Aussie Maitlan Brown joins Blaze

Pace bowler Maitlan Brown is the latest Aussie to join forces with Wellington Blaze, signing on for the business end of the Dream11 Super Smash season - set to make her first appearance on Monday, 20 January at the Cello Basin Reserve.

Brown is a right-arm seamer who can also handle the bat, playing her cricket in Australia for the Sydney Sixers and New South Wales.

She has more than 100 WBBL caps to her name, with 72 wickets in the Aussie T20 tournament.

Brown also featured in the 2023 edition of The Hundred for the Southern Brave and will play the second half of the round robin season for the Blaze, and be available for the Finals Weekend at the Cello Basin Reserve, if the team qualifies.

The 27-year-old is looking forward to landing in New Zealand and joining up with her new teammates.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to join up with the Blaze for the rest of the Super Smash,” she said

“It’ll be great to join back up with Melie and Jess [Kerr] in Wellington, and get to play in front of the Blaze supporters at the Basin.

Head coach Jonny Bassett-Graham said he was looking forward to meeting his new import.

"Adding a player like Maitlan to our team is a great opportunity and she'll be an asset for us to have around, both in terms of her on-field play and in terms of her fit with our group.

"Her bowling stands out, of course, but we're also looking forward to her bringing what we think is some real value with the bat, as well."

Brown will be the second import player for the Wellington Blaze this season, Maitlan’s Sydney teammate, Ellyse Perry, having repped the team for the first two rounds of the competition.