The Hobart Hurricanes have retained the services of wicketkeeper-batter Lizelle Lee for WBBL|09 with the South African signing with the franchise as its third overseas player.
After relocating to Tasmania and playing for both the Hurricanes and the Tasmanian Tigers last season, Lee elected not to nominate for the WBBL draft and instead decided to directly negotiate with the Hurricanes.
That means she will only be paid a maximum of 95 per cent of the league’s silver tier draft salary for international players – which equates to around $61,750.
All Big Bash clubs have the option to sign international players outside of the draft, however, no contracts of this nature can be entered into until after the fact, with only non-binding discussions permitted to take place prior to the draft.
After falling out of the tournament in the knockout phase last summer, Lee was confident that the group could improve on that finish this year and replicate the success they’d achieved in the Tigers program.
“While last year obviously wasn’t my first time playing in the WBBL, it was my first time playing with the Hurricanes, which was a very special experience for me,” she said.
“As a group, we all know each other a lot better now than we did this time last year, so I’m really excited to get stuck in and see what we can do this season.”
Lee’s retention is a major one for the Hurricanes who added Shabnim Ismail and Bryony Smith in the draft, meaning last year’s leading run scorer Mignon du Preez won’t return to Blundstone Arena this summer.
The veteran South African big hitter will instead ply her trade for the Brisbane Heat.
Lee joins Nicola Carey, Maisy Gibson, Heather Graham, Shabnim Ismail, Ruth Johnston, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Amy Smith, Bryony Smith, Molly Strano, Rachel Trenaman, and Elyse Villani as players currently announced as contracted to the Hurricanes for WBBL|09.
The Hurricanes will get their season underway on Friday 20 October, when they take on the Perth Scorchers at Launceston’s University of Tasmania Stadium.
Originally published as Hobart Hurricanes retain Lizelle Lee for WBBL|09 as fellow countrywoman departs