The ticker-tape has been cleared up and the MCG has fallen silent after the final of the inaugural WBBL reached an exciting, if rather unprofessional, conclusion on Sunday. It was the Thunder that returned to Sydney with the trophy, probably sharing a plane with their dejected Sixer opponents.
To be honest the final was not a great cricketing spectacle, but then finals often aren't! The Thunder contrived to drop simple catches, and fail to run out opponents who were at one time both on the ground in the middle of the wicket. The Sixers were equally as generous and misfields accounted for three of the Thunder's 10 boundaries. Without them it would have been a much tighter contest. It was therefore probably appropriate that the game finished with a leg-side wide, on which the batsmen ran a single, only to be gifted an overthrow by, of all people, Ellyse Perry, as she fired at the stumps at the bowler's end from two yards away and missed.
But ultimately the rather amateur-standard of the final actually reflects the true current state of women's cricket. There are very few full-time professionals currently in the women's game. Of those who played on Sunday I would suggest that only four players actually fall into that category - Perry, Alyssa Healy, Alex Blackwell and Stafanie Taylor, with perhaps Erin Osborne as another. The rest are effectively amateurs or semi-pros at best.
The fact that the Aussie public seem to have taken the WBBL to their hearts and made it such a huge success would suggest that they can look beyond the odd fumble and dropped catch, and that they are enjoying seeing the girls perform on the big stage. There is a massive wave of support behind women's sport at the moment and the WBBL is surfing that wave. The trick now is to make sure that there are more waves to be caught.
No doubt the top dogs at Cricket Australia are currently in a room somewhere licking their nether regions contentedly. And indeed they have every right to do so. They have invested heavily and wisely in women's cricket. Not only are there decent contracts in place for the Southern Stars (and a willingness to change who those contracted players are), but they have invested in the domestic players playing in the WNCL with all players receiving Au$7,000, and a further Au$3,000 - Au$10,000 if they play in the WBBL. But, perhaps even more significantly, CA shared the cost of getting the WBBL onto free-to-air television. No-one had any great expectations for the viewing figures, but they have been huge, which meant production company Ten decided to switch coverage to their more popular channel and cover more games. The result has been an explosion of interest in women's cricket in Australia and talk of a standalone television deal for WBBL2.
In contrast the ECB, who have also invested heavily, have provided contracts for 19 players, but nothing for those below them. The Women's Cricket Super League this summer will see no salaries for the participants. Instead the ECB will provide franchises with money to cover small match fees and expenses for the players (including those already on England contracts), and the competition is incentivized by prize money for the winning team and the losing finalist, with one pot to be shared by the players and another for the franchise host. That will be very welcome for the 30 or so players who share the prize, but is not so great for the other 60 or so who do not.
As for television coverage we have no news yet. Clare Connor has talked of "positive conversations" with broadcast partners, but nothing more than that. Is the WCSL even outside the ECB's current deal with Sky? Perhaps the success of the WBBL on television in Australia will allow those conversations to produce something positive or for the ECB to commit further investment into television coverage. It is what the competition desperately needs. Without being able to latch on to an existing franchise system for the men, as the WBBL did with the pre-existing BBL, marketing the WCSL and creating a product to inspire the next generation of women cricketers is going to be a tough gig without it being on television. And the coverage needs to be top-quality. In Australia Ten committed exactly the same production techniques and cameras to the WBBL as they did to the BBL. It showed and it worked.
As my Mum used to say "If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing right!"
MD
25/I/2016
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Monday, 25 January 2016
Wednesday, 20 January 2016
WBBL reaches heady climax
The WBBL reaches its final stages this week with the semi-finals on Thursday and Friday at the Adelaide Oval and the MCG, and the final on Sunday at a venue to be decided by who hosts the men's final. All the games are being played as double-headers with the men's BBL, and all are being televised live in Australia (there will be highlights of the semi-finals in England on Sky and the final will be live).
In the first semi-final table-toppers Sydney Thunder take on fourth place Perth Scorchers. In the second semi second-placed Hobart Hurricanes take on third-placed Sydney Sixers. Who will win these matches, or indeed the final, is anyone's guess. Two weeks ago you could have got 200/1 against the Sydney Sixers winning the tournament. They are now the 2/1 favourites!
The bookies think it will be a Perth Scorchers v Sydney Sixers final.
I think the experience of the Perth Scorchers should get them through against the young Thunder team, in what will be a big match, in front of a big audience. The Sixers won their last eight games to squeeze into the semi-finals as others (Melbourne Stars, Brisbane Heat and Adelaide Strikers) blew their chances.
The Hurricanes have surprised everyone, but under the cool leadership of Heather Knight, they have exceeded even their own expectations and won several very tight games. However they have lost twice already to the Sixers in the last few days, the last one off the last ball as Sara McGlashan took the 14 runs required off Knight's last over. There is no reason to doubt that this game will be just as tight.
No matter who wins the semi-finals and ultimately the final, the tournament has to be seen as a watershed moment in women's cricket, with a realisation that if it is televised with the same professionalism as the men's game, then it has an audience. Cricket Australia have to be commended for realising this is the case and effectively paying for the initial coverage in Australia, coverage which has proved so successful it has now been switched to a more popular channel, and now includes live coverage of the semi-finals, which were originally not going to be televised at all and which were going to be played on smaller grounds.
Fingers crossed for three more great games of women's T20 cricket!
MD
20/I/16
In the first semi-final table-toppers Sydney Thunder take on fourth place Perth Scorchers. In the second semi second-placed Hobart Hurricanes take on third-placed Sydney Sixers. Who will win these matches, or indeed the final, is anyone's guess. Two weeks ago you could have got 200/1 against the Sydney Sixers winning the tournament. They are now the 2/1 favourites!
The bookies think it will be a Perth Scorchers v Sydney Sixers final.
I think the experience of the Perth Scorchers should get them through against the young Thunder team, in what will be a big match, in front of a big audience. The Sixers won their last eight games to squeeze into the semi-finals as others (Melbourne Stars, Brisbane Heat and Adelaide Strikers) blew their chances.
The Hurricanes have surprised everyone, but under the cool leadership of Heather Knight, they have exceeded even their own expectations and won several very tight games. However they have lost twice already to the Sixers in the last few days, the last one off the last ball as Sara McGlashan took the 14 runs required off Knight's last over. There is no reason to doubt that this game will be just as tight.
No matter who wins the semi-finals and ultimately the final, the tournament has to be seen as a watershed moment in women's cricket, with a realisation that if it is televised with the same professionalism as the men's game, then it has an audience. Cricket Australia have to be commended for realising this is the case and effectively paying for the initial coverage in Australia, coverage which has proved so successful it has now been switched to a more popular channel, and now includes live coverage of the semi-finals, which were originally not going to be televised at all and which were going to be played on smaller grounds.
Fingers crossed for three more great games of women's T20 cricket!
MD
20/I/16
Thursday, 31 December 2015
Looking ahead to 2016!
At the end of the year there is always a tendency to look back at what has been, and it is true to say that 2015 has been a watershed year for women's cricket, not so much perhaps on the pitch, but in it's coverage and it's credibility as a standalone, entertaining and financially-viable product. Press and television coverage of the Women's Ashes was unprecedented. Every ball was on the television, including the Test at Canterbury (much to the annoyance of some patronising know-it-all journalists - who actually know very little at all about women's cricket). Every national newspaper had match reports, and carried interviews and background pieces on the players.
The Ashes was followed by the inaugural Women's Big Bash in Australia, which has been a huge success so far, with television audiences beyond anyone's expectations. The tournament looks set to stay and to grow and is a fantastic advert for women's cricket.
But enough of looking back. Let's look forward. 2016 is jam-packed with some great cricket. Here is a quick run-down of what to look out for over the coming 12 months.
January 2016
The Final of the Women's Big Bash
After 56 T20 games the semi-finals of the WBBL will be played on 21st and 22nd January and the final will be on Sunday 24th January. Who will get there? Well my money would be on the Hurricanes, the Heat, The Thunder and, maybe, just maybe, the Strikers. First team to take home the trophy? I have to stick with my original pick and say it will be the Heat. Whoever it is it has been a great step forward for women's cricket.
Australia v India
Just two days after the Big Bash finishes the Aussies start a three match T20 series against the Indians, followed by three ICC WC ODIs. It could be carnage! The Aussies will be in prime T20 form, a format that the Indians don't seem to like much. The Aussies also sit top of the ICC WC standings and they are likely to hand out a 3-0 drubbing to the Indians in this slightly longer format of the game. With three ICC WC ODI series to play after this the Indians will be staring down the barrel at the bottom of the ICC WC standings.
January should also give us some more details about the new Women's Cricket Super League (WCSL) T20 competition planned by the ECB for August.
February 2016
South Africa v England
No sooner will the England players have returned from their WBBL experience than they will be on the plane to South Africa for England's first tour under new Head Coach Mark Robinson. England have just renewed the contracts of the current 18 players, plus added Fran Wilson as the nineteenth. Squad, and then team, selection will be interesting and one hopes that the England players will be up for the challenge. Languishing in fifth in the ICC WC table, no less than three wins in the three ODIs will be acceptable.
New Zealand v Australia
Two weeks after their last encounter with the Indians the Aussies will be playing their first ICC WC ODI game in New Zealand. It should be a good series. The Kiwis demolished a poor Sri Lanka side in November and will be keen to nick at least one ODI off their local rivals, if not the series win, as they did to England last February. Under new Head Coach Haidee Tiffen New Zealand look a rejuvenated unit, but the Aussies will be strong favourites to extend their lead at the top of the table.
South Africa v West Indies
As England leave South Africa so the West Indians arrive for three ICC WC ODIs and three T20s. The Windies will be keen to cement their place in the Top Four (they sit equal top as I write this), but South Africa will know that they need the points too, with New Zealand and Australia their final two opponents. Stafanie Taylor is world class for the Windies, but she cannot win the series on her own. I think the Saffers might just pip them 2-1 on home soil.
March 2016
Women's World T20
Hard on the heels of all the ICC WC ODI action comes the Women's World T20 Cup in India. This is the fifth time the competition has been held and the Aussies have won the last three. They will be hot favourites to make it four in a row. But T20 is a tough game to call.
Ten teams will fight it out for the World Champions crown - the top eight, plus Ireland and Bangladesh, who qualified in December. The groups are :-
Group A - Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Ireland
Group B - England, West Indies, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh
The top two teams in each group make it to the semi-finals, with the final being played on 3rd April at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
Anything less than a place in the final for either Australia or England will be a disaster. The West Indies and South Africa made it to the semis last time in Bangladesh, but they will have to fight tooth and nail with New Zealand to make it this year. India will hope to perform well on home soil (especially now that they too are contracted players), but T20 is not really their thing.
Let's hope the crowds are better than the last time India hosted a World Cup (50 overs in 2013), when the grounds were almost empty for every game.
May 2016
After a short lull the English domestic season will start on 1st May with nine county teams each playing each other to become County Champions. Last year Yorkshire won the title, and this year newcomers Somerset and Staffordshire will find themselves slugging it out with the best in the country in Division One.
June 2016
England v Pakistan
June will see the arrival of the Pakistan team in England for three ICC WC ODIs and three T20s. England will expect to pick up all the points, but it could be a good series for England to introduce some fresh faces to the squad, before the 2017 World Cup to be held in England. Coach Robinson will have found his feet by this time, so it will be interesting to see his first proper squad selection.
India v Sri Lanka
Sometime before the end of July Sri Lanka have to return to India to play at least their three ICC WC ODI games. Both sides will be desperate to get some points. Sri Lanka had seemed to be making progress as a team, but their recent results have been disappointing to say the least. It may be too little too late for India, who will finish their first ICC WC campaign with series against Pakistan and then the West Indies. A top four place may be out of sight for them by this time.
August 2016
Women's Cricket Super League
The much-heralded WCSL should kick-off in England with a two week, six team, T20 competition in August.
The franchise-based tournament aims to bring together the best of the best, but the details are still sketchy. Applications have been invited to run the teams and are now being considered. The winning bidders will be announced in January, but it looks like there will be two London-based teams, one on the south coast, one in the south west, one in the north-west and one in the midlands.
With the success of the Big Bash the pressure will be on the ECB to bring the same pizazz to the WCSL. But the ECB are starting from scratch unlike Cricket Australia who tagged the WBBL onto the existing successful Men's Big Bash teams and structure. The plan is to extend the WCSL to the 50 over game the following season, but I just cannot see this happening for a whole host of reasons.
October 2016
South Africa v New Zealand
This is the first of the 6th round games in the ICC WC and is already pencilled in to start on 8th October. The rest of the games in the round are below and they have to be played by the end of October 2016.
West Indies v England
Pakistan v India
Sri Lanka v Australia
England will almost certainly go to the West Indies in late September/early October.
November 2016
The final round of ICC WC games have to be played in October and November. The fixtures that remain are :-
Australia v South Africa
Sri Lanka v England
India v West Indies
New Zealand v Pakistan
The teams that finish in the top four positions in the table will automatically qualify for the World Cup in England in 2017. The other four will have to compete in the ICC Women's World Cup Qualifier 2017, where they will be joined by six regional qualifiers. The ten teams will be competing for the final four places at the Women's World Cup. It means the bottom four could still get through, but teams like Ireland, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Scotland may have other ideas.
December 2016
WBBL/2
And so we return to the WBBL. No doubt WBBL/2 will be bigger, better and even more fun than WBBL/1!!
MD
30/XII/15
The Ashes was followed by the inaugural Women's Big Bash in Australia, which has been a huge success so far, with television audiences beyond anyone's expectations. The tournament looks set to stay and to grow and is a fantastic advert for women's cricket.
But enough of looking back. Let's look forward. 2016 is jam-packed with some great cricket. Here is a quick run-down of what to look out for over the coming 12 months.
January 2016
The Final of the Women's Big Bash
After 56 T20 games the semi-finals of the WBBL will be played on 21st and 22nd January and the final will be on Sunday 24th January. Who will get there? Well my money would be on the Hurricanes, the Heat, The Thunder and, maybe, just maybe, the Strikers. First team to take home the trophy? I have to stick with my original pick and say it will be the Heat. Whoever it is it has been a great step forward for women's cricket.
Australia v India
Just two days after the Big Bash finishes the Aussies start a three match T20 series against the Indians, followed by three ICC WC ODIs. It could be carnage! The Aussies will be in prime T20 form, a format that the Indians don't seem to like much. The Aussies also sit top of the ICC WC standings and they are likely to hand out a 3-0 drubbing to the Indians in this slightly longer format of the game. With three ICC WC ODI series to play after this the Indians will be staring down the barrel at the bottom of the ICC WC standings.
January should also give us some more details about the new Women's Cricket Super League (WCSL) T20 competition planned by the ECB for August.
February 2016
South Africa v England
No sooner will the England players have returned from their WBBL experience than they will be on the plane to South Africa for England's first tour under new Head Coach Mark Robinson. England have just renewed the contracts of the current 18 players, plus added Fran Wilson as the nineteenth. Squad, and then team, selection will be interesting and one hopes that the England players will be up for the challenge. Languishing in fifth in the ICC WC table, no less than three wins in the three ODIs will be acceptable.
New Zealand v Australia
Two weeks after their last encounter with the Indians the Aussies will be playing their first ICC WC ODI game in New Zealand. It should be a good series. The Kiwis demolished a poor Sri Lanka side in November and will be keen to nick at least one ODI off their local rivals, if not the series win, as they did to England last February. Under new Head Coach Haidee Tiffen New Zealand look a rejuvenated unit, but the Aussies will be strong favourites to extend their lead at the top of the table.
South Africa v West Indies
As England leave South Africa so the West Indians arrive for three ICC WC ODIs and three T20s. The Windies will be keen to cement their place in the Top Four (they sit equal top as I write this), but South Africa will know that they need the points too, with New Zealand and Australia their final two opponents. Stafanie Taylor is world class for the Windies, but she cannot win the series on her own. I think the Saffers might just pip them 2-1 on home soil.
March 2016
Women's World T20
Hard on the heels of all the ICC WC ODI action comes the Women's World T20 Cup in India. This is the fifth time the competition has been held and the Aussies have won the last three. They will be hot favourites to make it four in a row. But T20 is a tough game to call.
Ten teams will fight it out for the World Champions crown - the top eight, plus Ireland and Bangladesh, who qualified in December. The groups are :-
Group A - Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Ireland
Group B - England, West Indies, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh
The top two teams in each group make it to the semi-finals, with the final being played on 3rd April at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
Anything less than a place in the final for either Australia or England will be a disaster. The West Indies and South Africa made it to the semis last time in Bangladesh, but they will have to fight tooth and nail with New Zealand to make it this year. India will hope to perform well on home soil (especially now that they too are contracted players), but T20 is not really their thing.
Let's hope the crowds are better than the last time India hosted a World Cup (50 overs in 2013), when the grounds were almost empty for every game.
May 2016
After a short lull the English domestic season will start on 1st May with nine county teams each playing each other to become County Champions. Last year Yorkshire won the title, and this year newcomers Somerset and Staffordshire will find themselves slugging it out with the best in the country in Division One.
June 2016
England v Pakistan
June will see the arrival of the Pakistan team in England for three ICC WC ODIs and three T20s. England will expect to pick up all the points, but it could be a good series for England to introduce some fresh faces to the squad, before the 2017 World Cup to be held in England. Coach Robinson will have found his feet by this time, so it will be interesting to see his first proper squad selection.
India v Sri Lanka
Sometime before the end of July Sri Lanka have to return to India to play at least their three ICC WC ODI games. Both sides will be desperate to get some points. Sri Lanka had seemed to be making progress as a team, but their recent results have been disappointing to say the least. It may be too little too late for India, who will finish their first ICC WC campaign with series against Pakistan and then the West Indies. A top four place may be out of sight for them by this time.
August 2016
Women's Cricket Super League
The much-heralded WCSL should kick-off in England with a two week, six team, T20 competition in August.
The franchise-based tournament aims to bring together the best of the best, but the details are still sketchy. Applications have been invited to run the teams and are now being considered. The winning bidders will be announced in January, but it looks like there will be two London-based teams, one on the south coast, one in the south west, one in the north-west and one in the midlands.
With the success of the Big Bash the pressure will be on the ECB to bring the same pizazz to the WCSL. But the ECB are starting from scratch unlike Cricket Australia who tagged the WBBL onto the existing successful Men's Big Bash teams and structure. The plan is to extend the WCSL to the 50 over game the following season, but I just cannot see this happening for a whole host of reasons.
October 2016
South Africa v New Zealand
This is the first of the 6th round games in the ICC WC and is already pencilled in to start on 8th October. The rest of the games in the round are below and they have to be played by the end of October 2016.
West Indies v England
Pakistan v India
Sri Lanka v Australia
England will almost certainly go to the West Indies in late September/early October.
November 2016
The final round of ICC WC games have to be played in October and November. The fixtures that remain are :-
Australia v South Africa
Sri Lanka v England
India v West Indies
New Zealand v Pakistan
The teams that finish in the top four positions in the table will automatically qualify for the World Cup in England in 2017. The other four will have to compete in the ICC Women's World Cup Qualifier 2017, where they will be joined by six regional qualifiers. The ten teams will be competing for the final four places at the Women's World Cup. It means the bottom four could still get through, but teams like Ireland, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Scotland may have other ideas.
December 2016
WBBL/2
And so we return to the WBBL. No doubt WBBL/2 will be bigger, better and even more fun than WBBL/1!!
MD
30/XII/15
Monday, 21 December 2015
WBBL - Half-term Report
With 25 of the 56 WBBL league games played it seemed the right time to review how the teams, their players, and, in particular, the England players have been getting on.
The teams & their players
[current WBBL table is here]
Against all the odds the Hobart Hurricanes (6 wins/1 loss) are the league leaders with six wins out of seven, having only lost to the Scorchers. They were the bookies outsiders when the tournament started, presumably based on the premise that they were the Tasmanian Roar in purple, and the Roar had lost all their WNCL games. But England vice-captain Heather Knight has led her team from the front and they have won a few tight games with some great bowling and fielding.
Keep up the good work.
Also sitting on 12 points at the top of the table are the Brisbane Heat (6/4), but they have played three more games than the Hurricanes. They lost their first three, but then won their next five games, before tripping up against the then-winless Renegades. The Heat look a good "team" with various players standing up to be counted when needed - Grace Harris (including a century), Beth Mooney (four 50s), a re-invigorated Holly Ferling (12 wickets), Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince (with the ball if not the bat).
Great team effort. You are all working together well.
Meg Lanning's Melbourne Stars (4/1) won their first four games, with Lanning looking unstoppable with the bat. To describe a team as "belonging" to any one individual can be rather disingenuous, but in this case it is wholly appropriate. When Lanning finally failed (20), so did the Stars, losing to the Hurricanes. The question is how often can she carry the Stars batting, and, if she can get them to the semi-final and then perhaps the final, can she continue to do it?
Some of you need to take on more responsibility. Don't leave it all for others to do.
The Sydney Thunder (3/2) won their first three games, but lost their last two to the winless Strikers (courtesy of a blistering 71 off 47 balls from Sarah Taylor) and the Heat. Stafanie Taylor and Alex Blackwell are carrying their batting.
Need to buck your ideas up if you are not to slip to the bottom of the pile.
Just about everyone's favourites before the tournament started (not mine I hasten to add), the Perth Scorchers (3/3), have largely failed to deliver. They beat the Heat and the Sixers early on, but have lost subsequently to the Heat, the Hurricanes and even the Sixers. Their big guns have really not fired with the exception of Suzie Bates, but she is now being replaced by Deandra Dottin.
Need to knuckle down and get on with the job in hand or your goose may be cooked.
The Adelaide Strikers (1/4) were also firm favourites to do well, based as they are around the successful South Australia Scorpions, and with English-import Sarah Taylor in their midst. Taylor finally turned on the style against the Thunder to get the Strikers first two points on the board.
Expect much more from you than we are currently seeing. Too much chatter and not enough action.
The Melbourne Renegades (1/4) also recorded their first win last weekend against the high-flying Heat. A surfeit of spinners doesn't seem to be doing the job for them and none of their batsmen have reached 50 yet in five games. Could be a long T20 campaign for them.
You are obviously trying hard. Keep working at it. Winning isn't everything.
Bottom of the pile, and likely to stay there, are the Sydney Sixers (1/6). They had been abject until they finally beat the Scorchers last weekend. They didn't just lose their first six games, they got marmelised (four times by 9 wickets!). In seven games they have only taken 17 wickets and their batting looks feeble, despite Ellyse Perry doing her best to shore it up.
Best to write off this year and look to come back bigger, better and stronger next year.
The English Players
There are nine current England players out in Oz for the WBBL and these are their numbers to date.
As for the bowlers, behind Knight, it has been rather mundane so far. Katherine Brunt burst on the WBBL with 4/17 in her first game, but has only taken two wickets in four games since. She has been miserly however. Danni Wyatt picked up four wickets in the Renegades only win and has been tight, going at only just over five per over. Laura Marsh has had a couple of good games with the ball, but has only bowled her full compliment of four overs once. Both Kate Cross and Nat Sciver have been expensive in claiming seven wickets each. It has to be said that T20 is a notoriously difficult gig for the bowlers, particularly those who bowl in the first six powerplay overs. The England girls have actually done OK without setting the WBBL on fire. Compare the England girls stats with Ellyse Perry who has just three wickets for 145 runs from 21 overs at an economy rate of nearly 7 per over.
The teams & their players
[current WBBL table is here]
Against all the odds the Hobart Hurricanes (6 wins/1 loss) are the league leaders with six wins out of seven, having only lost to the Scorchers. They were the bookies outsiders when the tournament started, presumably based on the premise that they were the Tasmanian Roar in purple, and the Roar had lost all their WNCL games. But England vice-captain Heather Knight has led her team from the front and they have won a few tight games with some great bowling and fielding.
Keep up the good work.
Also sitting on 12 points at the top of the table are the Brisbane Heat (6/4), but they have played three more games than the Hurricanes. They lost their first three, but then won their next five games, before tripping up against the then-winless Renegades. The Heat look a good "team" with various players standing up to be counted when needed - Grace Harris (including a century), Beth Mooney (four 50s), a re-invigorated Holly Ferling (12 wickets), Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince (with the ball if not the bat).
Great team effort. You are all working together well.
Meg Lanning's Melbourne Stars (4/1) won their first four games, with Lanning looking unstoppable with the bat. To describe a team as "belonging" to any one individual can be rather disingenuous, but in this case it is wholly appropriate. When Lanning finally failed (20), so did the Stars, losing to the Hurricanes. The question is how often can she carry the Stars batting, and, if she can get them to the semi-final and then perhaps the final, can she continue to do it?
Some of you need to take on more responsibility. Don't leave it all for others to do.
The Sydney Thunder (3/2) won their first three games, but lost their last two to the winless Strikers (courtesy of a blistering 71 off 47 balls from Sarah Taylor) and the Heat. Stafanie Taylor and Alex Blackwell are carrying their batting.
Need to buck your ideas up if you are not to slip to the bottom of the pile.
Just about everyone's favourites before the tournament started (not mine I hasten to add), the Perth Scorchers (3/3), have largely failed to deliver. They beat the Heat and the Sixers early on, but have lost subsequently to the Heat, the Hurricanes and even the Sixers. Their big guns have really not fired with the exception of Suzie Bates, but she is now being replaced by Deandra Dottin.
Need to knuckle down and get on with the job in hand or your goose may be cooked.
The Adelaide Strikers (1/4) were also firm favourites to do well, based as they are around the successful South Australia Scorpions, and with English-import Sarah Taylor in their midst. Taylor finally turned on the style against the Thunder to get the Strikers first two points on the board.
Expect much more from you than we are currently seeing. Too much chatter and not enough action.
The Melbourne Renegades (1/4) also recorded their first win last weekend against the high-flying Heat. A surfeit of spinners doesn't seem to be doing the job for them and none of their batsmen have reached 50 yet in five games. Could be a long T20 campaign for them.
You are obviously trying hard. Keep working at it. Winning isn't everything.
Bottom of the pile, and likely to stay there, are the Sydney Sixers (1/6). They had been abject until they finally beat the Scorchers last weekend. They didn't just lose their first six games, they got marmelised (four times by 9 wickets!). In seven games they have only taken 17 wickets and their batting looks feeble, despite Ellyse Perry doing her best to shore it up.
Best to write off this year and look to come back bigger, better and stronger next year.
The English Players
There are nine current England players out in Oz for the WBBL and these are their numbers to date.
Batting Stats
Bowling Stats
Heather Knight has probably been the most consistent, with both bat and ball, and Sarah Taylor finally produced an innings of quality against the Thunder. Consistency has never been her strong point. Lauren Winfield has been batting in the middle order for the Heat, hence four not out innings, which keeps her average high. Her 48* was a crucial knock in the win over the Scorchers. More worrying has been the batting form of Charlotte Edwards (Scorchers), Nat Sciver (Stars) and Danni Wyatt (Renegades). After a decent start Sciver has struggled in her last few games. Edwards has never really got going and has three single-figure scores in her last three knocks. Wyatt's best knock of 28* was in the Renegades last game. One can only hope she can continue on an upward curve.
As for the bowlers, behind Knight, it has been rather mundane so far. Katherine Brunt burst on the WBBL with 4/17 in her first game, but has only taken two wickets in four games since. She has been miserly however. Danni Wyatt picked up four wickets in the Renegades only win and has been tight, going at only just over five per over. Laura Marsh has had a couple of good games with the ball, but has only bowled her full compliment of four overs once. Both Kate Cross and Nat Sciver have been expensive in claiming seven wickets each. It has to be said that T20 is a notoriously difficult gig for the bowlers, particularly those who bowl in the first six powerplay overs. The England girls have actually done OK without setting the WBBL on fire. Compare the England girls stats with Ellyse Perry who has just three wickets for 145 runs from 21 overs at an economy rate of nearly 7 per over.
The WBBL continues on Boxing Day when the Stars take on the Scorchers. It is the start of a brutal period for the Scorchers as they play six games in seven days. If there is one gripe about the WBBL it must be the rather haphazard scheduling. Perhaps 56 is too many games?
MD
21/XII/15
Thursday, 17 December 2015
Huge WBBL weekend
This weekend is a massive one for the inaugural WBBL. Not only are there 13 of the 56 league games being played over the three days, but two of the games - Heat v Strikers (Sat pm) and Sixers v Scorchers (Sun am) are on free-to-air-television in Australia (ONE). It is important for the competition that these games are good to watch - runs, wickets, catches. The men's Big Bash has also started now, so comparisons will inevitably be drawn. The girls really need to put on a performance to showcase what women's cricket is all about.
Hopefully the Sixers will perform better against the Scorchers than they did at Perth last week, where they were bowled out for 81 and lost by nine wickets. They have lost four from four, and they have lost them all badly, so they must be hoping that at least one of their stars (Perry, Healy, Kapp, McGlashan or Marsh) come off in a big way.
The first game features the Heat, who got their campaign on track winning their last three games to stand 3/3. The Strikers however lost twice to the surprise league-leaders the Hobart Hurricanes. In one game they went down by just two runs, but in the other they were bowled out for just 83 runs and lost by 9 wickets. I think they will do better this weekend and this could be one of the games of the weekend.
Other matches to watch out for are...
Thunder v Strikers on Friday - the Thunder have only played one game against the under-performing Sixers, and this could be a much sterner test for Stafanie Taylor and co. The Strikers really need to get their weekend off to a good start.
Hurricanes v Scorchers on Saturday (two games) - The unbeaten Hurricanes take on the Scorchers twice on their visit to Sydney. The Scorchers haven't really hit their straps yet, but they have the firepower to cause the Hurricanes a few headaches this weekend.
Stars v Hurricanes on Sunday - Stars third game of the weekend is against the Hurricanes. Meg Lanning smashed her team through the first weekend of fixtures with 75* and 90. The Hurricanes will be hoping to get her early and see what the rest of the Star's batting line-up is made of.
Heat v Thunder on Sunday - this is the last game of the weekend. It will be both the Heat's and the Thunder's fourth in three days, with the Thunder travelling from their first game of the day at Allan Border Field to the Gabba, where the Heat will have played in the morning. It is not something the players are used to, so the Heat might just have the edge.
Come Sunday night the league table could look very different from the way it looks now (see here), I think the Heat, Stars, Scorchers and Thunder will be at the top. At the bottom I think it will remain the Renegades and the Sixers, but you never know in T20.
MD
17/XII/15
Hopefully the Sixers will perform better against the Scorchers than they did at Perth last week, where they were bowled out for 81 and lost by nine wickets. They have lost four from four, and they have lost them all badly, so they must be hoping that at least one of their stars (Perry, Healy, Kapp, McGlashan or Marsh) come off in a big way.
The first game features the Heat, who got their campaign on track winning their last three games to stand 3/3. The Strikers however lost twice to the surprise league-leaders the Hobart Hurricanes. In one game they went down by just two runs, but in the other they were bowled out for just 83 runs and lost by 9 wickets. I think they will do better this weekend and this could be one of the games of the weekend.
Other matches to watch out for are...
Thunder v Strikers on Friday - the Thunder have only played one game against the under-performing Sixers, and this could be a much sterner test for Stafanie Taylor and co. The Strikers really need to get their weekend off to a good start.
Hurricanes v Scorchers on Saturday (two games) - The unbeaten Hurricanes take on the Scorchers twice on their visit to Sydney. The Scorchers haven't really hit their straps yet, but they have the firepower to cause the Hurricanes a few headaches this weekend.
Stars v Hurricanes on Sunday - Stars third game of the weekend is against the Hurricanes. Meg Lanning smashed her team through the first weekend of fixtures with 75* and 90. The Hurricanes will be hoping to get her early and see what the rest of the Star's batting line-up is made of.
Heat v Thunder on Sunday - this is the last game of the weekend. It will be both the Heat's and the Thunder's fourth in three days, with the Thunder travelling from their first game of the day at Allan Border Field to the Gabba, where the Heat will have played in the morning. It is not something the players are used to, so the Heat might just have the edge.
Come Sunday night the league table could look very different from the way it looks now (see here), I think the Heat, Stars, Scorchers and Thunder will be at the top. At the bottom I think it will remain the Renegades and the Sixers, but you never know in T20.
MD
17/XII/15
Sunday, 13 December 2015
England should let Knight captain T20s in SA
It is very early days in the WBBL out in Australia, but originally 16/1 outsiders, Heather Knight's Hobart Hurricanes, could not have made a better start to the competition. Against all the odds they have won their first four games on the bounce against the Melbourne Renegades (twice), the Sydney Sixers, and the pre-tournament favourites the Perth Scorchers. It means they top the nascent league table ahead of the Brisbane Heat (3/3), followed by undefeated Melbourne Stars (2/0) and the Perth Scorchers (2/1).
[click here for points table]
The Hurricanes, based in Tasmania, are effectively the same squad as played under the Tasmanian Roar banner in the WNCL and finished plum last, losing all six of their 50 over games. Knight only joined them for their last three games, but Veronica Pyke remained their captain.
Before the start of the WBBL Knight was announced as the skipper of the new Hobart Hurricanes women's team. She has skillfully led them to four wins out of four. Victories have been based on some solid, if unspectacular batting - Knight herself has scored 26, 38, 50 and 25 at a strike rate of just over a run-a-ball - and some dogged bowling and fielding displays. Four run outs and some great catches against the Renegades reduced them to 86 all out chasing the Hurricanes 121/5.
[match highlights from two games v Renegades]
The wickets have been shared around amongst the six bowlers that Knight has used (the Hurricanes have fielded the same 11 for each of their four matches). Top of the pile is the very experienced 34 year old Ronnie Pyke with eight wickets and an economy rate of just over 4 runs per over. She has been backed up by the miserly Julie Hunter, who bowls with Pyke or Knight in those vital opening six powerplay overs. Hunter and Knight have six wickets apiece at 4.5 and 5 runs per over respectively. New Zealand import Amy Satterthwaite has not only strengthened the batting, but has been a revelation with the ball, taking the pressure off the slightly younger Brooke Hepburn and Erin Burns, although both of these two have been around the game for several years. All three have wickets to their name. The Hurricanes look like a tight unit and they are responding well to their new skipper, to whom England will need to turn at some stage in the not too distant future.
Knight has skippered her adopted Berkshire team since early in the 2012 season, taking over from Isa Guha, having come to the county in 2010 from her native Devon. But at Berkshire her resources have always been rather limited, often relying on her own abilities to get the results that have kept the county in Division One of the Women's County Championship. Now it appears that she has the, albeit rather limited, resources that she needs to get the results that put her team at the top of the league.
The Hurricanes will do very well to stay there, but they have already shown their mettle closing out tight games against the Renegades and the Strikers (effectively the Adelaide team that won the WNCL) by four runs and two runs, defending just 125 and 117. There will be tougher games to come as the Hurricanes leave Tasmania for mainland Australia, but if they can win just half of their remaining 10 fixtures they are likely to find themselves in a top four spot and a place in one of the semi-finals. And then who knows?
Just a few days after the WBBL ends Knight will be on a plane to South Africa with England, where they play three ODIs and three T20Is against the Proteas. After that in March England will be heading to the T20 World Cup in India. Perhaps the time is right in South Africa for new Head Coach, Mark Robinson, to hand over the England T20 captaincy to Knight, with a view to her leading her country in the WT20 tournament that follows so soon afterwards. It will be a tough call for Robinson to make as this is his first tour with the England girls and he is still to meet the nine players who are plying their trade in the WBBL. But if Knight can lead her Hurricanes into the WBBL semi-finals or even the final itself, then she will have thrown down the gauntlet to the new England Head Coach. The question is will he pick it up?
MD
13/XII/15
[click here for points table]
The Hurricanes, based in Tasmania, are effectively the same squad as played under the Tasmanian Roar banner in the WNCL and finished plum last, losing all six of their 50 over games. Knight only joined them for their last three games, but Veronica Pyke remained their captain.
Before the start of the WBBL Knight was announced as the skipper of the new Hobart Hurricanes women's team. She has skillfully led them to four wins out of four. Victories have been based on some solid, if unspectacular batting - Knight herself has scored 26, 38, 50 and 25 at a strike rate of just over a run-a-ball - and some dogged bowling and fielding displays. Four run outs and some great catches against the Renegades reduced them to 86 all out chasing the Hurricanes 121/5.
[match highlights from two games v Renegades]
The wickets have been shared around amongst the six bowlers that Knight has used (the Hurricanes have fielded the same 11 for each of their four matches). Top of the pile is the very experienced 34 year old Ronnie Pyke with eight wickets and an economy rate of just over 4 runs per over. She has been backed up by the miserly Julie Hunter, who bowls with Pyke or Knight in those vital opening six powerplay overs. Hunter and Knight have six wickets apiece at 4.5 and 5 runs per over respectively. New Zealand import Amy Satterthwaite has not only strengthened the batting, but has been a revelation with the ball, taking the pressure off the slightly younger Brooke Hepburn and Erin Burns, although both of these two have been around the game for several years. All three have wickets to their name. The Hurricanes look like a tight unit and they are responding well to their new skipper, to whom England will need to turn at some stage in the not too distant future.
Knight has skippered her adopted Berkshire team since early in the 2012 season, taking over from Isa Guha, having come to the county in 2010 from her native Devon. But at Berkshire her resources have always been rather limited, often relying on her own abilities to get the results that have kept the county in Division One of the Women's County Championship. Now it appears that she has the, albeit rather limited, resources that she needs to get the results that put her team at the top of the league.
The Hurricanes will do very well to stay there, but they have already shown their mettle closing out tight games against the Renegades and the Strikers (effectively the Adelaide team that won the WNCL) by four runs and two runs, defending just 125 and 117. There will be tougher games to come as the Hurricanes leave Tasmania for mainland Australia, but if they can win just half of their remaining 10 fixtures they are likely to find themselves in a top four spot and a place in one of the semi-finals. And then who knows?
Just a few days after the WBBL ends Knight will be on a plane to South Africa with England, where they play three ODIs and three T20Is against the Proteas. After that in March England will be heading to the T20 World Cup in India. Perhaps the time is right in South Africa for new Head Coach, Mark Robinson, to hand over the England T20 captaincy to Knight, with a view to her leading her country in the WT20 tournament that follows so soon afterwards. It will be a tough call for Robinson to make as this is his first tour with the England girls and he is still to meet the nine players who are plying their trade in the WBBL. But if Knight can lead her Hurricanes into the WBBL semi-finals or even the final itself, then she will have thrown down the gauntlet to the new England Head Coach. The question is will he pick it up?
MD
13/XII/15
Monday, 7 December 2015
WBBL makes successful start
The Women's Big Bash T20 competition has got off to a flying start in Australia with the first three games played in front of crowds of over 1,000 people (albeit they did not have to pay). [scorecards here]
The first two games were on Saturday at the Junction Oval in Melbourne where the Melbourne Stars, led by Meg Lanning, took on the Brisbane Heat, in two games, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. It was the Stars that came out on top by 20 runs and then 10 runs, as Meg Lanning dominated with the bat, scoring 90 and 75*. For the Heat Grace Harris swung hard for 42 and 37, and Jess Jonassen made 52 not out as the Heat fell just short. It goes without saying that Lanning's wicket is going to be key for Stars' opponents. It may pay teams to attack her early on in her innings with perhaps a slip and gully for the pace bowlers, and with off-spin, if available, as this has proved effective in the past. She does seem to be in a different class though once she gets going.
On Sunday the two Sydney teams - Thunder and Sixers - got their WBBL campaigns underway, and, against the odds, the Thunder came out on top by 9 wickets, thanks to a great bowling performance which restricted the star-studded Sixers (Healy, Perry, McGlashan, Kapp, Sthalekar) to just 101/9 in their 20 overs, and some sublime batting from West Indian Stafanie Taylor. Star of the show with the ball was 17 year old left-arm seamer Lauren Cheatle who took 4/20, with Rene Farrell also getting through her four overs for just eight runs. It is pressure like that that takes wickets, not necessarily for the bowler themselves, but for the team. With little pressure from the required run rate Taylor started slowly, but then launched into the Thunder's bowlers, including Ellyse Perry (0/24 off two overs). The game was over in the 14th over.
Next weekend the tournament really swings into gear with nine games in three days at three different venues - Aquinas College in Perth (four games involving the Scorchers, Heat and Sixers), Aurora Stadium in Launceston (four games involving the Hurricanes, Renegades and Strikers, including two day/nighters) and one match at the WACA (Scorchers v Heat). The schedule means that the Hobart Hurricanes will play four of their 14 games within two days, which could be tough.
It is probably too early to speculate on who might end up winning the inaugural WWBL trophy, or indeed who might get to the semis and the final, but we may have a slightly better idea after next weekend.
MD
07/XII/15
The first two games were on Saturday at the Junction Oval in Melbourne where the Melbourne Stars, led by Meg Lanning, took on the Brisbane Heat, in two games, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. It was the Stars that came out on top by 20 runs and then 10 runs, as Meg Lanning dominated with the bat, scoring 90 and 75*. For the Heat Grace Harris swung hard for 42 and 37, and Jess Jonassen made 52 not out as the Heat fell just short. It goes without saying that Lanning's wicket is going to be key for Stars' opponents. It may pay teams to attack her early on in her innings with perhaps a slip and gully for the pace bowlers, and with off-spin, if available, as this has proved effective in the past. She does seem to be in a different class though once she gets going.
On Sunday the two Sydney teams - Thunder and Sixers - got their WBBL campaigns underway, and, against the odds, the Thunder came out on top by 9 wickets, thanks to a great bowling performance which restricted the star-studded Sixers (Healy, Perry, McGlashan, Kapp, Sthalekar) to just 101/9 in their 20 overs, and some sublime batting from West Indian Stafanie Taylor. Star of the show with the ball was 17 year old left-arm seamer Lauren Cheatle who took 4/20, with Rene Farrell also getting through her four overs for just eight runs. It is pressure like that that takes wickets, not necessarily for the bowler themselves, but for the team. With little pressure from the required run rate Taylor started slowly, but then launched into the Thunder's bowlers, including Ellyse Perry (0/24 off two overs). The game was over in the 14th over.
Next weekend the tournament really swings into gear with nine games in three days at three different venues - Aquinas College in Perth (four games involving the Scorchers, Heat and Sixers), Aurora Stadium in Launceston (four games involving the Hurricanes, Renegades and Strikers, including two day/nighters) and one match at the WACA (Scorchers v Heat). The schedule means that the Hobart Hurricanes will play four of their 14 games within two days, which could be tough.
It is probably too early to speculate on who might end up winning the inaugural WWBL trophy, or indeed who might get to the semis and the final, but we may have a slightly better idea after next weekend.
MD
07/XII/15
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