2020–21 Women's Big Bash League season
The 2020–21 Women's Big Bash League season or WBBL|06 will be the sixth season of Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), the semi-professional women's Twenty20 domestic cricket competition in Australia. The tournament is scheduled to run from 17 October to 29 November 2020. Brisbane Heat are the double defending champions, having won back-to-back titles in WBBL|04 and WBBL|05.[1]
| Dates | 17 October 2020 – 29 November 2020 |
|---|---|
| Administrator(s) | Cricket Australia |
| Cricket format | Twenty20 |
| Tournament format(s) | Double round robin and knockout finals |
| Participants | 8 |
| Matches played | 59 |
| Official website | WBBL |
Teams
Each squad is to be made up of 15 active players. Teams can sign up to five 'marquee players', with a maximum of three of those from overseas. Marquees are classed as any overseas player, or a local player who holds a Cricket Australia national contract at the start of the WBBL signing period.[2]
The table below lists each team's marquee players and other key details for the season.[3][4]
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Personnel changes
Local players
Local player movements made ahead of the season included:
- Meg Lanning returned to the Melbourne Stars, where she played the first two WBBL seasons before a three-year stint with the Perth Scorchers.[5][6]
- Beth Mooney signed a two-year contract with the Perth Scorchers, thereby departing the Brisbane Heat.[7][8]
- Sammy-Jo Johnson signed a two-year contract with the Sydney Thunder, having also departed the Brisbane Heat.[9][10]
Overseas players
Overseas player movements made ahead of the season included:
- New Zealand's Rachel Priest signed with the Hobart Hurricanes—her third WBBL team, having previously played for the Sydney Thunder and the Melbourne Renegades.[11][12]
- South Africa's Lizelle Lee signed with the Melbourne Renegades, bringing her three-year stay at the Melbourne Stars to an end.[13]
- New Zealand's Sophie Devine signed with the Perth Scorchers, having played the five previous seasons with the Adelaide Strikers.[14]
- South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt returned to the league after a season's absence, signing with the Adelaide Strikers. Wolvaardt had previously been a member of two WBBL campaigns with the Brisbane Heat.[15][16][17]
Leadership
Coaching changes made ahead of the season included:
- Shelley Nitschke was appointed head coach of the Perth Scorchers, replacing Lisa Keightley who departed to take on the role as coach of England.[18][19][20]
- As part of Cricket Victoria's cost-cutting organisational restructure, the Melbourne Renegades did not renew the contract of head coach Tim Coyle despite achieving two consecutive finals appearances. Lachlan Stevens, who coached the Renegades in their first two seasons, was announced as Coyle's replacement.[21][22][23][24][25]
- David Hemp parted ways with the Melbourne Stars and was initially replaced as head coach by Leah Poulton. However, a month after her appointment, Poulton resigned from the position to undertake the role of Head of Female Cricket at Cricket NSW. The Stars then announced Trent Woodhill would take over the top coaching job.[26][27][28][29][30]
Captaincy changes made ahead of the season included:
- Jess Jonassen was appointed captain of the Brisbane Heat, replacing Kirby Short who retired from cricket at the end of WBBL|05.[31]
- The Perth Scorchers appointed new recruit Sophie Devine as captain, replacing Meg Lanning.[32]
Fixtures
Cricket Australia released the fixture for WBBL|06 on 15 July 2020 with the stipulation that it is subject to any change that may be required as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[33] The tournament was once again scheduled as a 56-match double round-robin, followed by a finals series featuring the top four qualifiers.[34]
Although the fixture features at least a weekend of matches in each team's home market, it largely revolves around a three-week mid-season Sydney hub for all eight clubs. Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia Head of Big Bash Leagues, explained that "by focusing parts of the competition in a central location, it provides optionality should the COVID-19 situation affect the flow of the season."[35]
Television coverage of the competition is set to be increased from previous seasons with the Seven Network broadcasting (and Fox Cricket simulcasting) 26 games, up from the 23 that were aired in WBBL|05. The remaining 33 games will be streamed on cricket.com.au and the Cricket Australia Live App. All 59 matches will also be available to watch live and on demand via Kayo.[35]
All times are local time
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Knockout phase
| Semifinals | Finals | ||||||||
| 1 | |||||||||
| 4 | |||||||||
| 2 | |||||||||
| 3 | |||||||||
Semi-finals
See also
Notes
- Number of games hosted at each venue is indicated in brackets
- Only includes players who debuted for Australia before the tournament
- Player did not hold a Cricket Australia national contract at the beginning of the WBBL|06 signing period
References
- Jolly, Laura (8 December 2019). "Dominant Heat claim back-to-back WBBL titles". cricket.com.au. Cricket Australia. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
- "COVID forces marquee shake-up as WBBL contracting begins". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
- Jolly, Laura (1 July 2020). "Squad goals: How your club is shaping up for WBBL|06". cricket.com.au. Cricket Australia. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
- "Heat sign overseas stars for three-peat bid". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- "Meg Lanning returns to the Melbourne Stars". Melbourne Stars. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- "Signed and sealed: Lanning comes home for WBBL". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- "Scorchers poach World Cup star Mooney". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
- "Mooney Signs With Scorchers". Perth Scorchers. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
- "Thunderstruck: Sammy-Jo finds a new Big Bash home". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
- "Sammy-Jo joins the Thunder Nation". Sydney Thunder. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
- "New home for Priest as Hobart lock in stars". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- "Rachel Priest to join the Hurricanes". Hobart Hurricanes. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- "Protea swaps Stars for Renegades for WBBL|06". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- "Devine intervention: Scorchers reveal signing coup". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- "Strikers secure South Africa young gun for WBBL|06". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
- "Strikers scoop South Africa star". Adelaide Strikers. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
- "South Africa star Laura Wolvaardt signs for Adelaide Strikers | ESPNcricinfo.com". www.espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
- "Nitschke To Lead Scorchers Women Next Season". Perth Scorchers. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- "Nitschke named as Perth Scorchers coach". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- "Australian Keightley named new England coach". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- "Renegades part with coach Coyle as cost-cutting bites". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- "Melbourne Renegades WBBL coach Tim Coyle loses job amid cost-cutting | ESPNcricinfo.com". www.espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- "Lachlan Stevens appointed WBBL Head Coach". Melbourne Renegades. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- "Gades go back to the future as Stevens accepts dual role". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- "Lachlan Stevens returns as Melbourne Renegades WBBL coach | ESPNcricinfo.com". www.espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- "Stars name new WBBL coach". Melbourne Stars. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- "Poulton named Melbourne Stars coach". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- "Melbourne Stars Statement – WBBL Head Coach Update". Melbourne Stars. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- "Trent Woodhill appointed WBBL Head Coach". Melbourne Stars. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- "Stars appoint Woodhill as new WBBL coach". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- "Heat lock in new captain for WBBL title defence". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- "Scorchers To Be Led By Devine Intervention". Perth Scorchers. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- Jolly, Laura (15 July 2020). "WBBL to claim more TV spotlight in new schedule". Cricket.com.au. Cricket Australia. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
- "WBBL06 & BBL10 Fixtures" (PDF). Cricket Australia. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
- "Fixtures announced for rebel WBBL|06 and KFC BBL|10 | Cricket Australia". www.cricketaustralia.com.au. Retrieved 18 July 2020.