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WBBL focused on growth as rival tournaments look to lure the world’s best players

WBBL focused on growth as rival tournaments look to lure the world’s best players

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This summer, the Women’s Big Bash League will stage its eighth season (WBBL08), running from October 13 to November 27.

Cricket Australia (CA) has today released the full 59-match fixture, incorporating home games for every club for the first time since 2019, after the last two seasons were marred by COVID restrictions and state border closures.

WBBL08 Fixtures
It’s another packed schedule for WBBL08.(Supplied: Cricket Australia)

For WBBL06 the entire competition was held in a hub in Sydney, while WBBL07 avoided the states of Victoria and NSW.

This summer will therefore see the world’s best players return to venues like North Sydney Oval, Junction Oval and Allan Border Field, which have become synonymous with women’s cricket over the past decade.

CA’s general manager of Big Bash Leagues Alistair Dobson said he was thrilled for fans, particularly those in Victoria, who had missed out on cheering for the Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades in their recent finals campaigns.

North Sydney Oval WBBL
With its iconic old grandstands, North Sydney Oval has played host to many memorable WBBL moments over the years.(AAP: Steve Christo)

“We’re really thrilled to be able to take matches back to the home markets of all of our clubs, as a number of them haven’t been able to play in front of their fans for the last two seasons,” Dobson said.

“The Victorian teams in particular haven’t played at home since 2019, so we know how excited they’ll be to be able to get back out there.”

Another feature of the WBBL08 fixture is the increase in the number of night-time slots, as this season, the competition will host 17 prime time matches and 15 twilight matches, up from nine and 10 respectively last year.

A batsman with his pads on and wearing a big smile strides toward teammates after his team's win in the T20 World Cup final.
The WBBL won’t clash with any Australian matches as the team look to defend the men’s ICC T20 World Cup trophy.(Getty: Gareth Copley)

Importantly, none of these will clash with the Australian games in the men’s ICC T20 World Cup, that is being hosted here in Australia in the same timeframe.

“To be able to schedule around the World Cup and not have any clashes with Australian matches was really important to us,” Dobson said.

“We’re very proud of how popular the WBBL is on television and we think the number of primetime games this season is an indication of that, as well as its value as a broadcast product.

“The networks can see the audience is there, the fantastic quality of the cricket, how engaging the athletes are and that they’re great ambassadors for the game … all of those things add up.”

The increasing competition from overseas

In the eight years since the WBBL was established, the tournament has become a breeding ground for talent, providing an unprecedented level of opportunity for Australian domestic players and forming an important part of the national pathway.

It’s also become to go-to competition for overseas cricketers wanting to grow their game and profile, with better exposure and more lucrative deals currently offered here than back home.

This has seen the WBBL influence social change, pushing other cricketing countries to keep up, while even challenging other sporting codes in Australia to raise the pay and standards for their female athletes.

Georgia Redmayne plays a sweep shot as a wicket keeper watches on
Aussie players like Georgia Redmayne have enjoyed playing in The Hundred.(Getty: Paul Harding)

But with other short-form tournaments around the world popping up now like The Hundred, the Women’s Caribbean Premier League and the Fairbreak Global Invitational, it is going to become harder for the WBBL to hold onto its number one world status.

There are also reports that the BCCI is looking to launch a legitimate Women’s IPL in 2023, in an April-March or September-October window.

Regardless of whether the timeframes overlap, these additions to the women’s cricket calendar will make it increasingly competitive for the WBBL to try and sign players.

So how will CA safeguard the WBBL from being engulfed in the same way the BBL has been by the men’s IPL?

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Dobson said CA still had plenty of ideas in the works to grow the WBBL and that he preferred to see the emerging leagues as a form of healthy competition rather than as a threat.

“I think it’s amazing that the athletes have so many opportunities around the world now, and if the WBBL has played a role in sparking that, well that’s another thing Australia can be proud of.

“On one hand you could look at them as threats, but we certainly don’t take it that way because we see it as a great indication that other countries are discovering what we’ve always known – that women’s cricket is incredibly important.

“Still, it does keep us on our toes and drive us to be better to make sure we’re doing everything we can to ensure the WBBL remains the very best league.

“Rewarding the players from a renumeration perspective is definitely one way we can continue to grow the WBBL, as we need to keep investing in the players, the clubs and the venues they play in.

“The other way is to make sure we’re putting on great events and that the crowds turn up, so we plan to invest a lot in the event experience this year.”

WBBL has helped international cricket too

A key member of the Australian women’s cricket team that is looking forward to sinking her teeth into the domestic summer is fast bowler Darcie Brown.

Hailing from South Australia, Brown has been with the Adelaide Strikers since 2019 and will continue to represent her home state in the WBBL in 2022.

An Australian female cricketer with the ball in an ODI against India.
Success in the WBBL fast-tracked Brown into the Australian women’s team.(AAP: Dave Hunt)

“At the moment the WBBL is the best competition and you see how much the internationals that have come over have improved their game,” Brown said.

“Now they’re dominating in international cricket, so hopefully the league can keep progressing and improving.”

Before she gets there, Brown will represent Australia in their upcoming T20 International Tri-Series against Ireland and Pakistan, as part of the team’s preparations for their Birmingham Commonwealth Games debut.

The national team departs for the UK next Monday and will face Ireland for the first time since 2018.

Bismah Maroof makes more than 70 against Australia World Cup
Bismah Maroof celebrates her 50 during the recent World Cup.(AAP: John Cowpland)

Meanwhile, Australia faced Pakistan as recently as March in the ICC Women’s World Cup, beating them by seven wickets but struggling to dismiss captain Bismah Maroof (78 runs) and Aliya Riaz (53 runs) after the pair formed a 99-run partnership.

“They batted a long time, so we’re going to have to find ways to try and get them out for sure,” Brown said.

“Their bowlers were also a real challenge for us, from what I heard from the batters anyway, they were super crafty and our players didn’t know what to expect because they had lots of change-ups so that’s something we need to look out for.”

T20 International Tri-Series to be played in Derry

  • 17 June 2022 Australia vs Pakistan
  • 18 July 2022 – Ireland vs Australia
  • 20 July 2022 – Ireland vs Pakistan
  • 22 July 2022 – Ireland vs Australia
  • 24 July 2022 – Pakistan vs Australia
  • 25 July 2022 – Ireland vs Pakistan

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