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Women's Big Bash League

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Women's Big Bash League
File:Womens Big Bash League logo.png
Countries Australia
AdministratorCricket Australia
FormatTwenty20
First edition2015–16
Latest edition2015–16
Next edition2016-17
Tournament formatRound-robin and knockout finals
Number of teams8
Current championSydney Thunder (1st title)
Most successfulSydney Thunder
(1 title)
Most runsMeg Lanning (560)[1]
Most wicketsRene Farrell (26)[2]
TVNetwork Ten
One
Websitebigbash.com.au/wbbl

The Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) is the Australian women's domestic Twenty20 cricket competition.[3]

The WBBL replaced the WNCL Australian Women's Twenty20 Cup, which ran from the 2007–08 season through to the 2014–15 season. The competition features eight city-based franchises, branded identically to the franchises in the men's Big Bash League. A number of matches during the competition's inaugural 2015–16 season were broadcast by Network Ten, a free-to-air network.[4] The naming rights sponsor for the WBBL is Rebel Sport.[5] The current champions are the Sydney Thunder.

History

Women's International Cricket League

In early 2014, the formation of an international women's Twenty20 competition, based around the franchise model of the Indian Premier League was announced. Headed by former Australian cricketer Lisa Sthalekar and Australian businessman Shaun Martyn, it was proposed that the six teams, based in Singapore, would all be privately owned, and players earning over $US40,000 per season.[6][7]

There was strong support from top female players for the concept,[6] and support was sought from the International Cricket Council, while former international cricketers Geoff Lawson and Clive Lloyd where on the board of the organisation.[7]

The concept was dealt a blow in early June, when the England and Wales Cricket Board announced that they would refuse to release centrally contracted English players. At the same time, Cricket Australia announced it would also refuse to release its players for the tournament. Both organisations expressed concern that the tournament was not being centrally run by a national cricket board, but a private company.[8]

Australian Women's Twenty20 Cup

Before the establishment of the Women's Big Bash League, Cricket Australia conducted a national Twenty20 competition, the Australian Women's Twenty20 Cup. The tournament ran in conjunction with the Women's National Cricket League, the Australian national women's limited overs competition, with the final being played as a double header with the Twenty20 Big Bash and the Big Bash League.

The competition ran from 2009-2010 season to the 2014-2015 season, with some exhibition games being held in 2007-2008 and 2008-2009. The competition was wound up after the 2014-2015 season to make way for the Women's Big Bash League.

Establishment

Former Australian national captain Belinda Clark revealed on 19 January 2014 the planning for a women's BBL was in its early stages but it could become a reality very soon. They are considering it for the huge rise in television ratings in the BBL 03 season and the rise in women's cricket popularity.[9]

On 19 February 2015, Cricket Australia announced that a Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) would commence in season 2015/2016, with teams aligned to the current men's competition. The teams will share the names and colours of the existing men's BBL teams, meaning that there will be two teams from each of Sydney and Melbourne while one team from each of Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Hobart. The format and draw of the tournament are yet to be revealed.[10]

Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland said in a media release, “We see T20 as the premium format of the women’s game and the WBBL is an exciting concept that will increase the promotion and exposure of women’s cricket”.[11] Sutherland also said, “Our existing female domestic competitions are arguably the strongest in the world, with the continued success of the top-ranked women’s team, the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars, a testament to that”. Cricket Australia executive Mike McKenna said, "Our goal is to see cricket become the sport of choice for women and girls across the nation, whether as participants or fans".[12] On 13 October 2015, 100 of Australia’s elite cricketers joined together to pledge $20 million towards the growth of cricket in Australia, to help grassroots level Cricket, support former players and develop further opportunities for female cricketers.[13]

Current teams

The competition features the same eight city-based franchises that is in the Big Bash League. Each state's capital city features one team, with Sydney and Melbourne featuring two.[14]

class=notpageimage|
Location of WBBL teams
Team City State Home ground Coach Captain Foreign players
Adelaide Strikers Adelaide South Australia South Australia Adelaide Oval Andrea McCauley, Shelley Nitschke* Lauren Ebsary Sarah Taylor, Sophie Devine, Stacy-Ann King
Brisbane Heat Brisbane Queensland Queensland The Gabba Andy Richards Jodie Fields, Delissa Kimmince** Kate Cross, Lauren Winfield
Hobart Hurricanes Hobart Tasmania Tasmania Blundstone Arena Julia Price Heather Knight Amy Satterthwaite, Hayley Matthews, Heather Knight
Melbourne Renegades Melbourne Victoria (state) Victoria Etihad Stadium Lachlan Stevens Sarah Elliott Dane van Niekerk, Danielle Wyatt, Rachel Priest, Shabnim Ismail
Melbourne Stars Melbourne Victoria (state) Victoria Melbourne Cricket Ground David Hemp Meg Lanning Natalie Sciver, Mignon du Preez, Morna Nielsen, Hayley Jensen
Perth Scorchers Perth Western Australia Western Australia WACA Ground Mark Atkinson Nicole Bolton Suzie Bates, Charlotte Edwards, Katherine Brunt, Nicky Shaw, Deandra Dottin
Sydney Sixers Sydney New South Wales New South Wales Sydney Cricket Ground Ben Sawyer, Lisa Sthalekar*** Ellyse Perry Laura Marsh, Sara McGlashan, Marizanne Kapp
Sydney Thunder Sydney New South Wales New South Wales Spotless Stadium Paddy Upton Alex Blackwell Stafanie Taylor

* Shelley Nitschke came out of retirement for WBBL and will participate as a player and a mentor to the Adelaide Strikers.
** Delissa Kimmince was the acting captain for the first 6 games of the Brisbane Heat as Jodie was recovering for an off-season shoulder surgery.
***Lisa Sthalekar was the second player to come out of retirement for WBBL and participated as a player and mentor to the Sydney Sixers, and as a commentator

Tournament results

Season Final Final host Final venue
Winner Result Runner-up
2015–16
Details 		Sydney Thunder
116/7 (19.3 overs) 		Thunder won by 3 wickets (3 balls remaining)
Scorecard 		Sydney Sixers
115/7 (20 overs) 		Melbourne Stars Melbourne Cricket Ground
2016–17
Details

Team performances

Team 2015–16
Adelaide Strikers 7th
Brisbane Heat 6th
Hobart Hurricanes SF (3rd)
Melbourne Renegades 8th
Melbourne Stars 5th
Perth Scorchers SF (4th)
Sydney Sixers R (2nd)
Sydney Thunder W (1st)

Notes:

Media coverage

2015/16 Season

The 2015/16 season initially planned to have 8 of the 59 matches (including the final) air live on Australian free-to-air network One. TV ratings success encouraged the Ten network to also add coverage of the semi-finals and move two of the remaining three matches to its main channel (Ten).[15] ITV4 are looking in to the rights also.[16][17]

WBBL Melbourne Derby clash between Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades was moved from One to Network Ten. The TV ratings for the Women's Big Bash League convinced Network Ten to move January's Melbourne Derby to their main broadcast channel.[18]

The WBBL commentary team is led by Andrew Maher with former Australian players Mel Jones and Lisa Sthalekar.

The Free-To-Air coverage of the WBBL covered the following games:

  • Saturday 19 December 2.30pm AEDT Live on ONE - Brisbane Heat vs Adelaide Strikers
  • Sunday 20 December 11.30am AEDT Live on ONE - Sydney Sixers vs Perth Scorchers
  • Thursday 31 December 2.30pm AEDT Live on ONE - Adelaide Strikers vs Perth Scorchers
  • Friday 1 January 2.30pm AEDT Live on ONE - Hobart Hurricanes vs Brisbane Heat
  • Saturday 2 January 1.30pm AEDT Live on TEN - Melbourne Stars vs Melbourne Renegades
  • Saturday 9 January 2.30pm AEDT Live - Melbourne Renegades vs Sydney Thunder
  • Saturday 16 January 1.30pm AEDT Live on TEN - Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder
  • Thursday 21 January 2.30pm AEDT Live on ONE - Sydney Thunder vs Perth Scorchers (Semi-Final 1)
  • Friday 22 January 2.30pm AEDT Live on ONE - Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Sixers (Semi-Final 2)
  • Sunday 24 January 1.30pm AEDT Live on TEN - Sydney Thunder vs Sydney Sixers (Final)

See also

References

  1. ^ WBBL / Records / Most runs – ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24/01/16
  2. ^ WBBL / Records / Most wickets – ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24/01/16
  3. ^ "Women's Big Bash League announced by Cricket Australia, teams mirrored to men's competition". ABC News (Australia). Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 19 February 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  4. ^ David Knox (25 November 2015). TEN confirms Women’s Big Bash League commentary team – TV Tonight. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  5. ^ (25 November 2015). "rebel throws support behind Women's BBL" – Cricket.com.au. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  6. ^ a b "Proposed women's T20 league 'awesome' - Bates". ESPN Cricinfo. 19 May 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  7. ^ a b Alison Mitchell (27 May 2014). "Women's Twenty20: New IPL-style league planned by Australian pair". British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  8. ^ "Women's International Cricket League vows to continue plans". BBC. 5 June 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  9. ^ "Possibility of Women's Big Bash League". Ninemsn. 19 January 2014.
  10. ^ "Eight teams announced for Women's BBL". cricket.com.au. 19 February 2015.
  11. ^ http://www.cricket.com.au/news/womens-big-bash-league-to-align-with-mens-big-bash-league-clubs/2015-02-19
  12. ^ http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-10/cricket-australia-launches-women27s-big-bash-league/6611526
  13. ^ http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/cricket/current-australian-cricketers-pledge-20-million-towards-growth-of-game/story-fnii0bxd-1227568072689
  14. ^ WBBL: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW bigbash.com.au. Retrieved on 4 Dec, 2015
  15. ^ http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/958647.html
  16. ^ Knox, David (11 July 2015). "Women's Big Bash League coming to ONE". TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  17. ^ "Cricket Australia launches Women's Big Bash League". ABC News. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  18. ^ WBBL derby promoted to main channel cricket.com.au. Retrieved on 23 Dec, 2015
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