Jump to content

Women's Big Bash League

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Women's Big Bash League
Refer to caption
Logo of the Women's Big Bash League
CountriesAustralia
AdministratorCricket Australia
FormatTwenty20
First edition2015–16
Latest edition2023–24
Tournament formatDouble round-robin and knockout finals
Number of teams8
Current championAdelaide Strikers
Most successfulSixers, Strikers, Heat, Thunder – 2 titles each
Most runsBeth Mooney – 4,665
Most wicketsJess Jonassen – 165
TVSeven Network
Fox Cricket
WebsiteWBBL
2024–25 Women's Big Bash League season

The Women's Big Bash League (known as the WBBL and, for sponsorship reasons, the Weber WBBL) is the Australian women's domestic Twenty20 cricket competition. The WBBL replaced the Australian Women's Twenty20 Cup, which ran from the 2007–08 season through to 2014–15. The competition features eight city-based franchises, branded identically to the men's Big Bash League (BBL).[1] Teams are made up of current and former Australian national team members, the country's best young talent, and up to three overseas marquee players.

The league, which originally ran alongside the BBL, has experienced a steady increase in media coverage and popularity since its inception, moving to a fully standalone schedule for WBBL|05.[2][3][4] In 2018, ESPNcricinfo included the inaugural season in its 25 Moments That Changed Cricket series, calling it "the tournament that kick-started a renaissance".[5]

The Adelaide Strikers are the current champions, winning back to back titles in WBBL|08 and WBBL|09. The collective performance of the Sydney Sixers and the Sydney Thunder in the league's initial years—combining for four championships in the first six seasons—has partially echoed the dominance of New South Wales in the Women's National Cricket League (WNCL), the 50-over counterpart of the WBBL.

History

[edit]

Women's International Cricket League

[edit]

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, the proposal involved six privately owned Singapore-based teams with players earning over $US40,000 per season.[6][7]

There was strong support from top female players for the Women's International Cricket League (WICL) concept,[6] and backing was sought from the International Cricket Council, while former international cricketers Geoff Lawson and Clive Lloyd were 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 (CA) announced it would not endorse the WICL either. Both organisations expressed concern that the tournament was not being run by a national cricket board, but a private company.[8]

Australian Women's Twenty20 Cup

[edit]

Before the establishment of the Women's Big Bash League, Cricket Australia conducted a national T20 competition: the Australian Women's Twenty20 Cup. The tournament ran in conjunction with the WNCL (the national women's 50-over competition) with the final played as a double header alongside the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash and later the Big Bash League. The competition ran from the 2009–10 season to 2014–15 after some exhibition games were held from 2007 to 2009.

Cricket Australia decided to replace the competition with the Women's Big Bash League in an attempt to further heighten the profile and professionalism of elite-level female cricket, thereby ideally helping to grow grassroots participation and viewership of the game among girls and women across the country.[9][10]

Establishment

[edit]

On 19 January 2014, former Australian national team captain Belinda Clark revealed the planning for a women's BBL was in its early stages, with CA keen to take advantage of the rising popularity of women's cricket and the success of the men's BBL in its first season on free-to-air TV.[11] On 19 February 2015, Cricket Australia announced that a Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) would commence in 2015–16, with teams aligned to the current men's competition.[9] Each team's first player signing was unveiled at the official WBBL launch on 10 July 2015.[12]

Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland stated 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."[13] He went on to claim: "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."[14]

On 13 October 2015, 100 of Australia's elite cricketers joined 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.[15]

Teams

[edit]

The competition features the same eight city-based franchises that make up the Big Bash League. Each state's capital city features at least one team, with Sydney and Melbourne featuring two.[16] The Sydney Thunder, the Sydney Sixers and the Brisbane Heat have each won two of the first six championships. The disproportionate success achieved by the two teams based in New South Wales, i.e. the Thunder and the Sixers, vaguely mirrors the historical dominance of the New South Wales Breakers in the Women's National Cricket League. The Sixers reached four finals throughout the first six seasons—twice as many as any other team—while producing the best overall win–loss record, and various media outlets have described them as the "glamour team" of the league.[17][18][19]

Although the Melbourne Renegades and Melbourne Stars both use CitiPower Centre as their primary ground, they have historically differed in their choice of secondary grounds. The Renegades have hosted fixtures at regional venues west of Melbourne, such as Kardinia Park (both the major stadium and its neighbouring cricket field) and Eastern Oval, while the Stars have occasionally played home games at Casey Fields in Melbourne's south-east. A similar arrangement exists for the Sydney teams: the Thunder typically play home games at venues in the city's west while the Sixers tend to use grounds in the east, though both teams sometimes host fixtures at each other's primary ground due to the competition's "festival" structure which often sees multiple games scheduled at the same venue in a single day.[20][21]

Since the move to a standalone fixture in WBBL|05, the Hobart Hurricanes remain the only team to have the same primary venue as their male counterparts: the 20,000-capacity Ninja Stadium. With women's matches no longer played as double-headers alongside men's matches, the league has shifted away from the country's biggest stadiums, such as the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Adelaide Oval, in favour of smaller and more economically viable grounds. The intimate nature of these venues have been characterised as generating a relaxed and family-friendly atmosphere at WBBL games,[22][23][24][25][26][27] which the league's teams have embraced—the Perth Scorchers, for example, have made a habit of encouraging spectators to bring their pet dogs along to matches at Lilac Hill Park.[28][29]

Team Location[a] Home ground[b] Coach Captain Titles won
Adelaide Strikers North Adelaide, South Australia Karen Rolton Oval Luke Williams Tahlia McGrath 2
Brisbane Heat Albion, Queensland Allan Border Field Mark Sorell Jess Jonassen 2
Hobart Hurricanes Bellerive, Tasmania Ninja Stadium Jude Coleman Elyse Villani 0
Melbourne Renegades St Kilda, Victoria CitiPower Centre Simon Helmot Hayley Matthews 0
Melbourne Stars St Kilda, Victoria CitiPower Centre Jonathan Batty Annabel Sutherland 0
Perth Scorchers East Perth, Western Australia WACA Ground Becky Grundy Sophie Devine 1
Sydney Sixers Moore Park, New South Wales North Sydney Oval Charlotte Edwards Ellyse Perry 2
Sydney Thunder Sydney Olympic Park, New South Wales Drummoyne Oval Lisa Keightley Phoebe Litchfield 2

Media coverage

[edit]

WBBL|01–WBBL|03

[edit]

The 2015–16 Women's Big Bash League season was initially scheduled to have eight of the 59 matches air live on Australian free-to-air network One.[30][31] Impressive television ratings convinced Network Ten to move the broadcast of the first-ever Melbourne derby between the Stars and Renegades to their main channel.[32] The all-Sydney clashes between the Thunder and the Sixers on 2 January and the final on 24 January were likewise upgraded, whilst the broadcast schedule was also expanded to include the two semi-finals on One.[33][34]

Network Ten broadcast eleven games of the 2016–17 Women's Big Bash League season. The commentary team was again led by Andrew Maher and featured Mel Jones and Lisa Sthalekar alongside Jason Bennett and Pete Lazer.[35][36] Every game was also live streamed via the Cricket Australia Live App, cricket.com.au and the WBBL Facebook page.[37]

A total of twelve 2017–18 matches were televised on free-to-air by Network Ten, including four on the opening weekend.[38] The remaining 47 matches were live streamed on cricket.com.au, Mamamia and the Cricket Australia Live App.[39]

WBBL|04–present

[edit]

In April 2018, as part of a new six-year broadcast rights deal, Cricket Australia announced 23 matches of each season (beginning with 2018–19) would be aired live on the Seven Network and simulcast on Fox Sports' dedicated cricket channel Fox Cricket, with the remaining 36 matches to be live streamed on the CA website and app.[40]

Ahead of the 2019–20 season, Cricket Australia announced all 59 matches would also be streamed live and on demand through Kayo Sports.[41]

An additional three games were initially allocated TV coverage on the Seven Network and Fox Cricket for the 2020–21 season, taking the overall number of televised WBBL|06 matches to 26. Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia's Head of Big Bash Leagues, subsequently said: "The Rebel WBBL is the world's best cricket league for women and keeps getting better, which was reflected in a 21 per cent increase in multichannel audiences last season."[42] After the season was rescheduled to take place entirely in a Sydney hub across a concentrated five-week period, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Seven's allocated number of games was altered to a total of 24. On 15 October 2020, Cricket Australia announced Fox Cricket would broadcast an additional twelve matches, bringing the total number of televised WBBL|06 games to 36.[43]

Coverage of the league received another boost for the following season with Fox Cricket broadcasting an additional 23 matches, meaning WBBL|07 would be the first time all games would be televised.[44]

Sponsorship

[edit]
Previous WBBL logo

Naming rights

[edit]

Sporting goods retailer Rebel was the official naming rights partner for WBBL|01. Rebel extended its sponsorship for a further five seasons, concluding after WBBL|06.[45][46][47] Ahead of WBBL|07, barbecue grill manufacturer Weber was announced as the league's new official naming rights partner.[48]

Apparel and headwear

[edit]

Majestic Athletic was the league's official team apparel supplier for the first six seasons. Ahead of WBBL|07, Nike became the competition's official apparel partner, designing and producing the playing, training and supporter wear for all eight teams.[49] '47 became the league's official on-field headwear supplier in WBBL|05, replacing New Era.[50]

Development

[edit]

Tournament structure

[edit]

In the inaugural season, teams were required to play games in sporadic clusters, such as twice in an afternoon or four times across three days.[51] They were also forced to occasionally meet in neutral cities, with the most notable occurrence being the WBBL|03 final played between the Sydney Sixers and the Perth Scorchers at Adelaide Oval.[52] Although such practices have become less common, they are yet to be eliminated.[53]

The WBBL featured matches that were played as curtain-raisers to the men's Big Bash League until moving to a standalone format for the 2019–20 edition.[53] Ahead of the 2018–19 season, Cricket Australia announced it would begin to introduce spectator admission fees for the league, starting with matches in Sydney.[54] The WBBL|04 final at Drummoyne Oval became the league's first match to sell out.[55]

Matches are typically played at boutique venues in each state's capital city, such as Junction Oval in Melbourne and Allan Border Field in Brisbane.[53] However, regional centres have also embraced the opportunity to host WBBL games: on 5 January 2019 at Harrup Park in Mackay, a new record for the league's highest standalone attendance was achieved;[56] in another example, Cricket North West scheduled a weekend free of local cricket to maximise attendance for a WBBL|05 game at West Park Oval in Burnie.[57]

Player salaries

[edit]

For WBBL|01, players would earn between $3000 and $10,000. This was in addition to the $7000 retainer which all female domestic cricketers would earn playing in the Women's National Cricket League (WNCL). Retainers for national representatives, of which a WBBL team can sign a maximum of five per season, ranged from $19,000 to $49,000 before taking match payments and tour fees into consideration.[58][59][60]

In April 2016, Cricket Australia (CA) increased its elite female player payment pool from $2.36 million to $4.24 million for the 2016–17 season. With maximum retainers rising to $65,000 for national representatives and up to $15,000 for the WBBL, the best Australian women cricketers would earn a base salary of around $80,000 before exceeding earnings of six-figures with match payments and tour fees. Minimum retainers also increased, with domestic players earning at least $7000 in the WBBL and $11,000 in the WNCL. Australia's top domestic female cricketers would earn $26,000.[60]

In August 2017, after extensive negotiations with the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA), CA announced it would increase total female player payments from $7.5 million to $55.2 million. The deal, hailed as the biggest pay rise in the history of women's sport in Australia,[61] meant domestic players in 2017–18 would earn at least $25,659 in the WNCL and a minimum of $10,292 (average of $19,926) in the WBBL.[62]

For 2021–22, the last year of the original deal, domestic and national team players would earn an average of $58,000 and $211,000 respectively.[63] However, days before the beginning of WBBL|07, CA and the ACA announced a $1.2 million increase in domestic retainers—$800,000 for the WNCL and $400,000 for the WBBL, resulting in a 22% and 14% pay rise for players in each respective league.[64][65] 98 women's players were signed to a WNCL state contract for 2021–22 (not including the 15 national players with a more lucrative Cricket Australia deal), 76 of whom also held a WBBL contract.[66]

In April 2023, CA and the ACA agreed to a new five-year Memorandum of Understanding that would see the player payment pool for women's cricket in Australia increase from $80 million to $133 million. Consequently the average WBBL retainer doubled to approximately $54,000 while the league's top earners would receive $133,000 per year. Domestic players featuring in both the WBBL and 50-over WNCL competition would on average earn $151,019 annually.[67]

The table below details the rise in minimum and average retainers for domestic players (those playing in both the WBBL and WNCL) and nationally contracted players since the inaugural WBBL season. These figures do not include other potential earnings such as match fees, marketing payments, and prize money. Additionally, the figures for national retainers do not include those players' WBBL contracts.

Retainers for women's cricket in Australia[68][69]
Season Domestic player[c] National player[d]
Minimum Average Minimum Average
2015–16 $10,000 $13,000 $19,000 $34,000
2016–17 $18,000 $22,000 $40,000 $52,500
2017–18 $35,951 $55,000 $72,076 $94,600
2022–23 $49,172 $65,660 $88,485 $111,775
2023–24 $71,945 $111,192 $110,606 $139,719

Quality of product

[edit]

Scoring

[edit]

Commentators have praised the rising standard of cricket displayed throughout the WBBL's early years, particularly the improved striking ability of batters.[70][71] The inaugural season was typically dominated by bowlers, with the run rate sitting at 6.29 across the competition. By the 2018–19 season, it had increased to 7.31 with batters clearing the rope nearly three-times as often.[72] Although the rate of scoring remained steady from WBBL|04 to WBBL|05, the frequency of wickets taken and sixes hit decreased, indicating a more conservative approach by both batters and bowlers. This could possibly be attributed to the tournament's shift to the start of the summer, when pitches tend to be slower and less conducive to attacking play.[73][74]

The table below details the league-wide progression of batting strike rate and bowling strike rate as well as total sixes hit and centuries scored across the first eight seasons:

Statistical progression in the WBBL
Season Bat SR Bwl SR 6s 100s Refs
2015–16 98 20.9 111 1 [75][76]
2016–17 101 23.7 162 1 [77][78]
2017–18 105 22.2 206 3 [79][80]
2018–19 115 21.1 270 6 [81][82]
2019–20 114 23.5 252 3 [83][84]
2020–21 108 20.6 232 2 [85][86]
2021–22 108 21.8 190 5 [87][88]
2022–23 112 19.8 235 1 [89][90]

Fielding

[edit]

The 2015–16 final was noted for a poor level of fielding as both teams succumbed to the occasion's high pressure.[91] Conversely, the "incredible"[92] semi-finals three seasons later at Drummoyne Oval featured exciting endings determined by "miracle"[92] catching and run out plays which drew widespread acclaim.[93][94][95] In an opinion piece for The Sydney Morning Herald, former Australian cricketer Geoff Lawson highlighted these moments of "precision" as a sign that the league had rapidly transformed into a "serious professional sporting competition" which justified CA's investment in women's cricket.[96]

Overseas players

[edit]

The level of competition in the WBBL is enhanced by luring many of the best overseas players to Australian shores, with each team allowed up to three "marquee" signings of cricketers from other countries. South African bowler Marizanne Kapp and New Zealand all-rounder Sophie Devine are among the international signings who have been permanent fixtures in the league.[97][98] However, in November 2019, after some WBBL squads had been heavily impacted by conflicting international cricket schedules—particularly teams featuring Indian and English players—newly appointed CA board member Mel Jones cited a need for greater cooperation between nations to give the league a clearer window.[99]

Australian players

[edit]

Another feature of the league is the ongoing presence of all leading Australian female players, such as Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry.[100] This is a stark contrast to the BBL, in which many of the top male Australian players—including David Warner and Pat Cummins—are rarely able to participate due to Test and ODI commitments.[101] Consequently, the WBBL is seen as an optimal means of fast-tracking the development of the country's most promising young players, enabling them to gain first-hand experience from world-class teammates and opponents.[102][103] Ashleigh Gardner and Sophie Molineux are two examples of teenagers performing strongly in the league before going on to earn national selection by the age of 20.[104][105]

Tournament results

[edit]

Season summaries

[edit]
Season Edition Champions Most runs Most wickets Player of the Tournament Young Gun award Refs
2015–16 WBBL|01 Sydney Thunder Meg Lanning (MLS) – 560 Rene Farrell (SYT) – 26 Meg Lanning (MLS) Lauren Cheatle (SYT) [106]
2016–17 WBBL|02 Sydney Sixers Meg Lanning (MLS) – 503 Sarah Aley (SYS) – 28 Beth Mooney (BRH) Ashleigh Gardner (SYS) [107]
2017–18 WBBL|03 Sydney Sixers Ellyse Perry (SYS) – 552 Katherine Brunt (PRS) – 23[e] Amy Satterthwaite (MLR) Sophie Molineux (MLR) [108]
2018–19 WBBL|04 Brisbane Heat Ellyse Perry (SYS) – 778 Heather Graham (PRS) – 22[f] Ellyse Perry (SYS) Georgia Wareham (MLR) [109]
2019–20 WBBL|05 Brisbane Heat Sophie Devine (ADS) – 769 Molly Strano (MLR) – 24 Sophie Devine (ADS) Hannah Darlington (SYT) [110]
2020–21 WBBL|06 Sydney Thunder Beth Mooney (PRS) – 551 Sammy-Jo Johnson (SYT) – 22 Sophie Devine (PRS) Darcie Brown (ADS) [111]
2021–22 WBBL|07 Perth Scorchers Beth Mooney (PRS) – 547 Amanda-Jade Wellington (ADS) – 23 Harmanpreet Kaur (MLR) Phoebe Litchfield (SYT) [112]
2022–23 WBBL|08 Adelaide Strikers Beth Mooney (PRS) – 434 Megan Schutt (ADS) – 27 Ashleigh Gardner (SYS) Tess Flintoff (MLS) [113]
2023–24 WBBL|09 Adelaide Strikers Beth Mooney (PRS) - 557 Sophie Day (MLS) – 27 Chamari Athapaththu (SYT) Charli Knott (BRH) [114][115]

Final summaries

[edit]
Final 1st innings 2nd innings Result Player of the Final Venue Attendance
WBBL|01
24 January 2016
Sydney Sixers
7/115 (20 overs)
Sydney Thunder
7/116 (19.3 overs)
Thunder won by 3 wickets
Scorecard
Erin Osborne
(Sydney Thunder)
Melbourne Cricket Ground[g]
Melbourne, VIC
N/A
WBBL|02
28 January 2017
Sydney Sixers
5/124 (20 overs)
Perth Scorchers
7/117 (20 overs)
Sixers won by 7 runs
Scorecard
Sarah Aley
(Sydney Sixers)
WACA Ground[g]
Perth, WA
N/A
WBBL|03
4 February 2018
Perth Scorchers
99 (20 overs)
Sydney Sixers
1/100 (15 overs)
Sixers won by 9 wickets
Scorecard
Sarah Coyte
(Sydney Sixers)
Adelaide Oval[g]
Adelaide, SA
N/A
WBBL|04
26 January 2019
Sydney Sixers
7/131 (20 overs)
Brisbane Heat
7/132 (19.2 overs)
Heat won by 3 wickets
Scorecard
Beth Mooney
(Brisbane Heat)
Drummoyne Oval
Sydney, NSW
5,368[116]
WBBL|05
8 December 2019
Adelaide Strikers
7/161 (20 overs)
Brisbane Heat
4/162 (18.1 overs)
Heat won by 6 wickets
Scorecard
Beth Mooney
(Brisbane Heat)
Allan Border Field
Brisbane, QLD
2,700[117]
WBBL|06
28 November 2020
Melbourne Stars
9/86 (20 overs)
Sydney Thunder
3/87 (13.4 overs)
Thunder won by 7 wickets
Scorecard
Shabnim Ismail
(Sydney Thunder)
North Sydney Oval
Sydney, NSW
1,633[118]
WBBL|07
27 November 2021
Perth Scorchers
5/146 (20 overs)
Adelaide Strikers
6/134 (20 overs)
Scorchers won by 12 runs
Scorecard
Marizanne Kapp
(Perth Scorchers)
Perth Stadium
Perth, WA
15,511[119]
WBBL|08
26 November 2022
Adelaide Strikers
5/147 (20 overs)
Sydney Sixers
137 (20 overs)
Strikers won by 10 runs
Scorecard
Deandra Dottin
(Adelaide Strikers)
North Sydney Oval
Sydney, NSW
6,478[120]
WBBL|09
2 December 2023
Adelaide Strikers
5/125 (20 overs)
Brisbane Heat
8/122 (20 overs)
Strikers won by 3 runs
Scorecard
Amanda-Jade Wellington
(Adelaide Strikers)
Adelaide Oval
Adelaide, SA
12,379[121]

Team performance

[edit]
Team 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024-25
Adelaide Strikers 7th 8th 4th (SF) 6th 2nd (RU) 6th 4th (RU) 2nd (C) 1st (C) 7th
Brisbane Heat 6th 3rd (SF) 5th 3rd (C) 1st (C) 2nd (SF) 3rd (EF) 3rd (CF) 3rd (RU) 2nd
Hobart Hurricanes 2nd (SF) 4th (SF) 8th 8th 7th 8th 6th 4th (EF) 6th 4th
Melbourne Renegades 8th 7th 6th 4th (SF) 4th (SF) 7th 2nd (CF) 7th 8th
Melbourne Stars 5th 5th 7th 7th 8th 1st (RU) 5th 6th 7th 8th
Perth Scorchers 4th (SF) 2nd (RU) 3rd (RU) 5th 3rd (SF) 4th (SF) 1st (C) 5th 2nd (CF) 5th
Sydney Sixers 3rd (RU) 1st (C) 1st (C) 1st (RU) 5th 5th 8th 1st (RU) 5th 6th
Sydney Thunder 1st (C) 6th 2nd (SF) 2nd (SF) 6th 3rd (C) 7th 8th 4th (EF) 3rd
Legend
C Champions CF Lost the Challenger
RU Runners-up EF Lost the Eliminator
SF Semi-finalists 1st Regular season ranking

Statistics and records

[edit]

All-time stats

[edit]

Batting

[edit]

Bowling

[edit]

Fielding and miscellaneous

[edit]
  • Most catches (fielder): Ellyse Perry (SYS) – 60
  • Most dismissals (wicket-keeper): Georgia Redmayne (BRH, HBH, PRS) – 111 (66 catches, 45 stumpings)
  • Most Player of the Match awards:
  1. Sophie Devine (ADS, PRS) – 27
  2. Beth Mooney (BRH, PRS) - 26
  3. Ellyse Perry (SYS) – 25
  4. Alyssa Healy (SYS) - 19
  5. Meg Lanning (MLS, PRS) – 18

*At least 10 innings batted *At least 20 overs bowled

Team

[edit]
  • Win–loss records:
Team M Won Lost Tied NR W–L%
Adelaide Strikers 145 72 66 0 7 52.17
Brisbane Heat 148 87 57 0 4 60.42
Hobart Hurricanes 139 49 83 0 7 37.12
Melbourne Renegades 139 56 77 0 6 42.11
Melbourne Stars 138 53 76 0 9 41.09
Perth Scorchers 145 75 64 1 5 53.96
Sydney Sixers 145 81 58 1 5 58.27
Sydney Thunder 143 68 63 0 12 51.91
  • Highest score: Sydney Sixers – 4/242 (20 overs) vs Melbourne Stars, 9 December 2017
  • Lowest score (all out):
  • Highest successful chase:
    • Melbourne Renegades – 1/186 (17.1 overs) vs Adelaide Strikers, 11 November 2024
  • Lowest successful defence: Sydney Thunder – 9/104 (20 overs) vs Melbourne Stars, 17 January 2016[h]
  • Biggest winning margin:
    • Batting first: Adelaide Strikers – 148 runs vs Melbourne Stars, 21 October 2023
    • Batting second: Brisbane Heat – 68 balls remaining vs Melbourne Stars, 10 January 2019
  • Longest winning streak: Sydney Sixers – 9 matches
  • Longest losing streak: Hobart Hurricanes – 10 matches
  • Longest head-to-head winning streak: Sydney Sixers – 11 matches vs Hobart Hurricanes

Single-season records

[edit]
  • Most runs: Ellyse Perry (SYS) – 778 (WBBL|04)
  • Most wickets: Sarah Aley (SYS) – 28 (WBBL|02)
  • Most dismissals (wicket-keeper): Claire Koski (SYT) – 28 (WBBL|01)
  • Most catches (fielder): Ellyse Perry (SYS) – 15 (WBBL|08)
  • Most Player of the Match awards:
    • Meg Lanning (MLS) – 6 (WBBL|01)
    • Ellyse Perry (SYS) – 6 (WBBL|04)
    • Sophie Devine (ADS) – 6 (WBBL|05)
  • Team:
    • Most regular season wins:
      • Sydney Sixers – 11 (WBBL|08)
      • Adelaide Strikers – 11 (WBBL|09)
    • Best regular season NRR: Adelaide Strikers –  +1.154  (WBBL|09)
    • Most regular season losses:
      • Hobart Hurricanes – 12 (WBBL|03, WBBL|04)
      • Melbourne Stars – 12 (WBBL|05)
      • Melbourne Renegades - 12 (WBBL|09)
    • Worst regular season NRR: Hobart Hurricanes –  −1.733  (WBBL|03)

Source:[122]

Hat-tricks

[edit]

The following is a list of hat-tricks taken in the WBBL, in chronological order:

  1. Nicole Bolton (PRS) vs Hobart Hurricanes, 19 December 2015[123][124]
  2. Gemma Triscari (MLS) vs Sydney Thunder, 15 January 2016[125][126]
  3. Amy Satterthwaite (HBH) vs Sydney Thunder, 16 January 2017[127][128]
  4. Dane van Niekerk (SYS) vs Hobart Hurricanes, 17 December 2017[129][130]
  5. Marizanne Kapp (SYS) vs Melbourne Stars, 26 October 2019[131]
  6. Darcie Brown (ADS) vs Brisbane Heat, 24 October 2021[132]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Administrative and training base
  2. ^ Primary ground for WBBL|08
  3. ^ Players holding a contract with both a WNCL and WBBL team
  4. ^ Players holding a Cricket Australia national contract
  5. ^ Sarah Aley (SYS) also took 23 wickets, but at a higher average.
  6. ^ Delissa Kimmince (BRH) also took 22 wickets, but at a higher average.
  7. ^ a b c Played as a double-header with the men's BBL final
  8. ^ Excluding shortened matches

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "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.
  2. ^ "The Next Era Of WBBL". Perth Scorchers. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  3. ^ "WBBL standalone season proving an early hit". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  4. ^ Maurice, Megan (16 January 2019). "WBBL's elite level product pays off in numbers | Megan Maurice". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  5. ^ How The first WBBL season changed cricket (22/25), 22 December 2018, retrieved 5 December 2019
  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. ^ a b "Eight teams announced for Women's BBL". cricket.com.au. 19 February 2015.
  10. ^ "Cricket Australia launches Women's Big Bash League". www.abc.net.au. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  11. ^ "CA looks at a female Big Bash". The Australian. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  12. ^ "Major signings unveiled at WBBL launch". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  13. ^ "Eight teams announced for Women's BBL". cricket.com.au.
  14. ^ "Cricket Australia launches Women's Big Bash League". ABC News. 10 July 2015.
  15. ^ Adno, Carly (13 October 2015). "Star power ignites cricket's growth". dailytelegraph.
  16. ^ WBBL: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW bigbash.com.au. Retrieved on 4 Dec, 2015
  17. ^ "Sixers assume usual WBBL favourites status". 7NEWS. 16 October 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  18. ^ Pierik, Jon (21 November 2020). "Rare Lanning failure as Stars dealt reality check". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  19. ^ "WBBL04: Everything you need to know". The Women's Game. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  20. ^ "Festival weekends highlight standalone WBBL". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  21. ^ "Festival weekends return as WBBL schedule takes shape". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  22. ^ "WBBL set for first standalone season". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  23. ^ "All You Need to Know for WBBL|05". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  24. ^ "Priceline Pharmacy, Perry and Healy sign-on for WBBL". Sydney Sixers. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  25. ^ "WBBLI06 Tickets On Sale". Sydney Thunder. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  26. ^ "#smashemsixers: A report on the matchday presentation of Sydney Sixers Women's Big Bash League games" (PDF). Western Sydney University.
  27. ^ "Exciting WBBL draw has been announced". The Women's Game. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  28. ^ "More Scorchers Than Ever Before In WBBL07". Perth Scorchers. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  29. ^ "Squad Confirmed For Lilac Hill Weekend". Perth Scorchers. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  30. ^ Knox, David (11 July 2015). "Women's Big Bash League coming to ONE". TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  31. ^ "Cricket Australia launches Women's Big Bash League". ABC News. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  32. ^ WBBL derby promoted to main channel cricket.com.au. Retrieved on 23 Dec, 2015
  33. ^ "WBBL broadcast matches upgraded". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  34. ^ Decent, Jesse Hogan and Tom (6 January 2016). "WBBL: Network to show more women's cricket after ratings hit". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  35. ^ "Rebel Women's Big Bash League Fixtures 2016-17". Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  36. ^ "WBBL live stream: How to watch the Women's Big Bash League online or on TV". The Roar. 11 December 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  37. ^ "Every WBBL match to be broadcast live". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  38. ^ "Expanded Big Bash season announced". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  39. ^ "Women's Big Bash and Mamamia join forces". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  40. ^ "CA announces new broadcast deal". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  41. ^ "Kayo Sports to stream every rebel Women's Big Bash League match in 2019-20 | Cricket Australia". www.cricketaustralia.com.au. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  42. ^ "WBBL to claim more TV spotlight in new schedule". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  43. ^ "Broadcasters expand commitment to rebel WBBL|06 season | Cricket Australia". www.cricketaustralia.com.au. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  44. ^ "WBBL broadcast boost as schedule rejig completed". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  45. ^ (25 November 2015). "rebel throws support behind Women's BBL" – Cricket.com.au. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  46. ^ "Rebel Extend WBBL Partnership". Sydney Thunder. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  47. ^ "Rebel renews title sponsorship of Women's Big Bash - SportsPro Media". www.sportspromedia.com. 7 December 2017. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  48. ^ "Women's Big Bash League Becomes Weber WBBL After Snaring Weber Barbecues As Naming Partner". B&T. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  49. ^ "Just did it: Big Bash lands Nike for new kit deal". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  50. ^ "Big Bash League Signs NBA, NFL and NHL's Headwear Supplier For Upcoming Season". Ministry of Sport. 9 September 2019. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  51. ^ "'We played twice in one day!': Lanning tracks WBBL rise". cricket.com.au. 11 March 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  52. ^ "Recent Match Report - Perth Scorchers Women vs Sydney Sixers Women Final 2018 | ESPNcricinfo.com". www.espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  53. ^ a b c "Festival weekends highlight standalone WBBL". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  54. ^ Godde, Callum (4 October 2018). "Sydney WBBL teams to charge for tickets". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  55. ^ "WBBL Final: All you need to know". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  56. ^ "Record Breaking WBBL Mackay Weekend". Brisbane Heat. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  57. ^ Fair, Alex (12 September 2019). "Cricket North West fixture space set for WBBL". The Advocate. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  58. ^ "Stars sign on for WBBL01". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  59. ^ "Cameron Launches Scorchers WBBL". Perth Scorchers. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  60. ^ a b "CA's landmark pay deal for women". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  61. ^ "Australia's women cricketers now playing for love and money". www.abc.net.au. 11 September 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  62. ^ "Australia's female cricketers leap ahead in pay race | ESPNcricinfo.com". www.espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  63. ^ "Cricket pay deal lauded as biggest windfall in women's sport". www.abc.net.au. 3 August 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  64. ^ "Cricket continues to lead the way with increased player payments for WBBL & WNCL". Australian Cricketers' Association. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  65. ^ "Female cricketers get pay rise as Cricket Australia strives for 'genuine parity'". ABC News. 12 October 2021. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  66. ^ "Pay gap closes but CA, ACA acknowledge more to do". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  67. ^ "Big cash splash for Big Bash and women's game in pay deal". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  68. ^ "WBBL and State Contracts have also seen significant increases under the new MOU. We are unashamedly proud that the signing of the new MOU sees women's cricket continuing to lead Australian sport". Twitter. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  69. ^ "A major increase in women's remuneration along with increases for the BBL are key planks of a new five-year MOU between Cricket Australia (CA) and the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) announced today". Twitter. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  70. ^ "The players provide the sparkle on WBBL's opening day | ESPNcricinfo.com". www.espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  71. ^ "Of runs, records and astounding TV numbers | ESPNcricinfo.com". www.espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  72. ^ "Thrilling finals cap off successful WBBL|04". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  73. ^ Shannon, John. "Basic Guide to Turf Cricket Pitch Preparation" (PDF). Cricket Victoria. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  74. ^ "What we've learnt from the WBBL so far". The Roar. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  75. ^ "Women's Big Bash League, 2015/16 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  76. ^ "Women's Big Bash League, 2015/16 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  77. ^ "Women's Big Bash League, 2016/17 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  78. ^ "Women's Big Bash League, 2016/17 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  79. ^ "Women's Big Bash League, 2017/18 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  80. ^ "Women's Big Bash League, 2017/18 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  81. ^ "Women's Big Bash League, 2018/19 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  82. ^ "Women's Big Bash League, 2018/19 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  83. ^ "Women's Big Bash League, 2019/20 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  84. ^ "Women's Big Bash League, 2019/20 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  85. ^ "Women's Big Bash League, 2020/21 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  86. ^ "Women's Big Bash League, 2020/21 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  87. ^ "Women's Big Bash League, 2021/22 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  88. ^ "Women's Big Bash League, 2021/22 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  89. ^ "Women's Big Bash League, 2022/23 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  90. ^ "Women's Big Bash League, 2022/23 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  91. ^ "Thunder claim the first WBBL title". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  92. ^ a b "Incredible WBBL semi-finals leave Australia speechless after back-to-back final ball miracle finishes". NewsComAu. 19 January 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  93. ^ "Show-stopping fielding the highlight of WBBL semi-finals | ESPNcricinfo.com". www.espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  94. ^ Maurice, Megan (20 January 2019). "Women's cricket the winner in WBBL semis". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  95. ^ "Sydney Sixers Win WBBL Semi Final In A Dramatic Super Over". Triple M. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  96. ^ Lawson, Geoff (26 January 2019). "Given a Fairbreak, the WBBL has shown its true value". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  97. ^ "WBBL|05 Fan's guide: Sydney Sixers". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  98. ^ "Kiwi duo back in blue". Adelaide Strikers. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  99. ^ "WBBL needs clear air for international flair: Jones". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  100. ^ "Complete squad lists for WBBL|05". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  101. ^ "Cummins hoping schedule clears for a Big Bash return". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  102. ^ "Healy praises WBBL for growing young players". Sydney Sixers. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  103. ^ "Thunder sign young gun Phoebe Litchfield". Sydney Thunder. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  104. ^ Jackson, Russell (9 January 2017). "Back yard to Big Bash: Ashleigh Gardner's star rises after intense year of cricket | Russell Jackson". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  105. ^ "Molineux reflects on rapid rise to the top". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  106. ^
  107. ^
  108. ^
  109. ^
  110. ^
  111. ^
  112. ^
  113. ^
  114. ^ "Strikers win back-to-back WBBL titles after inspired fightback". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  115. ^ "Nerveless Wellington executes again on biggest stage". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  116. ^ "WBBL Final: Sydney Sixers v Brisbane Heat - Drummoyne Oval". Austadiums. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  117. ^ "WBBL Final: Heat v Strikers - Allan Border Field". Austadiums. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  118. ^ "WBBL: Final - Stars v Thunder - North Sydney Oval". Austadiums. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  119. ^ "WBBL: Final - Scorchers v Strikers - Optus Stadium". Austadiums. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  120. ^ "WBBL: Final - Sixers v Strikers - North Sydney Oval". Austadiums. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  121. ^ "WBBL: Final - Adelaide Strikers d Brisbane Heat". Austadiums. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  122. ^ "Women's Big Bash League Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  123. ^ "Top 5 Moments Of WBBL|01". Perth Scorchers. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  124. ^ "Get Ball by Ball Commentary of Hobart Hurricanes Women vs Perth Scorchers Women, Women's Big Bash League, 16th Match | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  125. ^ ESPNcricinfo (14 January 2016). "Correction: Triscari took the second hat-trick, Nicole Bolton had the first". @ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  126. ^ "WBBL|01 Moments: Gemma Triscari's hat-trick". cricket.com.au. 12 January 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  127. ^ "Kiwi bowler Amy Satterthwaite claims WBBL hat-trick to lift Hobart to victory". Stuff. 16 January 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  128. ^ Sensational Satterthwaite takes a hat-trick, 16 January 2017, retrieved 4 December 2019
  129. ^ Dane van Niekerk hat-trick, retrieved 4 December 2019
  130. ^ "Hat-trick brings sigh of relief for import". www.dailytelegraph.com.au. 20 December 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  131. ^ "WBBL wrap: Thunder thriller caps action-packed day". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  132. ^ "Hat-trick, century headline thrilling WBBL Sunday". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
[edit]