The Blaze have completed the signing of versatile all-rounder Georgia Elwiss from Southern Vipers on a two-year deal.
The 33-year-old will join the club upon the expiry of her current contract at the end of this season.
It marks a return to the East Midlands for the 54-times capped England player, having spent four years at Lightning from 2016-2019.
“Signing Georgia is a big coup for us,” Head Coach, Chris Guest, said.
“We have a group who have been together a long time, and who have played a good amount of cricket together, but are still young.
“Georgia adds experience and a level-headedness which is really important for a successful team.
“We’ve made it clear that we want to keep our core together, whilst supplementing that with a level of quality to make us a better side, and Georgia does that.
“Her skillset is hugely valuable - she is a reliable batter with an established record, and offers us another option with the ball.
“I’m excited to see how she’ll settle in with the group and the contributions she will make to the side.”
In a career spent representing England, the Vipers and Lightning, as well as Melbourne Stars in the Women’s Big Bash League, Elwiss has scored over 5,500 white-ball runs.
She has a List A average of 26.65 with four hundreds and 15 half-centuries, in addition to 186 wickets.
She has eight fifties in T20 cricket with 142 wickets at an economy of just 6.59.
In The Hundred, Elwiss represented Birmingham Phoenix for two years before a switch to Welsh Fire for consecutive knock-out berths.
She becomes the side's second new signing for the new domestic season after Charley Phillips joined on loan with immediate effect ahead of a permanent move in the winter.