Flurry of associate signings bolsters WBBL lists before season start

Scottish sisters and an Indonesian pace bowler with an insane international record have been snapped up by clubs days before the WBBL begins.

An influx of bargain-price international players has hit the WBBL days out from the season opener as clubs make the most of a revamped signing rule to add depth to their rosters.

Melbourne Renegades added American pace bowler Tara Norris to their list on Thursday, becoming the fourth club this week to use the competition’s associate rookie rule.

Norris, 26, claimed 5-27 with her left-arm seam on debut for the Delhi Capitals in the WPL last year, and could play immediately as a replacement for Tayla Vlaeminck after the luckless quick suffered a season-ending shoulder injury at the T20 World Cup last week.

Associate rookie players cannot be included in a club’s 15-player squad but can replace injured squad members, and play alongside the three existing international players in an XI.

USA-born left-arm quick Tara Norris, pictured playing Victorian Premier cricket for Prahran in 2016, has joined the Melbourne Renegades as an associate rookie signing. Picture: Christopher Chan.

The initial rule, introduced in 2015, allowed clubs to give Cricket Australia their preferences from a pool of associate nations players, and gave current Australian bowler Kim Garth her start with the Sydney Sixers before she had switched allegiance from Ireland.

The Renegades’ list move came after the Hobart Hurricanes picked up Scotland captain Kathryn Bryce, and the Sydney Sixers recruited her younger sister, Sarah Bryce.

The Sixers’ Bryce is a wicketkeeper who could also play straight away as captain Alyssa Healy remains under a cloud due to the foot injury she suffered at the World Cup.

Perth Scorchers signed Ni Made Putri Suwandewi (who goes by Tori Suwandewi) on Tuesday, making her the first Indonesian player to join a WBBL list.

The 26-year-old has been unplayable in ICC regional competitions against opposition which has most recently included Singapore, Bhutan and Mongolia, claiming 49 wickets in 42 T20s at an average of 8.18 and economy of 2.97.

Indonesian 26-year-old pace bowler Tori Suwandewi (right) could play for the Perth Scorchers in the upcoming WBBL season, which begins Sunday. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Suwandewi’s signing came as part of an agreement struck in January between the WACA and Persatuan Indonesia Cricket, which will focus on the development of female players for the first 18 months before potentially including male players.

Perth Scorchers general manager Kade Harvey said the club hoped Suwandewi would be the first of many players to gain WBBL experience.

“WA Cricket have been able to collaborate with Indonesia Cricket to further develop cricket in their nation, and we hope that bringing Tori into our squad will be the start of many associate nation cricketers continuing their cricketing journey in the WBBL,” Harvey said.

The 10th instalment of the WBBL will begin with a triple-header on Sunday, as the Strikers host the Heat at Adelaide Oval followed by the Renegades and the Sixers, before the Scorchers host the Stars in a night game at the WACA.

Originally published as Flurry of associate signings bolsters WBBL lists before season start