HEAT BOOST SQUAD | Fab Four For WBBL|12

Brisbane today announced they had secured a quartet of talented players as they close in on finalising their WBBL|12 squad ahead of their opening game at Allan Border Field on 30 October.

Batters Annie O’Neil and Lucy Bourke, wicket-keeper/batter Mikayla Wrigley and pace bowler Bonnie Berry were confirmed today as the Heat’s latest recruits.

O’Neil is fresh from making her captaincy debut for the Queensland Fire earlier this week as she covered for injured skipper Georgia Redmayne.

The hard-hitting right-hander completed a swift transition last summer, travelling to Brisbane to play for Wests in the KFC T20 Max competition after not being contracted by South Australia.

Her stand-out efforts in the T20 Max earned her a WBBL contract with the Heat, where she demonstrated her hitting ability to score at a strike rate of 142 across her nine matches for Brisbane.

Wrigley played eight games for the Heat in her debut season last year and has now registered 20 matches for Queensland, with a highest score of 88.

Bourke, originally from Warwick, and Berry, from Anakie near Emerald, made their WBBL debuts last season.

Heat coach Mark Sorell said the club was thrilled to reward home grown talent as well as providing opportunities for players to come to the club.

“We’re so pleased with how things have worked out for Annie,’’ he said.

“She captained Queensland in our first WNCL game this week when Georgia Redmayne was injured and that is remarkable considering it is just over 12 months ago that she arrived in town with no contract just to play in the KFC T20 Max and see where that could take her."

“She played really well there for Wests, and it turned out to be a real gift for us. We were looking for players that could bolster some of our younger group and she turned up with an obvious skillset and an absolute 10 out of 10 team-first attitude. She's made such a difference to us on and off the field."

Sorell said the returns of Wrigley, Bourke and Berry to the squad for another season would reinforce key positions as well as building the club’s depth.

“Lucy gives us another left-handed batting option in our top order, and it helps that she is also an outstanding fielder, while her off-breaks are coming along nicely,’’ he said.

“Mikayla continues to flourish with the bat and gloves and Bonnie brings pace to our bowling group and is coming off a strong off-season. They’ve all had a taste of what the WBBL is, and know that if they continue to challenge themselves in such an environment, then they can only emerge as better players.”

The Heat has two more signings to announce to complete their 15-player squad, with the final spot to be filled following the completion of the T20 Spring Challenge in Sydney this month.

Brisbane missed the Finals last season, the first time in eight seasons they did not feature in the deciders.

Brisbane Heat - WBBL|12 signings
Georgia Redmayne (c)
Lily Bassingthwaighte
Bonnie Berry
Lucy Bourke
Sianna Ginger
Sarah Glenn (England)
Lucy Hamilton
Grace Harris  
Jess Jonassen  
Charli Knott 
Annie O’Neil
Orla Prendergast (Ireland) 
Mikayla Wrigley