Kemp re-signs for Perth as England fill twelve of WBBL 12's overseas places

Perth Scorchers have re-signed England allrounder Freya Kemp for a second season, the twelfth England player contracted for a Women's Big Bash League whose import market has swung sharply towards England since the overseas draft was scrapped

Kemp, 21, is the first overseas player the Scorchers have confirmed for WBBL|12, and the first signing the club has revealed since the contract embargo lifted last month. Perth were the slowest of the eight clubs off the mark in the overseas market.

Cricket Australia's club-by-club list counts 12 England players signed for the season so far, with more expected. The rest of the confirmed overseas contingent numbers five: West Indies pair Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin, South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt, New Zealand's Amelia Kerr and Ireland's Orla Prendergast.

The balance follows a change in how the competition recruits. The overseas player draft, used since 2022, has been dropped in favour of the open market that preceded it, and there is no longer a minimum number of imports a club must contract.

A second season in orange

Kemp made 193 runs at a strike rate of 147.32 in 12 innings for the Scorchers in WBBL|11, most of them in short bursts from the middle order. Her most telling contribution was a 19-ball 35 in the Knockout against the Melbourne Stars.

She has since become a fixture in England's T20I side, hitting an unbeaten 44 from 28 balls against Australia in the T20 World Cup final at Lord's in July.

"Freya made a strong impact during her time with us last season and we're delighted to welcome her back," Perth Scorchers general manager Kade Harvey said. "Her ability to contribute at the end of our innings adds tremendous value to our squad."

"I loved my time with the Scorchers last season, and I'm really excited to be coming back for another year," Kemp said.

Perth build around a settled local core

The Scorchers lost last season's final to Hobart Hurricanes and had their Australian nucleus secured before the movement window opened, with Beth Mooney, Alana King and Katie Mack contracted alongside quick Chloe Ainsworth and spinners Amy Edgar and Lilly Mills.

Both of the club's other WBBL|11 imports have gone. Captain Sophie Devine, who retired from international cricket with New Zealand in July, was out of contract at the end of the season, as was England batter Paige Scholfield.

Nine players are now on Perth's list, and the club has signalled further announcements in the coming weeks.

An open market replaces the draft

Under the draft, clubs picked overseas players in a set order on a set night. Direct signings let them negotiate with imports themselves and announce deals as they are struck.

Removing the minimum overseas requirement goes further: a club is now free to contract a squad made up entirely of local players.

Where the English have landed

Melbourne Stars have an all-English overseas group of Amy Jones, Dani Gibson and Charlie Dean, England's vice-captain, who joins for her first Big Bash season after Marizanne Kapp pulled out of the final year of her deal with South Africa facing a series against India days after the WBBL finishes.

Sydney Sixers have signed Sophia Dunkley and Alice Capsey, the latter moving across from the Renegades, while Sydney Thunder have confirmed a fifth season for Heather Knight, who retired from international cricket mid-year.

Adelaide Strikers keep Sophie Ecclestone and have taken Maia Bouchier from the Stars, champions Hobart Hurricanes retain Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Linsey Smith, and Brisbane Heat have signed Sarah Glenn for a full campaign after she arrived as a replacement last season.

Absences the clubs must cover

England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt has told the Hurricanes she is sitting out WBBL|12 after an injury-hampered home summer, leaving the champions without one of their three title-winning imports.

The Sixers must replace Alyssa Healy, retired from all cricket, both at the top of the order and behind the stumps, with Capsey a contender for the gloves. Hobart's title-winning captain Elyse Villani has also retired.

Sydney Thunder declined the third year of Chamari Athapaththu's contract, and Tammy Beaumont will not return to the Strikers.

WBBL|12 begins on 29 October with a double-header at Junction Oval and runs to the final on 5 December.

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