Cape Town – Marizanne Kapp has pulled out of the upcoming WBBL season, with Melbourne Stars citing her international priorities ahead of South Africa’s Test tour of India.
Kapp has withdrawn from the next edition of the WBBL, with a year still left on her Melbourne Stars contract, as she shifts focus to her South Africa commitments. The Proteas play a Test against India starting 9 December, just four days after the WBBL final.
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Stars general manager James Rosengarten said the club would miss a player of Kapp’s ability but respected her decision, noting that her absence created room to develop another player within the squad.
To help fill the gap, Stars have re-signed England pair Dani Gibson and Amy Jones for a second consecutive season. Jones was the club’s second-highest run-scorer last season with 234 runs from 11 matches at a strike rate of 125.80, while Gibson contributed 170 runs at a strike rate of 139.34 in a campaign that ended with a Knockout defeat to Perth Scorchers.
Rosengarten described the pair’s return as a key goal heading into the new season, highlighting how their differing skill sets, a wicketkeeper and a bowling all-rounder, strengthen the squad’s balance. Both players, he said, had spoken positively about their time in Melbourne.
Stars retain the option to sign one further international player before the WBBL season begins.
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