Hollie Armitage replaces Ellyse Perry in Sixers squad

Hollie Armitage, the English batter, has signed with Sydney Sixers for this season of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) as an injury replacement for Ellyse Perry.

The Sixers skipper, who suffered an AC joint injury during the team’s loss to Melbourne Renegades on Sunday (November 17), is set to miss the next one-three weeks of the tournament. However, the management believes Perry will be able to return for the final week of the tournament.

Armitage, a right-hand batter from Yorkshire, has been playing club cricket in Hobart and was recommended by Alyssa Healy who played alongside her during the Women’s Cricket Super League (WCSL) in England this year. The pair turned out for Yorkshire Diamonds, where Armitage put inconsistent performances in the middle order, accumulating 233 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of close to 97. She finished the season as the team’s third-highest run-getter, behind only the international duo of Jemimah Rodrigues and Healy.

The 22-year-old was out for dinner with her club teammates when she was asked about her availability to turn out for the club. Unsurprisingly, it was Healy who had sent the text.

This will be Arimtage’s first experience in the WBBL, having previously played in all four seasons of the WCSL for Yorkshire Diamonds. She said she is well aware of the imposing record Sixers boast of, and is hoping to use the opportunity to play in such a successful team to continue to develop her game.

“Obviously I’ve seen bits and bobs from watching at home so it’s pretty cool that I’m now getting the opportunity to come into this side and play a little bit,” Armitage said. “I don’t know what my role in the team will be at the minute but if I get the chance to bat at the top of the order I’ll hopefully be able to strike some big balls with Midge (Healy) and contribute as much to winning performances as I possibly can for the amount of time I’m going to be here.”

Armitage’s first match for the Sixers will be against Hobart Hurricanes at the North Sydney Oval on Wednesday (November 20).