The Melbourne Renegades have secured the signatures of WBBL captain Sophie Molineux and vice-captain Georgia Wareham, the pair committing to the club for the next two seasons.
Gades through and through: Molineux and Wareham re-sign for two more
The deals will see two of the club’s foundation and championship-winning players remain in red until at least the end of WBBL|12.
Molineux and Wareham have been mainstays of the Renegades since the club’s inception in 2015 and have both played crucial roles in shaping the club’s identity since.
Molineux, 27, holds the Renegades’ WBBL games record with 106 appearances, one shy of the club's all-time games record held by Aaron Finch. And only Finch has scored more runs in red.
Molineux was named captain ahead of WBBL|07 and, last season, led the club to its maiden title. She'd cap off an amazing WBBL|10 by earning a place in the Team of the Tournament before taking out the Renegades' WBBL Player of the Season Award.
Wareham, 26, has emerged as one of the competition’s premier leg-spinners and damaging middle-order batters, as well as a dependable leader within the group.
The Renegades WBBL09 Player of the Season, ‘Wolf’ also earned selection in the WBBL|10 Team of the Tournament after a standout all-round campaign.
The pair, who were also teammates in Australia’s T20 World Cup triumph in 2020, said putting pen to paper was an easy decision.
"It really was, I didn’t think twice,” Molineux said. “There wasn’t decision-making process at all, as soon as it came in, I sent it back pretty quickly.”
"It’s a real honour to be able to play at the same club for a long time, we’ve made a lot of special memories along the way, especially over the past 12 months and hopefully there’s more to come.
Wareham agreed: “Absolutely, being a part of the club since year one and experiencing such an amazing high last year it (the re-signing) was a no-brainer.”
"The culture we’ve been able to build, with Sophie as our captain and Helmo (Simon Helmot) as coach, has been special. Everyone who comes into the group buys into what it means to be a Renegades and it’s just so awesome to be part of it.”
Melbourne Renegades General Manager, James Rosengarten, said securing such quality players and adored clubwomen was an absolute priority.
"Sophie and Georgia are Renegades through and through, they both represent everything our club stands for and we want to ensure their legacy continues right here," Rosengarten said.
"They’re leaders, they’re world-class players, and they’re invested in the growth and success of this club. Their loyalty to the Renegades has been unwavering since day one, and we’re excited about what the next two seasons will bring with them leading the way."
Further squad announcements will follow in the coming weeks as the Renegades continue to shape the list ahead of WBBL11.