Ahead of the Women’s Big Bash League 2023 start, Brisbane Heat signs Mignon du Preez through the direct nomination route having skipped the overseas player draft.
Brisbane Heat signs Mignon du Preez for the WBBL 2023 season
As per WBBL 2023 schedule, the first match of the season will be played between Sydney Sixers Women and Melbourne Stars Women at North Sydney Oval, Sydney. A total of 57 matches will be played during the WBBL 2023 edition with the final game on December 2.
A total of 122 players were registered for the inaugural WBBL overseas draft. The first edition of the WBBL 2023 Overseas Draft is scheduled to take place on September 3.
Players unsure about entering the draft due to the uncertainty of where they might play or being overlooked entirely were given the option of directly nominating themselves to play for a WBBL club without being part of the draft. The choice came at a cost with the players only eligible to be paid 95% of the silver category salary, equating to AU$61,750.
Six players took this path, with du Preez the second confirmed signing after Sophie Dunkley with Melbourne Stars.
With 2292 at 28.29 and a strike rate of 113.80 having previously played for Hobart Hurricanes and Melbourne Stars, Du Preez is the second-highest run-scorer in WBBL history among overseas players
“Minnie is a proven match-winner with the bat, especially in Australian conditions. She is a calm and composed leader and a great person, so naturally we are thrilled to have her joining the Heat for the summer”, Heat coach Ashley Noffke said.
Her signing completes the Heat’s three overseas names for the upcoming season after they took Amelia Kerr with that platinum pick and selected England batter Bess Heath at silver.
The other players who took the direct nomination route are Amy Jones, Lizelle Lee, Suzie Bates and Tammy Beaumont. Jones is expected to join Perth Scorchers with Bates returning to Sydney Sixers, Beaumont heading to Melbourne Renegades and Lee to Hurricanes.
Brisbane Heat WBBL 2023 Squad(So Far)
Nicola Hancock, Grace Harris, Mikayla Hinkley, Ellie Johnston, Charli Knott, Grace Parsons, Georgia Redmayne, Courtney Sippell, Laura Harris, Jess Jonassen, Georgia Voll, Amelia Kerr, Bess Heath, Mignon du Preez
CHECK: WBBL 2023 Squad, Teams – Women’s Big Bash League 2023
