Proteas superstars join WBBL draft nominees

Marizanne Kapp and Laura Wolvaardt are among the latest international superstars unveiled as nominees for the inaugural Weber WBBL overseas player draft.

The Proteas pair are two of seven South Africans joining the who's who of the world's best players who will be available to be drafted on September 3.

Fiery allrounder Kapp has spent the last two seasons with Perth Scorchers and her nomination will leave the club facing a tough call on how to use their retention pick, with New Zealand star Sophie Devine also available.

Wolvaardt is eligible to be retained by Adelaide Strikers having spent the last three seasons with the club and helping them claim their first WBBL title last summer.

Fellow Proteas Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Anneke Bosch and Tazmin Brits have also put their hands up for selection alongside former captain Dane van Niekerk.

They join Sune Luus and Shabnim Ismail, who had already been confirmed for the draft.

Hard-hitting allrounder Tryon, whose powerful middle-order batting is backed up by her off-spin, is eligible for retention by Sydney Thunder, while pace-bowling allrounder de Klerk could be retained by Brisbane Heat after turning out for the club in WBBL|06 and WBBL|07.

Van Niekerk, who retired from international cricket earlier this year after missing T20 World Cup selection due to a failed fitness test, is available for the draft despite being ruled out of the Hundred due to a thumb injury.

Her last appearance in the WBBL was in 2021 when she joined Wolvaardt at Adelaide Strikers, but she is not eligible to be retained by the club.

Bosch, a versatile batter, last appeared for Brisbane Heat in WBBL|07, while Brits would appear in the WBBL for the first time if she is drafted.

Formerly a junior world javelin champion, Brits was the hero of South Africa's thrilling T20 World Cup semi-final victory over England when she hit 68 and took a stunning catch to secure her side's maiden appearance in the final of a major tournament.

Each club is only able to use one retention pick.

The overseas draft will be held on September 3 in a televised event in conjunction with the second KFC BBL draft.

Sydney Thunder secured pick No.1 for the draft via a weighted lottery system, with the Melbourne Renegades and Scorchers drawn for picks two and three respectively.

Foreign players have nominated for the draft across three tiers; gold (attracting a salary of $90,000), silver ($65,000) or bronze ($40,000).

Ahead of the draft, league officials will elevate select players who they determine are the most enticing draft prospects to a platinum tier ($110,000).