Scorpions finalise 2019-20 contract list

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Three new local players have been awarded State contracts for the 2019-20 Women’s National Cricket League season.

Stacey Oates and Emma de Broughe were both part of the Sturt side that clinched the 2018-19 Statewide Super First Grade premiership in March, while Darcie Brown of Northern Districts is a promising teenage quick.

Medium-pacer Oates was the leading Premier Cricket wicket-taker (including finals) in the 2018-19 season with 22 scalps at 11.77.

The 23-year-old was named in the Statewide Super Team of the Year and was also invited train with the Statewide Super SA Scorpions throughout the 2018-19 season.

Brown, a 16-year-old year 11 student, recently returned from New Zealand after being selected for the Under 19 Australian side.

The right-arm quick has been clocked at speeds of up to 116 km/h, making her one of the fastest female bowlers in the State.

Raised in Kapunda, Brown is also a talented netballer and footballer, who recently moved to Adelaide to more easily pursue sport.

A middle-order batter and part time medium-pace bowler, de Broughe vice-captained South Australia at the Under 18 National Cricket Championships in February.

The 18-year-old athlete represented Australia in field hockey at the Youth Olympics in 2018 and was also selected in the Australian Futures hockey squad the past two years.

New Head Coach Luke Williams is pleased with the squad that has been put together ahead of the season.

“I’d expect us to be really competitive straight away and although there’s been some change in our list, we certainly think that the girls that have come onto contract (are) capable of playing this season,” Williams said.

“We are probably just looking for more consistency. We showed it at times last year that our cricket can compete with any side in the competition, it’s just a matter of doing it for longer periods of games.”

Katelyn Pope, Sarah Lowe, Brooke Harris and Kelly Armstrong have been delisted, however uncontracted players can still be selected in the Scorpions XI.

The introduction of an Emerging Scorpions program, which mirrors the long-running Emerging Redbacks program, will support and develop players who have lost their contracts and those who may be on the cusp of selection.

Full 2019-20 Statewide Super SA Scorpions contract list
Megan Schutt (c) – Cricket Australia contract
Tegan McPharlin
Bridget Patterson
Tahlia McGrath
Eliza Doddridge
Shae Daly
Tabatha Saville
Alex Price
Sam Betts
Annie O’Neil
Amanda-Jade Wellington
Stacey Oates (new)
Darcie Brown (new)
Emma De Broughe (new)
Ellie Falconer

Delisted
Kelly Armstrong
Sarah Lowe
Katelyn Pope
Brooke Harris