Brisbane Heat have added some international class an a strong squad of local talent as they prepare to begin their season in Mackay
WBBL preview: Heat out to seize early home advantage
Jess Jonassen hopes an early home ground advantage will give Brisbane Heat early momentum in their bid to make the WBBL finals for a fifth consecutive season.
The Heat will launch their season in Mackay this weekend, playing their first three matches at the Great Barrier Reef Arena.
They then travel to Adelaide for one match, before a three-game run on their home turf at Allan Border Field.
"T20 cricket, especially tournament play is all about momentum," Heat skipper Jonassen said on Monday.
"Hopefully we can get off to the start that we want ... We’ve got some new internationals coming over, plus an old one in Melie Kerr returning, so it’s a really exciting time for us."
The Heat have retained the core of the side that finished inside the top four last season, with Georgia Prestwidge the only local departure, while they have added teenage leg-spinner Grace Parsons.
On the international front, they have added extra firepower to an already imposing batting line-up, signing England star Danni Wyatt and India allrounder Pooja Vastrakar, while New Zealand allrounder Amelia Kerr has returned.
Last year’s result: Fourth, knocked out in The Eliminator
WBBL|08 squad: Jess Jonassen (CA contracted) (c), Amelia Kerr (NZ), Pooja Vastrakar (Ind), Danni Wyatt (Eng), Zoe Cooke, Nicola Hancock, Grace Harris, Laura Harris, Mikayla Hinkley, Ellie Johnston, Charli Knott, Grace Parsons, Georgia Redmayne, Courtney Sippell, Georgia Voll. Replacement players: Jess Kerr (NZ), Lucy Hamilton
In: Amelia Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Danni Wyatt, Grace Parsons
Out: Georgia Prestwidge, Anneke Bosch (SA), Nadine de Klerk (SA), Poonam Yadav (IND)
Possible best XI: Wyatt, Harris, Redmayne (wk), Voll, Kerr, Hinkley, Jonassen (c), Harris, Vastrakar, Hancock, Sippell
Key player: Grace Harris recently returned to the Aussie side, and made an immediate impact when she hit 37 off 20 balls in her first international innings since 2016. More recently she smacked 77no for Queensland, while she could also play a critical role with her off-spin.
The imports: Heat fans rejoice! Amelia Kerr is back after sitting out last season while taking a break from the game to focus on her health and wellbeing. England opener Danni Wyatt will wear teal as she returns to the WBBL, while Pooja Vastrakar, a damaging pace-bowling allrounder, will make her Big Bash debut. Vastrakar and Wyatt will miss the first few matches – the former due to the Asia Cup and the latter due to workload management – but the Heat have snapped up a handy replacement in New Zealand quick Jess Kerr, sister of Amelia.
Not a household name… yet: Georgia Voll. In case you missed it, the 19-year-old smacked 145 for Queensland in the one-day domestic competition the other week and is destined for big, big things.
The cult hero: Laura Harris. The powerful middle-order batter warmed up for the WBBL with a 50-ball hundred against ACT Meteors in the WNCL – the fastest century on the league’s history. She’s seeing them well.
The secondary storyline: Assuming most, or all, players are fit and available, settling on a final XI for this Heat squad is going to be tough. Queue some headaches ahead for Ash Noffke and Jess Jonassen…
The injury ward: Zoe Cooke has been ruled out for the season after suffering a disc injury during a preseason camp in Darwin, with 16-year-old left-arm quick Lucy Hamilton coming in as a local replacement.
Fixtures
October 13 v Sixers, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay
October 15 v Stars, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay
October 18 v Renegades, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay
October 21 v Renegades, Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide
October 25 v Thunder, Allan Border Field, Brisbane
October 27 v Strikers, Allan Border Field, Brisbane
Ocrober 29 v Scorchers, Allan Border Field, Brisbane
November 4 v Blundstone Arena, Hobart
November 6 v Hurricanes, Blundstone Arena, Hobart
November 9 v Scorchers, Lilac Hill, Perth
November 12 v Hurricanes, Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide
November 14 v Strikers, Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide
November 16 v Sixers, North Sydney Oval
November 20 v Stars, Ted Summerton Reserve, Moe
Tickets for Weber WBBL and KFC BBL games are on sale now. Get yours at cricket.com.au/big-bash