Heat lock away red-hot Jonassen for two more years

Brisbane Heat have locked away the most successful bowler in Big Bash history with captain Jess Jonassen recommitting for another two years.

Jonassen, who has 179 WBBL wickets across 10 seasons at the Heat to sit ahead of Sydney Sixers' Sean Abbott's 175 BBL scalps, is the league's first out-of-contract star to recommit this off-season after a contracting embargo was lifted on Monday.

The Heat captain led her side to a runners-up finish in Weber WBBL|10 – a season in which she shared the player of the tournament award with Ellyse Perry and was named in the competition's Team of the Decade.

Brisbane Heat WBBL|11 squad (so far): Nadine de Klerk (South Africa), Sianna Ginger, Lucy Hamilton, Nicola Hancock, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Charli Knott, Grace Parsons, Georgia Redmayne

 

Outs: Laura Harris (Thunder) 

 

Uncontracted: Bonnie Berry, Lucy Bourke, Mikayla Wrigley, Shikha Pandey (India), Jemimah Rodrigues (India), Lauren Winfield-Hill (England)

The 32-year-old spin-bowling allrounder was last night named the Heat MVP for the second time at the annual Queensland Cricket Awards Gala.

Heat CEO Terry Svenson said Jonassen continued to be one of the pre-eminent players in world cricket, recently starring in this year's Women's Premier League with 13 wickets and 150 runs to help lift Delhi Capitals into the tournament final.

"Her skills and determination on field are renowned and her insights as a captain and a leader of people are as good as it gets," Svenson said.

"We are thrilled Jess will continue with the Heat for a further two years.

"We are confident the squad will again be strongly competitive and look forward to them enjoying success next season."

Jonassen – the most capped Heat player with 147 appearances – is the first re-signing for the Heat this off-season after losing power-hitter Laura Harris to Sydney Thunder during the Player Movement Window.

Her recommitment follows hot on the heels of the club's WBBL head coach Mark Sorell, who was also reappointed for two years last month.

The Heat have filled nine of their 15 roster spots for WBBL|11 so far, with Jonassen joining Australian allrounders Grace Harris and Charli Knott, Australia Under-19 captain Lucy Hamilton, as well as Sianna Ginger, Nicola Hancock, Grace Parsons, Georgia Redmayne and South African allrounder Nadine de Klerk on their list for next season.

Brisbane won six games in a row to make last season's decider, where Jonassen top-scored for the Heat with 44 not out in a seven-run DLS loss to Melbourne Renegades.

It was the seventh season in row the Heat had qualified for the WBBL finals series as they continue their quest for a third women's title.