Cricket

Lizelle Lee, the former South African international, has extended her stay with the Hobart Hurricanes for two more seasons, bolstering the team's batting lineup ahead of the upcoming WBBL draft. Lee, who retired from international cricket in 2022-23, has made Tasmania her permanent home and played a pivotal role in the Hurricanes' success last season.As the team's leading run-scorer with 409 runs at an impressive average of 37.18 and a strike rate of 146.07, Lee's contributions were instrumental in the Hurricanes' progress. Her unbeaten century against the Melbourne Renegades showcased her exceptional batting prowess.Lee expressed her enthusiasm for continuing her journey with the Hurricanes, stating, "I feel like the team made some strong progress last season, and I am looking forward to playing my role and natural game as we look to bring Tasmania and the Hurricanes their first WBBL trophy."Cricket Tasmania's general manager, Salliann Beams, hailed Lee's re-signing as a significant boost to the team. "With her and Junior at the top of our order, I think we have arguably the most experienced and talented opening pairing in the WBBL," she said. "She provided us with great versatility with our overseas pre-signing, and considering we had the number one pick in the WBBL draft, it made sense for us to pre-sign someone who we know can play a role for us."Beams further praised Lee's all-around abilities, highlighting her impact both with the bat and in the field. "She can change the game with the bat and in the field, having done so time and time again in international cricket for South Africa and in the WBBL," she added.Hurricanes' head coach Jude Coleman has indicated that the team will seek to strengthen their top four batting lineup during the draft. They also hold retention rights for South African quick bowler Shabnim Ismail, who claimed 13 wickets last season.With Lee's re-signing and the potential additions through the draft, the Hobart Hurricanes are poised to make a strong push for their maiden WBBL title in the upcoming season.

The Hobart Hurricanes have secured the first pick in the upcoming Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) draft, following a weighted lottery that favored teams that missed the finals in the 2023-24 season. The Hurricanes, Sydney Sixers, Melbourne Renegades, and Melbourne Stars, who all failed to reach the playoffs, were given the first four picks, followed by the four teams that made the postseason.Despite finishing in the bottom two last season, the Melbourne teams were unable to secure the top pick, which went to the Hurricanes. The Hurricanes had a strong draft last year, selecting Shabnim Ismail, Bryony Smith, and Lizelle Lee as a direct nomination.The Perth Scorchers, who were eliminated in the Challenger, will have the last pick in rounds one, two, and four of the draft. However, the order will be reversed in round three. Clubs can trade picks, so the order may change before the draft takes place in September.Last season, the Sydney Thunder used their first pick to select South Africa allrounder Marizanne Kapp as a platinum player, while the Scorchers opted not to use their retention option. This year, clubs can sign up to four overseas players, including those who join under the new multi-year pre-draft option. New Zealand's Amelia Kerr became the first player to sign under this system, joining the Sixers after leaving the Brisbane Heat.The pre-draft option essentially replaces the direct nominations system used last year. If clubs sign a fourth overseas player, they will become the first overseas replacement. The draft will again feature four price bands: platinum (AU$110,000), gold (AU$90,000), silver (AU$65,000), and bronze (AU$40,000).Next season's WBBL has been reduced to a 40-game regular season to manage the workload of players and boost attendance. The tournament is expected to start shortly after the conclusion of the Women's T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, which ends on October 20.Given the proximity of the World Cup to the WBBL season, it remains to be seen how many of the world's leading players will commit to the tournament in Australia.

Nikhil Chaudhary, a player recently acquitted of rape charges, is expected to return to the Hobart Hurricanes in the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) season. However, Cricket Tasmania, the franchise's governing body, was unaware of the criminal proceedings against Chaudhary until after the verdict.Chaudhary joined the Hurricanes in late 2023 and had his contract extended to 2027 in February, just a month before his trial. Cricket Tasmania's high performance general manager, Salliann Beams, expressed disappointment that Chaudhary had not disclosed the charges or court proceedings to the organization."It's not so much the incident because we know that nothing happened ... legally not guilty and everything," Beams said. "It's just the disclosure of information. We want to know where we sit on that because we were completely in the dark."Beams acknowledged the legal complexities surrounding the situation, noting that Chaudhary was advised not to discuss the matter. However, she emphasized the importance of transparency and the potential impact on the franchise's reputation."You have to deal with the organization's point of view and the impact that it could potentially have on that," she said. "Because you don't really want to associate yourself with ... that type of investigation."Despite the concerns, Beams indicated that Chaudhary is likely to play in the upcoming BBL season. "There are some legalities through that process," she said. "But at the same time, you can understand from the players' point of view is that, you know, they've done nothing wrong and it's a scary place."Chaudhary played nine games for the Hurricanes in the previous BBL season, averaging 26 with the bat and taking five wickets. The team missed out on the finals.