Sophia Dunkley Joins Melbourne Stars: Ahead of the much-awaited Women’s Big Bash League 2023, Melbourne Stars signs England batter Sophia Dunkley.
Sophia Dunkley Joins Melbourne Stars
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.
Dunkley was not in the WBBL draft last Sunday where seven of the eight WBBL clubs only chose two overseas players, with each club allowed to take three, and six of them committing to signing the six players who had decided to bypass the draft.
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 option came at a cost with the players only eligible to be paid 95% of the silver category salary – which equates to AU$61,750.
Dunkley, Tammy Beaumont, Amy Jones, Mignon du Preez, Lizelle Lee and Suzie Bates all took that option. It meant that the WBBL draft did fall a little flat after the first two rounds with seven of the eight clubs passing on their third pick. Sydney Thunder were the only team to draft three players on the day.
The English top-order batter joins compatriots Maia Bouchier and Alice Capsey as the Stars’ internationals for Weber WBBL|09.
Capsey was taken by the Stars as a platinum-level signing with pick four in the draft, meaning she will earn $110,000 this season, while Bouchier as pick 13 in the gold tier will earn $90,000.
Dunkley, however, can only earn a maximum of $61,750 under the direct nomination mechanism that limits her pay to 95 per cent of the silver tier.
“We are rapt to be able to add someone of Sophia’s quality to the Stars squad. To secure three of the English starting XI is a testament to the strength of the WBBL as one of the leading domestic competitions in the world”, said Stars General Manager, Blair Crouch.
The other five signings are expected to be confirmed in the coming week. Bates looks set to return to Sydney Sixers and Lee is likely to head back to Hobart Hurricanes. Du Preez is expected to join Brisbane Heat, Beaumont Melbourne Renegades and Jones Perth Scorchers.
Melbourne Stars WBBL|09 squad (so far)
Maia Bouchier (ENG), Alice Capsey (ENG), Sophie Day, Sophia Dunkley (ENG), Tess Flintoff, Kim Garth, Meg Lanning, Rhys McKenna, Sasha Moloney, Sophie Reid, Annabel Sutherland
CHECK: WBBL 2023 Squad, Teams – Women’s Big Bash League 2023
