Melbourne Renegades re-sign Hayley Matthews for WBBL 12

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has re-signed with Melbourne Renegades for WBBL 12. Matthews played a key role in the team’s WBBL Season 10 title triumph before missing last season after undergoing shoulder surgery and has now returned to full fitness

Melbourne: West Indies skipper Hayley Matthews has re-signed with the Melbourne Renegades on a one-year deal for the upcoming Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) season, the club announced on Monday.

The top-ranked women’s T20I all-rounder was a key architect of the Renegades’ title triumph in WBBL Season 10, but shoulder surgery forced her to miss the side’s title defence last season.

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Hayley, 28, delivered a career-best campaign during the Renegades’ championship-winning run, scoring 324 runs at a strike rate of 130.6 and taking 14 wickets. Her performances earned her selection in the WBBL Season 10 Team of the Tournament.

She ended that season with a standout performance in the final against Brisbane Heat at the MCG, scoring 69 runs and claiming two wickets for 24 runs.

Hayley, who made a successful comeback to international cricket by guiding the West Indies to the T20 World Cup semi-finals in England, shared her excitement about rejoining the Melbourne franchise.

“Winning the championship with the Renegades was such a special experience and I’m really looking forward to being part of the group again. It was frustrating to miss last season, but I’m back to full fitness now and excited to get back to Melbourne and have another go at winning the title,” she said in a statement.

The off-spin all-rounder, who bats right-handed, becomes the Renegades’ first confirmed overseas signing for the season under newly appointed head coach Gavan Twining, who replaced Simon Helmot.

“Hayley is a world-class cricketer and we know the impact she can have on a team, both with the bat and ball. She was a huge part of the championship campaign and we’re delighted to have her back. Most importantly, she’s healthy and ready to play, and we’re really looking forward to seeing her in Renegades colours again,” he said.

Hayley joins a strong local core that includes Australian stars Sophie Molineux, the captain, and leg-spin all-rounder Georgia Wareham, alongside Nicole Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Milly Illingworth and Courtney Webb.

Her signing follows changes to the league’s recruitment framework, which saw the overseas player draft scrapped in favour of direct player-to-club signings.