Superstar duo boost Strikers' WBBL title hopes

Adelaide Strikers' quest to for their first WBBL title has been given a huge boost with star South Africa batter Laura Wolvaardt and West Indies allrounder Deandra Dottin signing on for WBBL|08.

It will be Wolvaardt's third consecutive season as a Striker and she will no doubt be out to avenge their grand final defeat at the hands of the Perth Scorchers last season.

The 23-year-old has played 123 matches for South Africa across all three formats since making her debut as a teenager in February 2016.

She boasts a formidable ODI record with 3,193 runs at 46.61 in 80 matches, including a top score of 149, to go with her 776 runs at 28.74 in the T20 international format.

The versatile batter has been a prolific run-scorer for the Strikers since crossing from the Brisbane Heat following the 2018-19 season, finishing WBBL|06 as the side's leading run-scorer and WBBL|07 behind only MVP Katie Mack.

She was also South Africa's leading run-scorer during the Commonwealth Games with scores of 41no and 28 in her two innings.

Speaking from Birmingham following the Games, where Australia beat India to claim the gold medal on Sunday, Wolvaardt said she was determined to go one better in the Weber WBBL this season.

"I love playing for Adelaide and am so happy that I will return this year," she said. "We were so close to the title last year and I know that as a team, we can take that next step this season."

Dottin recently announced her retirement from international cricket after an illustrious 270-game career for the West Indies to "play domestic cricket around the world".

Her second stop after turning out for Manchester Originals in The Hundred will be the Strikers, which will be her third WBBL club following stints with the Scorchers in WBBL|01 and two seasons with Brisbane Heat from 2016-18.

The 31-year-old's 38-ball century against South Africa in 2010 remains the fastest hundred in women's T20 Internationals and she exits international cricket as the West Indies second leading run-scorer of all-time in both the T20 and ODI formats with more than 6,400 runs to go with her 134 wickets.

"Deandra is a match-winner who will bring big game experience and elite performance to Adelaide this summer," said Strikers head coach Luke Williams.

"We are thrilled to have (Wolvaardt) back for a third season.

"With a large number of international caps and plenty of experience in Australian conditions, Laura is a massive part of our team and we are extremely pleased she wants to play for the Strikers."

While the Strikers gained two overseas stars, they lost former Aussie allrounder Sarah Coyte who was poached by Melbourne Renegades for WBBL|08.

The 'Gades are also searching for their maiden WBBL title and will be hoping the addition of Coyte's experience can help them take a step further this summer after they were smashed by the Strikers in last season's penultimate final.

Coyte, who made 81 appearances for Australia across all three formats before retiring from international cricket in 2016, has signed a two-year deal that will keep her at the Renegades until at least the end of Weber WBBL|09.

It will be the 31-year-old's third Big Bash club after previous stints with the Strikers and Sydney Sixers, and she is one of the competition's most experienced bowlers with 93 wickets, placing her seventh on the all-time list.

Coyte – a two-time World Cup winner – is currently the only domestic player on the Renegades' list aged 25 and older after cross-code star Jess Duffin committed to the AFLW this season.

A medium-fast swing bowler and handy lower-order batter, Coyte was also part of Tasmania's maiden Women's National Cricket League triumph last season and said she was looking forward to joining forces with Indian superstar Harmanpreet Kaur at the Renegades.

"She usually hits me over the rope, so I'd like to watch her hit someone else," Coyte said.

"Hopefully I can add a bit of experience to the group with my bowling and through the lower-order and also help some of the younger players to trust their skills out in the middle."

It was a bumper day for moves in the WBBL with only 65 days to go before the season opener between the Heat and Sixers on October 13.

Brisbane today announced ACT Meteors pace bowler Zoe Cooke had re-signed for a second season with the club, while teenage leg-spinner Grace Parsons will embark on her first summer in the WBBL.

And the Scorchers have secured right-arm quick Taneale Peschel for another two seasons.

The 27-year-old featured in every match during Perth's breakthrough WBBL title last season, saving her best performance for the final against the Strikers, removing superstars Dane van Niekerk and Tahlia McGrath to finish with 2-23 from four overs.

"Winning the WBBL was awesome, but we are hungry for sustained success and want to build on that achievement," Peschel said.

Adelaide Strikers WBBL|08 squad (so far): Jemma Barsby, Darcie Brown, Deandra Dottin (West Indies), Tahlia McGrath, Tegan McPharlin, Bridget Patterson, Maddie Penna, Megan Schutt, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa)

Melbourne Renegades WBBL|08 squad (so far): Sophie Molineux (c), Sarah Coyte, Josie Dooley, Ellie Falconer, Ella Hayward, Harmanpreet Kaur (India), Carly Leeson, Rhiann O’Donnell, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham, Courtney Webb

Brisbane Heat WBBL|08 squad (so far): Jess Jonassen (c), Amelia Kerr (New Zealand), Pooja Vastrakar (India), Zoe Cooke, Nicola Hancock, Grace Harris, Laura Harris, Mikayla Hinkley, Ellie Johnston, Charli Knott, Grace Parsons, Georgia Redmayne, Courtney Sippel, Georgia Voll

Perth Scorchers WBBL|08 squad (so far): Mathilda Carmichael, Piepa Cleary, Sophie Devine (c) (New Zealand), Maddy Green (New Zealand), Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), Alana King, Lilly Mills, Beth Mooney, Taneale Peschel, Chloe Piparo