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Indian young gun joins Heat for WBBL|02

Brisbane franchise pick up classy batter Mandhana as second international signing

Brisbane Heat have secured the silky batting skills of Indian Smriti Mandhana for the second season of the Women's Big Bash League.

Mandhana joins West Indian allrounder Deandra Dottin as the Heat’s two international recruits for WBBL|02.

She is the second player from India to commit to the WBBL this year, with allrounder and vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur joining defending champions Sydney Thunder.

Mandhana is a left-handed top-order batter who demonstrated her fluent style in emphatic fashion last summer when the then 19-year-old scored her maiden ODI hundred against the Southern Stars in Hobart during India's tour of Australia in February.

Against an attack that included her future Heat teammates Holly Ferling and Jess Jonassen and Southern Stars trump card Ellyse Perry, Mandhana stroked a classy 104 off 109 balls.

A century for teen Mandhana


Now 20, the Maharashtra resident will return to Australia to join the Heat for the coming summer where she hopes to increase her playing knowledge and skills.

"I am looking forward very much to working with the Australian girls in the Heat squad after playing against them last season," she said.

"That was a good series, and I noticed there was a definite difference between their preparation and our preparation so I am keen to learn from the differences. Things like fitness and how they train for a series like the WBBL and the way they work on their fielding are areas I am interested in.

"It will be exciting to live in a different city and meet new people as well as travel around Australia again."

Mandhana said the WBBL had caught the attention of Indian cricket lovers last year and the prospect of more fans following the matches from afar would provide her with plenty of incentive to do well for Brisbane.

"I saw some of the coverage last year and it was an excellent standard," she added.

"The players looked to be really enjoying the experience. Hopefully I can perform well and help to encourage more girls to take up cricket from a young age, both here in India and in Australia."

Brisbane coach Andy Richards said he was delighted Mandhana had opted to join the Heat, after hearing his Australian players describe her skills.

"When the opportunity came about that some of the Indian players were going to be available for the WBBL, the Brisbane girls were onto us straight away about Smriti," he said.

"It's going to be an enjoyable experience for all of us as a squad, with her and Deandra joining us. I think it's going to make the second season of the WBBL even more exciting."

Richards confirmed that the Heat had also signed batter Laura Harris for WBBL|02 after the older sister of Southern Stars allrounder Grace had played for them as an injury replacement last season.

Ferling feels the need for speed


Harris, who also plays soccer for Eastern Suburbs FC in the Brisbane Premier League, has impressed during pre-season training with the Konica Minolta Queensland Fire after being invited to continue her development this year.

"Laura showed some glimpses last year of her potential and we have seen her take some rapid strides since then," he said.

"We think her power hitting will be a very handy addition to the squad."

While the 26-year-old Harris is a relatively late starter, fellow signing Mandhana started her cricketing journey at a young age, included in the Maharashtra Under-15 team when she was just nine years old, and training before and after school along the way.

It was the start of a rapid rise, which saw her make her international debut at the age of 16 and play in series wins over Australia and England, including a Test half-century, by the time she was 19.

Her affinity with the Heat stretches back to before the creation of the women's version of the KFC Big Bash League, with foundation Heat signing Matthew Hayden an early hero.

"I have always looked up to Matt for the way he dominates the bowlers and Kumar Sangakkara for the way he times the ball, so those are things I would like to incorporate in my batting," she said.

"But I was pleased to hear that Matt had seen me bat during the T20 and ODI series in Australia, so I do have a nice little connection to the Heat."

2016-17 WBBL Brisbane Heat squad (current contracted list): Jess Jonassen, Beth Mooney, Courtney Hill, Holly Ferling, Delissa Kimmince, Jemma Barsby, Deandra Dottin (West Indies), Smriti Mandhana (India), Kara Sutherland, Laura Harris.