The veteran allrounder ends her five-year captaincy stint after returning from shoulder injury

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Jess Jonassen has stepped down as captain of Queensland and the Brisbane Heat, bringing an end to her leadership role with the teams she has guided since 2020.

The experienced allrounder recently returned to action in the Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) after undergoing shoulder surgery that forced her to miss the latter part of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) season. During her absence, Georgia Redmayne captained Queensland in the WNCL matches.

Jonassen originally took over the captaincy in 2020 from Kirby Short and led the Brisbane Heat to back-to-back WBBL finals in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. However, after reflecting on her role during Queensland’s recent trip to New South Wales, she decided it was time to step aside.

“I did have every intention of wanting to lead again this season, but the NSW trip helped open my eyes to a number of things and helped me come to this decision,” Jonassen said. “I am very grateful for the past five years and to those who showed faith in me to help lead these teams forward.”

She added that after careful consideration, she realized she could no longer give the captaincy the commitment it required.

“I know this is the best decision for both me and the team. I’m very much looking forward to finishing my career as a senior player who leads from within and supports whoever gets the opportunity to lead these teams next,” she said.

Jonassen remains a highly respected figure in women’s cricket and is currently the leading wicket-taker in WBBL history. Although she has not played for Australia since 2023, she has continued to compete in several major overseas T20 leagues, including the Women’s Premier League (WPL), The Hundred, and the Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL).

Reflecting on her journey, Jonassen expressed pride in her time as captain.

“Looking back, as a kid, I never thought I would ever call myself the captain of Queensland, but it’s something I’m proud of and I hope I’ve made a difference during my time,” she said.

The Brisbane Heat endured a difficult WBBL campaign, finishing at the bottom of the table without a win. Meanwhile, Queensland are still in contention for a place in the WNCL final, with two crucial matches against Victoria scheduled this week.