Sydney teams increase their pace attacks with Matthews back with the Renegades.

Hayley Matthews, the captain of the West Indies, has signed a one-year pre-draft contract with the Melbourne Renegades and will be returning to the team.

As the third pick in the draft, Matthews was welcomed with much fanfare to the West Indies after putting on some incredible performances, including a memorable century against Australia at North Sydney Oval.

She did, however, find it difficult to duplicate that in a disappointing season for Renegades, who ended last with just two wins despite her finishing as their joint-leading wicket-taker with 14 at 27.64. Her season total was 255 runs at 19.61 and strike-rate of 114.34.

Sophie Molineux’s return from injury will improve Renegades’ chances for the 2024–25 campaign. Tayla Vlaeminck, who is presently without a contract, missed the entire campaign as well.

“We haven’t achieved what we’ve wanted to the last couple of years but with some key members back and some new additions cooking up as well, I’m confident we can go out there and put it all together,” Matthews stated.

After Marizanne Kapp (Melbourne Stars), Amelia Kerr (Sydney Sixers), and Nadine de Klerk (Brisbane Heat), Matthews is the fourth foreign player to be signed prior to the WBBL draft.

In the meantime, the two Sydney clubs have strengthened their pace attacks through domestic transfers. Taneale Peschel came to Thunder from Perth Scorchers, and Courtney Sippel, who will play for Australia A against India A next month, signed a three-year contract with Sixers.

“At the Scorchers, I’ve been given…every opportunity, but I felt like I’d been stagnant for the last season or two,” Peschel stated. “I always choose the safe route and have stayed in Washington because I reasoned that I would still have opportunities here. I believe that something clicked only this year.

“I realised that I needed to attempt something different. I have to get over using the secure card. Who knows what my career might gain from switching to a different squad.”

Lisa Keightley, the current coach of Thunder and a former coach of Western Australia and the Scorchers, coaxed the 29-year-old out of retirement earlier in her career.

“Taneale was playing club cricket, and she was the fastest bowler there, the best bowler there, and I just thought she had the potential to give it another crack at a higher level,” Keightley stated.

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“Taneale is an exceptionally talented bowler with a pace few possess. We want it to go well with our medium pacers. She has bowled exceptionally effectively for the Scorchers throughout crucial moments, such as the power play and the end of the game.”