Thunder land Taylor for WBBL01

The Sydney Thunder have landed one of the biggest names in Women’s Cricket, signing West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor for the inaugural rebel Women’s Big Bash League season.

One of world’s best players with both bat and ball, Taylor is the latest in a string of internationals to announce they will be part of WBBL|01.

Taylor’s impressive cricketing resume includes an average of 45.62 in ODIs, while her 87 international appearances to date have produced five centuries and 22 half-centuries.

With the ball the 24-year-old yields just over 16-runs for every wicket she takes in T20 internationals. Taylor bowls sharp off-spin which has seen her take 56 T20I wickets from 50 innings.

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She starred for the Windies against Pakistan earlier this year with scores of 98no and 87no, while she posted scores of 95, 78 and 52 against the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars last summer.

Watch: Taylor plunders 95 against Australia

Taylor, 24, will bolster a Thunder squad already possessing the international powers of Australian nice-captain Alex Blackwell, batter Rachael Haynes, quick Rene Farrell and spinner Erin Osborne.

"I know I’m going to be a huge asset to the team,” said Taylor.

"The team is very strong, I am here to share my experience and hopefully have some good games, I know what I can do and I just hope that I have a good time.

"I’m a mixture of everything, I can be aggressive but I’m more of a rotator. Whatever is needed at the time, I can produce.”

Taylor said she was already impressed with Australia’s domestic women’s cricket.

"You can see that cricket is actually expanding and that is what you want,” said Taylor.

"The Women’s Big Bash is just a start and hopefully you have more to come, this is what we want as females, excitement and people coming out to support women’s cricket."

Taylor is the third West Indian to sign on for WBBL|01, joining Hayley Matthews (Hurricanes) and self-proclaimed ‘female Chris Gayle’ Deandra Dottin (Scorchers).

Watch: Taylor's dominant 78 against Australia

Named West Indies captain earlier this year, Taylor originally played soccer before switching to cricket.

"Football was my first sport, I didn’t really know anything about cricket,” said Taylor.

"It was introduced to me and as it went on I loved the game more. I watched a lot of Brian Lara and as time progessed I watched a lot of Chris Gayle as well.”

"I wouldn’t say I’m modeled off Chris Gayle, but I definitely like his style."

Thunder coach Joanne Broadbent said she was excited to have a player of Taylor’s calibre at her disposal in WBBL01.

"She’s a powerful hitter and she’ll be a handy bowler for us as well,” said Broadbent.

"She’s fitting in really well in and around our group and that’s really important for our group to function – I think she’s got two or three nicknames already, the group is gelling really well."

The first ever WBBL season gets underway this Saturday with a double-header between Melbourne Stars and Brisbane Heat at Junction Oval in Melbourne.

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The Thunder will open their campaign with a derby against the Sixers in Penrith on Sunday.

Meanwhile the Stars revealed their final two signings for WBBL|01, with Hayley Jensen and Lily Bardsley completing the squad’s list. 

New Zealand’s Jensen has signed on as an international replacement player and is available to play nine matches.

Jensen, who also signed on with the VicSpirit this season, made her international debut last year and has since played 13 games for the White Ferns including four one-dayers and nine T20s. 

After debuting for the ACT Meteors  this season, 20-year-old batter Bardsley gets a chance on the Stars’ list for WBBL|01. 

WBBL Overseas players

Adelaide Strikers

Sarah Taylor - England 

Sophie Devine - New Zealand

Brisbane Heat

Kate Cross - England

Lauren Winfield - England

Hobart Hurricanes

Heather Knight - England

Hayley Matthews - West Indies

Amy Satterthwaite - New Zealand

Melbourne Renegades

Dane Van Niekerk - South Africa 

Danielle Wyatt - England

Rachel Priest - New Zealand

Melbourne Stars

Mignon du Preez - South Africa

Morna Nielsen - New Zealand

Natalie Sciver – England

Hayley Jensen – New Zealand (international replacement)

Perth Scorchers

Charlotte Edwards - England

Deandra Dottin - West Indies (six matches - 26 December to 2 January)

Suzie Bates - New Zealand (share international duties with Dottin)

Katherine Brunt - England

Sydney Sixers

Sara McGlashan - New Zealand 

Marizanne Kapp - South Africa

Laura Marsh - England

Sydney Thunder

Stafanie Taylor - West Indies