England Under-19 pair Seren Smale and Liberty Heap sign professional contracts at Thunder

Two members of the group that reached the inaugural final in South Africa have signed full-time terms for the 2023 season

Thunder have announced England Under-19 World Cup finalists Seren Smale and Liberty Heap have signed professional contracts ahead of the 2023 season

The teenage pair join a group of full-time players including new arrivals Naomi Dattani, Fi Morris and Tara Norris.

Ellie Threlkeld, Hannah Jones, Phoebe Graham, Laura Jackson and Daisy Mullan complete the professional ranks.

Both players were part of the squad that reached the inaugural World Cup final in January when they lost to India.

Wrexham-born Heap was ever-present at the top of the order, scoring 149 runs at 21 while Smale, the wicketkeeper-batter, scored 121 at 30.25.

^{Thunder's preparations for the new campaign are taking shape (Ashley Allen/Getty Images)}

The announcement comes after the ECB announced a £3.5m funding increase for women's domestic cricket, promising that every region would have 10 ECB-funded professionals from February 2023.

"We are really pleased that two of our brightest young prospects in Liberty and Seren have accepted their first professional contracts," said regional director of women's cricket David Thorley.

"Their abilities have been clear from the handful of appearances which they have both made in the first team and that was reinforced by their positive performances at the recent Under 19s T20 World Cup in South Africa.

"We are now looking forward to Liberty and Seren being a full-time part of our set-up for the 2023 season and beyond - with a chance to train more regularly at Emirates Old Trafford and continuing to learn and improve on a daily basis."

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