Aussie rising star pair lock in Big Bash extensions

The Melbourne Stars have signed young allrounder Tess Flintoff to a one-year deal as the 21-year-old looks to shrug off the injury woes that plagued her last summer.

Flintoff, who showed her potential with a 16-ball fifty for the Stars in 2022, was sidelined for a majority of last season with a hamstring strain followed by a back injury.

Back to full fitness, she impressed for Australia A with three wickets in a four-day clash against India A on the Gold Coast last month.

Flintoff, who debuted for the Stars as a 16-year-old, set the record for the WBBL's fastest half-century with that 16-ball blitz against the Adelaide Strikers in WBBL|08, and has claimed 27 wickets from her 53 games.

Flintoff said the Australia A series was a "great experience" and was now looking forward to reuniting with her Stars teammates.

Contracted for WBBL|10: Yastika Bhatia (India), Sophie Day, Tess Flintoff, Kim Garth, Maisy Gibson, Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), Meg Lanning, Sasha Moloney, Sophie Reid, Deepti Sharma (India), Annabel Sutherland

 

Ins: Deepti Sharma, Marizanne Kapp (Thunder), Yastika Bhatia, Maisy Gibson (Hurricanes)

 

Outs: Nicole Faltum, Milly Illingworth, Alice Capsey (all Renegades), Maia Bouchier, Sophia Dunkley

 

WBBL|10 Draft selections: Deepti Sharma (India), Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), Yastika Bhatia (India)

 

Local players off contract: Olivia Henry, Rhys McKenna, Jas Nevins

"We've got a great bunch of girls who I love playing with and we're not putting a ceiling on what we can achieve this year," she said.

"The WBBL is one of the best competitions in the world and it's always exciting to have an opportunity to play at the MCG."

A fit and firing Flintoff will add extra firepower to a Stars lineup that has recruited international players Marizanne Kapp and Deepti Sharma for the upcoming season.

The additions will boost club's quest for a finals spot after failing to qualify for a second consecutive season in WBBL|09.

Meanwhile, Brisbane Heat have announced emerging allrounder Charli Knott has signed a one-year extension tying her to the Heat until WBBL|11.

The signing comes off the back of a breakout season in England where Knott dominated in the UK's white ball tournaments playing for the Southern Vipers.

Knott thrived in her first season in the UK scoring her maiden List A century in May and also picking up a career best haul of 4-23.

At one stage the 21-year-old was leading the voting for the Player of the Tournament in the 50-over Rachel Flint Trophy before returning home to Australia.

Contracted 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, Shikha Pandey (India), Grace Parsons, Georgia Redmayne, Jemimah Rodrigues (India) Mikayla Wrigley

Ins: Bonnie Berry, Sianna Ginger, Mikayla Wrigley, Nadine de Klerk, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shikha Pandey

 

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

WBBL|10 Draft selections: Jemimah Rodrigues (India), Shikha Pandey (India), Nadine de Klerk (South Africa)

She then added to her leadership credentials captaining Australia A to a win in a four-day game against India A last month.

The signature of one their brightest talents will be a boost for a Heat side looking to go one better after finishing runners-up in WBBL|09.

"I love playing for the Heat, they've got a great program here and I love working with everyone, hopefully I can keep building a good relationship with the team moving forward," she said.

"We've been successful for the last couple of years so hopefully we can continue to build on that success and pick up a trophy in the coming years."

Brisbane Heat will start their season with a rematch of last season's WBBL final against the Strikers at Adelaide Oval while the Stars start their campaign in Perth against the Scorchers, both October 27.