New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS): Former South Africa opener Lizelle Lee has extended her association with the Hobart Hurricanes by signing a fresh two-year deal with the club. Lizelle has been signed under the WBBL’s new multi-year, pre-draft signing rules for overseas players.

Lizelle relocated to Tasmania permanently after retiring from international cricket and has been associated with the Hurricanes in the WBBL since 2022. In the last WBBL season, Lizelle amassed 409 runs at an average of 37.18 and a strike rate of 146.07, including hitting an unbeaten 101 against Melbourne Renegades and was also named the Hobart Hurricanes WBBL Player of the Season.

“I love playing for the Hobart Hurricanes, and I am excited to return to Blundstone Arena for another season in Tasmania! 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,” said Lizelle in a statement.

Lizelle joins Nicola Carey, Heather Graham, Ruth Johnston, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Amy Smith, Lauren Smith, Molly Strano, Rachel Trenaman and Elyse Villani as Hurricanes players under contract ahead of WBBL season ten.

Salliann Beams, Cricket Tasmania’s General Manager of High Performance, said she was excited to see Lizelle continue playing in Hobart’s purple colours for two more years.

“Lizzy has been huge for us in the past few seasons, she has helped set the tone for our innings by getting us off to a positive start, and 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.”

“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, which made her a great choice as our overseas pre-signing,” she explained.

The Hurricanes hold the No.1 pick in the WBBL overseas players draft, to be held on September 1. They will have the right to retain Lizelle’s former South Africa teammate, fast bowler Shabnim Ismail if made possible in the draft after her nomination was confirmed last week.