Matthews returns to Renegades as Sydney teams bolster pace attacks

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews will return to Melbourne Renegades after the club secured her as a pre-draft signing on a one-year deal.

Matthews joined amid much fanfare last season when taken as the third pick in the draft having produced some stunning performance for West Indies including her spectacular innings against Australia at North Sydney Oval.

However, she struggled to replicate that with 255 runs at 19.61 and a strike-rate of 114.34 in a forgettable season for Renegades, who finished bottom with just two wins, although she did finish as their joint-leading wicket-taker with 14 at 27.64.

Renegades' prospects for the 2024-25 season will be boosted by the availability of Sophie Molineux after injury. Tayla Vlaeminck also missed the full campaign and is currently off contract.

"We haven't achieved what we've wanted to the last couple of years but with some key members back and some new additions cooking up as well, I'm confident we can go out there and put it all together," Matthews said.

Matthews is the fourth overseas player to be signed ahead of the WBBL draft following Amelia Kerr (Sydney Sixers), Nadine de Klerk (Brisbane Heat) and Marizanne Kapp (Melbourne Stars).

Meanwhile, in domestic moves the two Sydney clubs have bolstered their pace attacks. Courtney Sippel , who is part of the Australia A squad to face India A next month, has signed a three-deal with Sixers to move from Heat while Taneale Peschel has moved to Thunder from Perth Scorchers.

"At the Scorchers, I've been given…every opportunity, but I felt like I'd been stagnant for the last season or two," Peschel said. "I always play the safe card and I've always stayed in WA and thought, okay, I'm still getting opportunity, I'll stay here. I think just this year, something clicked.

"I thought, I've got to try something else. I've got to stop playing a safe card. Who knows what something like a change to another team can offer my career."

Peschel, 29, was talked out of retirement earlier in her career by Lisa Keightley, the former Western Australia and Scorchers coach, who is now in charge of Thunder.

"Taneale was playing club cricket, and she was the fastest bowler there, the best bowler there, and I just thought she had the potential to give it another crack at a higher level," Keightley said.

"Taneale is a highly skilled bowler and has pace that not many have. It's what we are after to compliment our medium pacers. She has bowled at key times for the Scorchers, in the power play and at the death and done really well."