WBBL: Adelaide Strikers sign South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt

Adelaide, Aug 6:  Adelaide Strikers have announced the signing of South Africa's batswoman Laura Wolvaardt for the sixth edition of the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL).

"I am so excited to be joining the Strikers. They are an amazing cricket team and almost went all the way to win the tournament last year," Wolvaardt said.

"I have been lucky enough to play at both the Adelaide Oval and the Karen Rolton Oval, and both are such beautiful cricket grounds and the city is wonderful too.

"I spent some time in Adelaide earlier this year for the World Cup. I am really excited to meet the team and to make some good memories on and off the field this year," she added.

The 21-year-old was named the 2019-20 South African cricketer of the year for her excellent World Cup campaign and for her continued form in ODIs, to which she has already been capped 50 times in her career. In the one-day format, Wolvaardt usually opens and she has a total of 1,871 runs at an average of 45.63, including two centuries and 16 fifties.

Strikers head coach Luke Williams said he looking forward to the attributes Wolvaardt is set to bring to the team.

"We're extremely pleased to have secured the signing of Laura who we think is an exceptional young talent and will fit into our group nicely," he said.

"We were very impressed by her standout performances on the biggest stage of them all, the T20 World Cup, and we're excited for what she will bring to the Strikers batting order, and her versatility in that order."

The WBBL 6 is scheduled to begin on the weekend of October 17-18, highlighted by match between defending champions Brisbane Heat and the Adelaide Strikers. This season's three-match finals series is scheduled to be played from November 27-29 with times and a venue to be confirmed.