Perth, Oct 22 (IANS) Perth Scorchers have secured one of the most exciting talents in Indonesian cricket, with Ni Made Putri Suwandewi signing on for WBBL 10. Known for her exceptional all-around abilities, Suwandewi has been a staple in the Indonesian side since making her international debut in January 2019.
She boasts an incredible international record, taking 49 wickets at 8.18 with an eye-catching economy of 2.97 runs per over in 42 matches.
The 26-year-old quick, known as Tori, has been signed under the League’s associate rookie rule, which allows clubs to sign players from associate nations and keep them outside of their original 15-player squad.
An associate rookie is eligible to replace an injured domestic player or an unavailable international in the playing squad but can be selected as a fourth international in any playing XI.
The signing of Suwandewi is the first success story of a recent partnership between WA Cricket and Persataun Indonesia Cricket. An inaugural memorandum of understanding was created between the two organisations in January, under which WA Cricket is supporting the development of young players, coaches, and facilities in the region, cementing its reputation as a leader in the sport.
Reflecting on her maiden WBBL deal, Suwandewi said, “I am very excited to be joining Perth Scorchers ahead of WBBL 10, in one of the best T20 competitions in the world.
“The WBBL has been a competition I have admired from afar for a long time, and I am looking forward to being involved as a player this season. The Scorchers have been a successful Club for a long period of time, and I am excited to get to work with the playing group and coaches.”
Perth Scorchers General Manager High Performance & Elite Teams Kade Harvey said: “We are thrilled to welcome Tori as an associate rookie for WBBL 10. She has an impressive international record for Indonesia, and we are looking forward to welcoming her over and getting her amongst the group.
“WA Cricket have been able to collaborate with Indonesia Cricket to further develop cricket in their nation, and we hope that bringing Tori into our squad will be the start of many associate nation cricketers continuing their cricketing journey in the WBBL.
Perth Scorchers WBBL head coach Becky Grundy said, “We are delighted to welcome Tori into our squad for WBBL 10, she is a fantastic talent with a bright future, and she will add significant depth to our group.
“I had the opportunity to go over to Bali and watch her up close, and I was incredibly impressed with her as both a cricketer and as a person. Her determination and hard work align perfectly with our team culture, and we’re excited to see her develop further in the Scorchers environment.”
Perth Scorchers WBBL 10 list to date: Sophie Devine (Captain – New Zealand), Chloe Ainsworth, Stella Campbell, Maddy Darke, Dayalan Hemalatha (India), Amy Edgar, Mikayla Hinkley, Amy Jones (England), Alana King, Lilly Mills, Beth Mooney, Chloe Piparo, Ni Made Putri Suwandewi (Associate Rookie – Indonesia).
–IANS
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