The Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) is witnessing an influx of English talent as Tammy Beaumont joins the Melbourne Renegades, and Georgia Adams signs with the Adelaide Strikers for the upcoming season. Remarkably, Adams has not yet made her mark in international cricket. Beaumont’s decision to join the Melbourne Renegades did not come as a surprise. She opted out of the WBBL overseas draft in favor of committing to the tournament through a new direct signing rule. This rule allowed overseas players to bypass the draft and sign directly with a club, albeit at a capped salary of AU$61,750, as opposed to the higher earnings of AU$110,000 for platinum picks and AU$90,000 for gold picks in the draft.
Beaumont is now part of a growing list of England players making their presence felt in the WBBL, including Amy Jones (Perth Scorchers) and Sophia Dunkley (Melbourne Stars), as well as international stars such as Mignon du Preez (Brisbane Heat), Lizelle Lee (Hobart Hurricanes), and Suzie Bates (expected to return to Sydney Sixers). Notably, Tammy Beaumont previously played for the Renegades in 2019 and spent three seasons with the Sydney Thunder, contributing to their title victory in 2020. She initially kicked off her WBBL career with the Strikers, featuring in three seasons from 2016 to 2018.
At the Melbourne Renegades, Beaumont will bolster the batting lineup alongside West Indies captain Hayley Matthews and India captain Harmanpreet Kaur. On the other hand, the Adelaide Strikers have made a bold move by securing the services of Georgia Adams, an off-spinning all-rounder from Southern Brave. Adams is set to represent New South Wales this season, despite her absence from international cricket. During the draft, the Strikers selected only two players: South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt and emerging England all-rounder Danielle Gibson. The team was unable to retain the title-winning West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin, primarily due to salary cap constraints.
Adams’ signing comes after she was nominated for the draft but was not picked by any team. She reunites with Strikers coach Luke Williams, with whom she worked to clinch Southern Brave’s victory in the Women’s Hundred earlier this year. Williams served as an assistant coach under Charlotte Edwards during that campaign. Adams played a pivotal role in Southern Brave’s triumph, emerging as the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 16 scalps and an impressive economy rate of 6.83. She also made significant contributions with the bat, notably scoring an unbeaten 50 from 32 balls and a vital 27 runs in the low-scoring final.
Williams expressed, “Georgia consistently excels in domestic cricket in the UK, displaying her proficiency in multiple facets of the game, including batting, bowling, and fielding.” “Her ability to adapt and perform under pressure was particularly noteworthy and aligned perfectly with our team’s needs,” Williams continued. “Georgia’s strong team-oriented approach and prior leadership experience make her a valuable addition to the Strikers squad. I have great confidence that Georgia will seamlessly integrate with our team, and I eagerly anticipate her contributions to our success.”
