Georgia Voll has made a strong impression on the international cricket scene. Cricket Australia via Getty Images
Georgia Voll has concluded a remarkable week by securing a valuable contract with Birmingham Phoenix in the Women’s Hundred draft.
Young Australian opener Voll will debut in the tournament after Oval Invincibles, Welsh Fire, and London Spirit had to use their right-to-match options to retain Paige Scholfield, Sophia Dunkley, and Heather Knight, respectively, against Birmingham’s offers. All four players are in the top women’s salary bracket of £65,000.
Voll made a notable international debut in December, substituting for Alyssa Healy in Australia’s home series against India. In the last week, Voll scored 55 and an unbeaten 99 as a late addition to the WPL team UP Warriorz, replacing Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu, who left for international duties.
Healy, the Australian captain, who has been dealing with foot and knee injuries since late last year and had to miss the WPL for recovery, was not picked after entering the draft with a base price of £50,000.
Voll is one of three Australians in Phoenix’s overseas player slots, along with all-rounder Ellyse Perry, who was retained, and bowler Megan Schutt, a direct signing before the draft.
However, fast bowler Issy Wong is leaving Birmingham for London Spirit. Wong has had a challenging period since her international debut in 2022 at age 20. She played for Phoenix, her home franchise, in the first four editions of the tournament. However, run-up problems led to her being dropped in 2023, where she played only five games, and she played only four times last year, taking one wicket each season.
Wong, who was seen as a key figure for the 2023 Ashes despite not playing in the series while struggling for form, last played for England in 17th appearance to date on the tour of Ireland last September. This tour featured many fringe international players as the senior squad prepared for their unsuccessful T20 World Cup campaign. Spirit acquired Wong for £16,000, the third-lowest salary bracket in the women’s competition.
Southern Brave, the 2023 champions and last year’s last-place finishers, used their first draft pick at £36,000 to secure Sophie Devine. Devine had opted out of this year’s WPL and New Zealand’s current home series against Sri Lanka for a wellbeing break. Devine last played a competitive match on January 24 for Wellington in the Women’s Super Smash. South African all-rounder Chloe Tryon will join her at Southern Brave, returning to the franchise for £20,000.
West Indies star Deandra Dottin will return to Manchester Originals for £50,000, having played for the team in 2022 and 2023 after initially playing for London Spirit in 2021. Young wicketkeeper-batter Seren Smale joins her from Birmingham Phoenix for £36,000.
Scholfield’s significant deal to remain at Oval Invincibles could indicate a recovery after her international career stalled shortly after beginning. Scholfield was chosen for England’s tour of South Africa late last year but returned home without playing due to an ankle injury in training.
Scholfield, called up to boost England’s middle order after her international debut on the Ireland tour, scored 190 runs in the Hundred last year with a strike rate of 137.68 and a top score of 71 off 40 balls. She was also the fifth-highest run-scorer in the domestic T20 competition with 259 runs at an average of 43.16 and a strike rate of 140.00.
Invincibles’ overseas group of Marizanne Kapp, Meg Lanning, and Amanda-Jade Wellington was already set before the draft. Off-spinning all-rounder Mady Villiers leaves Oval after four seasons, drafted by Southern Brave for £16,000.
After two seasons each with Northern Superchargers and Birmingham Phoenix, leg-spinner Katie Levick moves to Welsh Fire, picked up in the £12,500 bracket.
Richa Ghosh, the Indian wicketkeeper-batter, was undrafted after entering with a base price of £65,000.
In total, 110 overseas and 120 domestic players entered the women’s draft for 29 available spots, including four overseas and 25 domestic spots.
Each of the eight teams has two remaining spots to be filled by wildcards closer to the competition’s start on August 5. These spots will be in the lowest salary bracket of £10,000.
