

Seasons: WBBL|01 - WBBL|05

 

M 66 | Runs 2174 | HS 103* | SR 129.40 | Avg 39.53

 

WKTS 60 | BBI 5-41 | Econ 7.13 | Avg 22.13

Before she played for the Scorchers, Devine was a Striker through-and-through. The New Zealand superstar spent five seasons with Adelaide, making the Team of the Tournament four times across that period, while she was also crowned Player of the Tournament in her final season before her move west. No one has hit more sixes in the WBBL than Devine, and the powerful allrounder produced one particularly memorable performance against the Melbourne Stars at Karen Rolton Oval when she hit five consecutive sixes off one Maddie Penna over.

Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa)

Seasons: WBBL|06 - WBBL|09

 

M 62 | Runs 1533 | HS 75* | SR 109.89 | Avg 28.39

Laura Wolvaardt has become an all-time fan favourite since arriving at the Strikers for WBBL|06. The South African captain had grown her T20 game immensely since her previous stint with the Heat and played an important role in the club’s back-to-back titles, including top-scoring with 39 in the low-scoring WBBL|09 decider at Adelaide Oval.

Suzie Bates (New Zealand)

Seasons: WBBL|06 - WBBL|09

 

M 46 | Runs 1208 | HS 102  | SR 107.76 | Avg 28.76

 

WKTS 14 | BBI 2-6 | Econ 7.66 | Avg 31.35

Quite a few internationals have moved between the Scorchers and Strikers and Suzie Bates is among that number, having joined Adelaide for the third edition of the WBBL after debuting in the west. There, she was reunited with New Zealand teammate Sophie Devine and the ‘Smash Sisters’ took the competition by storm. Unfortunately, her time at the club did not end in the manner she would have wished for, with her WBBL|06 season cut short by a serious shoulder injury.

Tammy Beaumont (England)

Seasons: WBBL|02 - WBBL|03

 

M 27 | Runs 577 | HS 58 | SR 93.21 | Avg 22.19

Tammy Beaumont might be better remembered these days as a top-order batter for the Renegades and Thunder, but it was at the Strikers that she made her Big Bash debut in WBBL|02. The England batter spent two summers with the club, scoring 301 runs in her second campaign.

Dane van Niekerk (South Africa)

Seasons: WBBL|07

 

M 17 | Runs 356 | HS 62 | SR 117.11 | Avg 22.25

 

WKTS 4 | BBI 2-15 | Econ 7.76 | Avg 65

After a five-year stint at the Sixers, van Niekerk found herself in fresh colours in WBBL|07 after being signed by the Strikers. She came in as a replacement for Suzie Bates, who pulled out of the tournament due to travel restrictions. While she had regularly shone with the ball in magenta, van Niekerk stepped up a notch in the batting department at the Strikers opening the batting, scoring 356 runs including a top score of 62. Her efforts helped the Strikers make the final for the second time in three seasons.

Deandra Dottin (West Indies)

Seasons: WBBL|08

 

M 16 | Runs 362 | HS 68  | SR 114.20 | Avg 27.85

 

WKTS 14 | BBI 2-22 | Econ 7.53 | Avg 28.42

Deandra Dottin had a quiet start to her first and only season at the Strikers, but she rose in form and confidence as the tournament wore on. That all culminated in her player-of-the-match heroics in the final at North Sydney Oval, where the allrounder smashed 52 off 37 balls then took two wickets – including the key scalp of Ashleigh Gardner for a duck – to help seal a shock upset win over the Sydney Sixers.

Sarah Taylor (England)

Seasons: WBBL|01

 

M 14 | Runs 393 | HS 78* | SR 115.25 | Avg 32.75

The England legend spent plenty of time in South Australia throughout her career, so it made sense she was snapped up by the Strikers for WBBL|01. Unfortunately, it was the only season Australian fans got to see the wicketkeeper-batter in the competition, but it was a superb season for Taylor, whose high score of 78no came against the Stars, while she also hit an unbeaten 71 against the Thunder.

Danielle Hazell (England)

Seasons: WBBL|04

 

M 13 | WKTS 9 | BBI 3-20 | Econ 7.81 | Avg 34.44

The former England spinner spent one season with the Strikers after making the move across from the Melbourne Stars. It was a decent campaign for the off-spinner who picked up nine wickets.

Danielle Gibson (England)

Seasons: WBBL|09

 

M 13 | Runs 115 | HS 34* | SR 147.44 | Avg 28.75

 

WKTS 10 | BBI 3-34 | Econ 7.48 | Avg 24.3

Danielle Gibson was snapped up by the Strikers in the inaugural draft following some impressive displays during the Ashes earlier that year. The allrounder made important contributions with both bat and ball in a star-studded team, including her final-over heroics in a thrilling win over the Scorchers that went down to the wire. She unfortunately missed the final after being called away on England duties.

Georgia Adams (England)

Seasons: WBBL|09

 

M 13 | Runs 26 | WKTS 4 | Econ 6.50

Uncapped England allrounder Georgia Adams was lured to the Strikers as a direct signing outside of the draft after impressing Adelaide coach Luke Williams during The Hundred. The sheer strength and depth of the Strikers squad meant she did not play every game and when she did, her opportunities were somewhat limited, but she nonetheless contributed to their second consecutive title win. 

Stacy-Ann King (West Indies) 

Seasons: WBBL|01

 

M 12 | Runs 96 | HS 23 | SR 88.07 | Avg 9.60

Stacy-Ann King was another inaugural Striker, playing 12 games for the club in WBBL|01. Unfortunately for the West Indian, it was not her best campaign as she averaged 9.6 with a high score of 23, and she sent down just the one over for the season.

Stafanie Taylor (West Indies)

Seasons: WBBL|05 - WBBL|06

 

M 12 | Runs 259 | HS 60  | SR 112.12 | Avg 21.58

Former West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor made just two appearances in her first season as a Strikers in WBBL|05, but she was back a year later to open the batting in the hub season in Sydney, playing 10 matches and producing a top score of 60 in a match-winning display against the Renegades.

Charlotte Edwards (England)

Seasons: WBBL|02

 

M 8 | Runs 141 | HS 35 | SR 100.00 | Avg 20.14

England legend Charlotte Edwards had spent WBBL|01 with the Scorchers, but she made the move to the Strikers for the second edition following her retirement from international cricket earlier in the year. It was the final time she played in the competition, but she remained closely tied to the Strikers, taking on an assistant coaching role for the next five seasons before finally moving to take on the top job at the Sydney Sixers in 2022.

Katie Perkins (New Zealand)

Seasons: WBBL|06

New Zealander Katie Perkins was one of a group of unaffiliated players who entered the WBBL hub in 2020, brought in as back-ups as the strict covid restrictions made it impossible to sign replacement players the traditional way. She got her shot when the Strikers required a short-term replacement, but played just the one game for the club where she was not required to bat or bowl.