Rising star heads west in Scorchers, WA signing blitz

Emerging swing bowler Ebony Hoskin has made a lasting impression at the Perth Scorchers, penning a two-year extension after a breakout first season for the club last summer.

The right-armer played every game of the Scorchers' Weber WBBL|10 campaign, collecting seven wickets with an economy rate of 7.43 in her 10 matches.

The 22-year-old put in a nerveless display under pressure against eventual champions Melbourne Renegades at the WACA Ground in November, defending eight runs in the game's final over to secure the Scorchers a two-run victory.

Hoskin's impressive WBBL performances have also led to a state deal with Western Australia for the 2025-26, going all in with the move west after starting her career in her native NSW.

Hoskin played four games for Sydney Thunder in WBBL|09 before joining the Scorchers last season having debuted for NSW in the Women's National Cricket League in 2022, collecting seven wickets in 11 games for the state.

But she was only able to break into the NSW side for one game last season as the Breakers won their 21st WNCL title in March when they defeated Queensland by 21 runs at Allan Border Field.

"My first season with the Scorchers was an incredible experience, and I'm really excited to be back in the orange and hopefully help bring a couple of trophies home," Hoskin said today.

"I learned a lot last season and I'm really proud that the team have backed me in to perform on the big stage. 

"I'm looking forward to making Perth my home, getting stuck in at the WACA Ground and immersing myself into the WA Cricket setup."

Perth Scorchers WBBL|11 squad (so far): Chloe Ainsworth, Sophie Devine (New Zealand), Amy Edgar, Mikayla Hinkley, Ebony Hoskin, Alana King, Beth Mooney 

It comes after WA confirmed the return of Cricket Australia-contracted allrounder Heather Graham after four seasons in Tasmania where she was part of a squad that won a hat-trick of WNCL titles.

Graham, who has represented the country in one ODI and five T20 internationals, is still contracted to Hobart Hurricanes for another season.

"I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Tasmania and will always look back at that part of my career with the fondest memories, but I can't wait to start my next chapter in the west," the 28-year-old allrounder said.

"I am obviously really excited to be coming back home to Perth and returning to the program that provided me so many opportunities in the early stages of my cricketing journey.

"WA have such a talented playing group and have been building nicely over the past couple of seasons, I am looking forward to getting to work and hopefully being part of more success for WA in the near future."

WA are expected to confirm their full women's and men's state contract lists for next season later this week.

Meanwhile, NSW Breakers have announced former Australian team psychologist Peter Clarke as their new women's head coach for the next three years.

Clarke joins the reigning WNCL champions after eight years with the Aussie women's team and spent just shy of a decade as the University of Queensland's men's first grade coach and director of cricket before stepping down in 2024 to manage his touring commitments.

Clarke replaces Gavan Twining, who stepped down last December to take on an assistant coaching role with the Australian women's team.

"I love Australian women's cricket and to get to work with the team who have traditionally been the benchmark for women's cricket in this country is not something I take for granted," he said today.

"Together as a staff and playing group, I'd like to see the Breakers program be universally recognised as world class in the way we prepare, perform, and carry ourselves off the field."