Carey jumps ship to 'Canes, Tigers

Australia allrounder Nicola Carey is moving south for the 2019-20 domestic summer, after signing on with Tasmania and Hobart Hurricanes.

Carey is one of a host of signings announced by Tasmania for the upcoming 50-over Women’s National Cricket League season as coach Salliann Briggs looks to continue the improvements made by the state last summer, while she’ll also bolster a Hurricanes outfit looking to turn around a disappointing Rebel WBBL|04 season.

Carey, who leaves NSW Breakers and Sydney Thunder, is joined at Tasmania by young NSW quick Belinda Vakarewa and leg-spinner Maisy Gibson, and left-arm spinner Sam Bates, who has departed the ACT.

Wicketkeeper Emily Smith has also returned to Tasmania for the first time since 2016 after two seasons with Western Australia.

She replaces ‘keeper Georgia Redmayne, who has left the Tigers to live closer to her medical studies interstate, but who is still contracted to the Hurricanes in the WBBL. Other WNCL departures include Veronica Puke, Ashley Day – who has moved to Western Australia – and Celeste Raack, who is pursuing a cricket career in Ireland.

Tasmania finished third on the WNCL table last year with four wins, a dramatic turnaround under new coach Briggs after going winless the previous summer.

Carey’s inclusion in the Hurricanes ranks is a major boost for the WBBL outfit who have traditionally struggled to attract Australian-contracted players. With rules stating each club can have a maximum of five marquee players – and only three of those from overseas – it’s left the Hobart side without a full quota of internationals each season.

The Hurricanes finished the recent WBBL season with a 2-12 record and Briggs is hoping Carey's signing will help her side climb the ladder.

"Nicola clearly offers a lot with both bat and ball so with her international experience too, she's going to be a key signing for us," Briggs said.

Carey heads to Hobart after 59 WBBL matches with the Sydney Thunder, having scored 482 runs and taken 62 wickets during four WBBL campaigns.

The 25-year-old has featured in six ODIs and one T20 for Australia, picking up figures of 3-19 from seven tidy overs in a 50-over contest against Pakistan in Malaysia last year.

The left-hander also won the player of the match award during the WNCL final in February following three wickets and a half-century for NSW in their 31-run victory over Queensland.

Carey, who is currently contracted by Cricket Australia, said she was looking forward to heading to Hobart for the new WBBL season.

"I've heard a lot about the great group of players down here in Hobart and the way the program is heading too," she said.

"I'm really excited to get into training and prepare for the upcoming summer."

The fixtures for the standalone WBBL|05 season and 2019-20 WNCL season are due to be announced by Cricket Australia in the coming weeks.