WBBL previews: Thunder look to Kapp, Matthews might encourage Renegades
Adelaide Strikers
Tristan Lavalette
Squad Georgia Adams (England), Jemma Barsby, Darcie Brown, Danielle Gibson (England), Katie Mack, Tahlia McGrath, Anesu Mushangwe, Courtney Neale, Annie O’Neil, Bridget Patterson, Maddie Penna, Megan Schutt, Ella Wilson, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa)
How the draft went
After a primary title final season, Strikers understandably emphasised retaining their core. They expectedly retained South Africa star Laura Wolvaardt who returns to Adelaide for the fourth straight season. She is prone to once more bat within the high order. Strikers additionally drafted England allrounder Dani Gibson, who will make her WBBL debut this season after her emergence throughout the Ashes. The 22-year-old is an aggressive cricketer, who bowls shortly and presents firepower with the bat.
How they stack up
Having agonisingly completed runners-up twice, Strikers lastly went all the best way final season and can begin their title defence as maybe the staff to beat. The bulk of the title-winning staff stays intact, however Strikers will miss West Indian Deandra Dottin who was the participant of the ultimate after a stellar efficiency with bat and ball. They will even be with out wicketkeeper Tegan McPharlin, who has retired, with Bridget Patterson requested to take the gloves this season in what looms as one thing of a bet. But it is a squad brimming with expertise throughout the board and Strikers particularly boast a loaded assault led by spearheads Megan Schutt and Darcie Brown. Legspinner Amanda-Jade Wellington will once more be the frontline spinner with English recruit Georgia Adams set to offer an offspin choice and she or he’s additionally a flexible batter. Strikers must be in for an additional title-contending season.
Player to observe
It’s exhausting to go previous Tahlia McGrath. She’s Strikers’ inspirational captain and has blossomed into a world star, boasting the very best batting common in girls’s T20I historical past. McGrath had entered the Australian season with additional motivation after a comparatively lean Ashes marketing campaign with the bat. McGrath, the world’s top-ranked T20I batter, rediscovered her belligerent finest in opposition to West Indies with a few trademark whirlwind knocks to recommend the travails of the UK are within the rear-view. She’s additionally a high quality seam bowler and her tactical nous is nicely regarded. It all signifies that McGrath will once more shoulder a heavy burden for Strikers.
Brisbane Heat
Tristan Lavalette
Squad Mignon du Preez (South Africa), Lucy Hamilton, Nicola Hancock, Sarah Glenn (England, substitute), Grace Harris, Laura Harris, Bess Heath (England), Mikayla Hinkley, Ellie Johnston, Jess Jonassen, Amelia Kerr (New Zealand), Charli Knott, Grace Parsons, Georgia Redmayne, Courtney Sippel, Georgia Voll
How the draft went
Heat predictably retained New Zealand legspinner Amelia Kerr with their platinum decide and she or he returns for a fourth season in Brisbane. But Kerr will miss the primary 4 video games of Heat’s marketing campaign. They additionally chosen England batter Bess Heath, who joins Heat after beforehand being with Melbourne Stars. Former South Africa batter Mignon du Preez was the marquee recruit for Heat via the direct nomination route having skipped the abroad participant draft. Du Preez is the second-highest run-scorer in WBBL historical past amongst abroad gamers with 2292 runs at 28.29 and a strike-rate of 113.80 having beforehand performed for Hobart Hurricanes and Melbourne Stars.
How they stack up
After a heartbreaking defeat to eventual champions Adelaide Strikers within the Challenger closing, Heat will likely be hoping their comparatively youthful squad can take one other step ahead as they eye a primary title since back-to-back triumphs in WBBL 04 and 05. England star Danni Wyatt and India allrounder Pooja Vastrakar have departed, however Heat imagine they’ve batting depth. Du Preez and Heath ought to match properly round top-order batters Georgia Redmayne and Grace Harris, whereas 20-year-old Georgia Voll is tipped to have a breakout season. Their bowling assault maybe is not fairly as potent as a number of the different main groups although there’s a lot anticipation over left-arm fast Lucy Hamilton, who was a part of Australia’s staff on the Under-19 World Cup earlier this 12 months. England legspinner Sarah Glenn will cowl the early season absence of Kerr, who’s a part of New Zealand’s present tour of South Africa.
Player to observe
For this comparatively inexperienced group, the calming affect of skipper Jess Jonassen will likely be vitally essential for a Heat staff with massive ambitions. She’ll even be relied upon to be a fulcrum of the assault along with her versatile left-arm spin able to being utilised at any stage of the innings. Throw in her batting capabilities late within the innings, it is little surprise why she’s one of the crucial revered gamers in Australian cricket.
Hobart Hurricanes
Alex Malcolm
Squad Nicola Carey, Maisy Gibson, Heather Graham, Shabnim Ismail (South Africa), Ruth Johnston, Lizelle Lee, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Emma Manix-Greeves, Amy Smith, Bryony Smith (England), Rachel Trenaman, Molly Strano, Elyse Villani
How the draft went
Hurricanes had been a giant beneficiary of the chaos on the high of the draft. With Thunder, Renegades and Scorchers all chasing the big-name allrounders, they had been in a position to lock in Shabnim Ismail to bolster their assault regardless of Ismail being a retention choice for Renegades. They then appeared barely left-field taking English offspinning allrounder Bryony Smith regardless of her restricted worldwide expertise. But she had a stable Hundred match and opened the batting alongside Lizelle Lee at Trent Rockets. Lee bypassed the WBBL draft to be a direct signing for Hurricanes. Lee and Smith shared three 60-plus opening stands within the Hundred this season and may very well be reunited on the high of the order for Hurricanes if captain Elyse Villani bats down the order, as she did in 5 matches final season.
How they stack up
Despite Hurricanes and Tasmania’s WNCL packages being intently linked collectively Hurricanes haven’t been in a position to match Tasmania’s current home success though they did make the finals final 12 months after a dismal run over the earlier 5 seasons. They have a stable core of skilled gamers with none out-and-out superstars. Lee, Villani, Heather Graham, Nicola Carey and Smith will type the spine of the batting. Graham and Carey bowl quite a lot of the important thing overs together with spin duo Molly Strano and Maisy Gibson. Ismail’s inclusion provides some firepower to the assault and will make them very harmful. They have sufficient expertise to be a risk.
Player to observe
Shabnim Ismail may very well be a distinction maker for Hurricanes. She continues to be bowling very nicely regardless of retiring from worldwide cricket in May. She is barely eight months faraway from taking 2 for 26 within the T20 World Cup closing at dwelling in opposition to Australia. She did not convey her finest for Renegades final summer season however she has a historical past of delivering within the WBBL. She was pivotal in Sydney Thunder’s title in 2020, taking 2 for 12 together with the wickets of her new Hurricanes captain Villani and Australia captain Meg Lanning to be named participant of the match. If she could be a strike weapon for Hurricanes, then they loom as a tricky staff to beat.
Melbourne Stars
Alex Malcolm
Squad Maia Bouchier (England), Alice Capsey (England), Sophie Day, Sophia Dunkley (England), Nicole Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Kim Garth, Olivia Henry, Milly Illingworth, Meg Lanning, Rhys McKenna, Jas Nevins, Sasha Moloney, Sophie Reid, Annabel Sutherland
How the draft went
Stars took a barely completely different strategy to the draft than different golf equipment by way of their picks. They solely took two gamers on the draft, which most golf equipment did, after which signed Sophia Dunkley as a direct nomination post-draft. But they opted to convey again England kids Alice Capsey and Maia Bouchier, who’ve each performed for Stars beforehand, quite than a number of the extra skilled and confirmed names out there within the platinum and gold classes. They had the choice of taking Ismail to bolster their bowling however as an alternative dedicated to the England duo. Bouchier performed for Stars in 2021, simply after her worldwide debut, however has developed considerably as a participant since then and was the fourth-leading scorer within the girls’s Hundred this 12 months. Capsey performed all 14 video games final season for Stars. She was their second-highest run-scorer and took 9 wickets at an financial system price of simply 6.98. Dunkley arrives for her first stint within the WBBL however comes as a confirmed worldwide batter to present Stars batting some actual depth and energy.
How they stack up
Stars have been the competitors’s least aggressive staff having made only one finals collection in 2020, though they did make all of it the best way to the ultimate the place they misplaced to Sydney Thunder. Last season they completed sixth and battled for depth within the absence of Lanning. But with the skipper returning and already discovering some contact within the WNCL, in addition to the addition of Dunkley and Bouchier, Stars instantly bat very deep. The assault is a fraction mild on however Kim Garth, Annabel Sutherland, Sasha Moloney and Sophie Day present an inexpensive core with Capsey in a position so as to add help. There can be some pleasure about 18-year-old Victorian fast Milly Illingworth who seems set to make her WBBL debut this 12 months.
Player to observe
All eyes are on Meg Lanning. Her absence was felt competition-wide final 12 months however particularly by Stars. She is again absolutely match and has already made a shiny begin within the WNCL with a brisk half-century on her return. If she has a giant season with the bat, Stars will likely be very well-placed to make a run on the title. She has but to captain on her return to cricket however her management expertise will likely be invaluable for a really younger group.
Melbourne Renegades
Alex Malcolm
Squad Tammy Beaumont (England), Sarah Coyte, Josie Dooley, Jess Duffin, Ellie Falconer, Ella Hayward, Ellie Falconer, Harmanpreet Kaur (India), Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Sophie Molineux (out injured), Georgia Prestwidge, Tayla Vlaeminck (out injured), Georgia Wareham, Courtney Webb
How the draft went
The draft couldn’t have gone higher for Renegades retaining two of the world’s finest gamers with no need to make use of their retention decide. While the entire golf equipment had been keeping track of which world-class allrounder Sydney Thunder would take out of Marizanne Kapp and Sophie Devine, Renegades fortunately picked the world’s most in-form allrounder at current in Hayley Matthews with decide No.2. They then waited as each different membership handed on Harmanpreet Kaur they usually had been about to pick out India’s captain within the second spherical. The solely value of these was not retaining Shabnim Ismail however coach Simon Helmot had prioritised batting as a key space to bolster coming into the draft. They added Tammy Beaumont as a direct signing after the draft to lock-in arguably the perfect top-three within the WBBL.
How they stack up
Having completed second on the desk in 2021-22 and simply missed the ultimate, they’d a poor season final 12 months and completed second final. The absences of Harmanpreet and Jess Duffin then the season-ending harm to Molineux harm them. They merely didn’t rating sufficient runs with solely two gamers averaging greater than 20 for the season and none greater than 27. Matthews was their highest runscorer with 253 from 14 innings, a paltry return in comparison with her 310 in three for West Indies in opposition to Australia only in the near past. They had been very regular and miserly with the ball although and with some added batting energy this season that might set them up for achievement. It is a big blow that Molineux has been dominated out for the entire season, however Harmanpreet’s return, after she was participant of the match in 2021-22 is large. Matthews returns a very completely different participant. Beaumont has been a run-machine in England this season turning into the primary girl to attain a century within the Hundred whereas Duffin returns after finishing her Australian guidelines soccer profession and provides helpful expertise within the center order. Fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck will even miss your complete marketing campaign as her injury-hit profession continues.
Player to observe
The WBBL hasn’t seen the perfect of Hayley Matthews but. She has one fifty in 67 innings in her WBBL profession, averaging 18.32 and hanging at 100.53. Her financial system price with the ball within the WBBL can be larger than her profession T20 price though it’s nonetheless good at 6.74. But she returns as a unique participant having received eight consecutive T20I participant of the match awards and having tormented Australia, the all-conquering World Champions, with each bat and ball within the current collection. She was additionally participant of the match on the inaugural WPL earlier this 12 months, serving to Mumbai Indians win the title, and led Barbados Royals to the WCPL title scoring 82 and taking two wickets within the closing. If that model of Matthews turns up on the WBBL absolutely match, look out.
Perth Scorchers
Tristan Lavalette
Squad Chloe Ainsworth, Charis Bekker, Stella Campbell, Piepa Cleary, Maddy Darke, Sophie Devine (New Zealand), Amy Edgar, Lisa Griffith, Amy Jones (England), Alana King, Lilly Mills, Beth Mooney, Taneale Peschel, Chloe Piparo, Nat Sciver-Brunt (England – TBC)
How the draft went
Captain Sophie Devine returns after the Scorchers used their platinum choice on her. It will likely be her fourth season on the Scorchers, who she led to the title in WBBL 07. Scorchers additionally drafted England batter Danni Wyatt, however she withdrew from the match because of fatigue. It is known Scorchers have pulled of an enormous coup by securing England allrounder Nat Sciver-Brunt, who didn’t nominate for the draft, for an eight-game stint mid-tournament with Lauren Winfield-Hill to play the primary six video games till she arrives. England wicketkeeper-batter Amy Jones was secured via the direct nomination route
How they stack up
Having received their first title in WBBL 07, Scorchers struggled final season and missed the finals. But hopes are excessive of a rebound beneath new head coach Becky Grundy, who takes the reins from Shelley Nitschke. Scorchers misplaced star allrounder Marizanne Kapp, however their opening partnership of Devine and Beth Mooney – a cornerstone of their title success – stays intact. They have a balanced assault with Alana King and Lilly Mills set to once more type a menacing spin tandem. With a pleasant mix of worldwide stars and native expertise, bolstered by Sciver-Brunt’s look, the Scorchers must be again within the title combine.
Player to observe
Scorchers’ title hopes had been boosted by the addition of one-time Test fast Stella Campbell to beef up their tempo shares. It was an space that wanted strengthening with Scorchers reliant on veterans Devine, Taneale Peschel and Piepa Cleary. Towering fast Campbell might ignite a profession stalled by accidents on a WACA pitch the place she may be capable of generate vital bounce. Campbell, 21, had restricted success with Sydney Sixers, however she’s one of many quickest bowlers within the nation when match. If she will be able to keep on the sphere then Campbell may show an x-factor for Scorchers, whereas re-emerging within the body for nationwide choice.
Sydney Sixers
Andrew McGlashan
Squad Jade Allen, Suzie Bates (New Zealand), Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Mathilda Carmichael, Lauren Cheatle, Ash Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Emma Hughes, Jess Kerr (New Zealand), Kate Pelle, Kate Peterson, Ellyse Perry, Gabby Sutcliffe, Chloe Tryon (South Africa)
How the draft went
The harm to England spinner Sophie Ecclestone was a spanner within the works to their plans as she would have been a certainty to be retained. They have tried to exchange her with two gamers: South Africa allrounder Chloe Tryon, who can present some left-arm spin and hitting energy, and New Zealand swing bowler Jess Kerr who has a wonderful file within the powerplay however it stays to be seen whether or not the sum of these elements add up. Suzie Bates will return on the high of the order after taking the direct nomination route.
How they stack up
Plenty of acquainted names led by the headline Australia trio of Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry and Ash Gardner. Sixers managed to shake off three years of underachievement final season by reaching the ultimate – surging via the round-robin stage with 11 wins from 14 matches – earlier than falling on the final hurdle in opposition to Strikers. Pace bowler Kate Peterson emerged as a wicket-taking star within the latter phases of final season. Alongside Ecclestone’s absence they’ve additionally misplaced the offspin of the retired Nicole Bolton whereas Perry isn’t anticipated to have the ability to bowl firstly of the match, and can miss the opening recreation because of an over-rate ban stemming from final season. Batter Mathilda Carmichael has made the transfer from Perth Scorchers. They have additionally put religion in youth with the signing of 17-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Kate Pelle.
Player to observe
Ash Gardner was participant of the match final season with 339 runs (strike-rate 150.66) and 23 wickets and some months later grew to become the most costly feminine participant on this planet on the WPL draft. The dynamic allrounder will likely be pivotal to Sixers’ hopes once more. It has been a quiet begin to the worldwide season for her with the bat, however she has chipped in with the ball. There is an opportunity she’s going to float a bit of within the batting relying on how the Sixers’ high order goes.
Sydney Thunder
Andrew McGlashan
Squad Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka), Sam Bates, Lauren Bell (England), Paris Bowdler, Hannah Darlington, Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), Saskia Horley, Ebony Hoskin, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Heather Knight (England), Anika Learoyd, Phoebe Litchfield, Claire Moore, Olivia Porter, Lauren Smith, Tahlia Wilson
How the draft went
After ending backside final season, Thunder had the No. 1 draft decide and it looks like they got here out of it very strongly. There was little shock after they went with allrounder Marizanne Kapp who will convey class with bat and ball, then they had been in a position to complement her with England captain Heather Knight, who was a key a part of the 2020-21 title and can lead them this season. England team-mate Lauren Bell was their third decide and the tempo bowler will add one other innovative to the assault. However, relying on the dates of England’s tour to India in December, Knight and Bell may very well be among the many gamers who will not be out there for finals.
How they stack up
After being champions three seasons in the past they’ve had two robust campaigns, ending with only one win in 2022-23 which was Rachael Haynes’ final earlier than retirement. It has, due to this fact, been a whole change on the high with Trevor Griffin changed as coach by Lisa Keightley. The native names will likely be led by Phoebe Litchfield whose growth as a T20 batter in current months, highlighted by her record-equaling 18-ball fifty in opposition to West Indies, brings enormous potential for Thunder on this match. The tempo assault seems a lot stronger this season whereas Sam Bates is a constant spinner. They might even have struck gold by recruiting Chamari Athapaththu from outdoors the draft.
Player to observe
Last season was interrupted one for Hannah Darlington because of harm and she or he performed simply seven matches taking seven wickets whereas her financial system price was excessive at 8.43. She has slipped down the Australia pecking order since her appearances in 2021 however there’s one other T20 World Cup subsequent 12 months in Bangladesh. The arrival of Kapp and Bell ought to take a number of the strain of her within the tempo assault.
