The landmark 10th edition of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) kicks off on the 27th of October 2024, with defending champions Adelaide Strikers set to lock horns against Brisbane Heat in the curtain raiser. The game will be played at Adelaide Oval in South Australia, with the live action commencing at 8:10 AM Indian Standard Time (IST).
Squads:
Adelaide Strikers Women
Tahlia McGrath, Jemma Barsby, Darcie Brown, Maggie Clark, Ellie Johnston, Eleanor Larosa, Katie Mack, Smriti Mandhana, Anesu Mushangwe, Bridget Patterson, Maddie Penna, Orla Prendergast, Megan Schutt, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Laura Wolvaardt
Brisbane Heat Women
Jess Jonassen, Bonnie Berry, Nadine de Klerk, Sianna Ginger, Lucy Hamilton, Nicola Hancock, Grace Harris, Laura Harris, Charli Knott, Shikha Pandey, Grace Parsons, Georgia Redmayne, Jemimah Rodrigues, Mikayla Wrigley, Lauren Winfield-Hill
Players to watch out:
Katie Mack
The 31-year-old top-order batter, from 119 WBBL innings, has accumulated 2468 runs at an average of 25.70, a strike rate of 104.66, and registered the highest score of 89*. Katie was the leading run-scorer for the Strikers last season, accumulating 452 runs at a strike rate of 118.63 from 15 outings. She managed good scores in a recent T20 competition, with best scores of 37 and 47, and can be relied upon for runs.
Amanda-Jade Wellington
The 27-year-old leg-spinner, from 131 WBBL outings, has scalped 149 wickets at an economy rate of 6.60, and from 68 innings has chipped in with 599 runs at a strike rate of 125.84. Amanda-Jade was the leading wicket-taker for the Strikers last season, scalping 23 wickets from 15 outings at an economy rate of 5.46. She scalped 8 wickets from 5 T20s in a recent competition and can be relied upon for breakthroughs.
Charli Knott
The 21-year-old all-rounder, from 37 T20I outings, has posted 467 runs at a strike rate of 125.87, and from 36 innings has bagged 20 wickets at an economy rate of 7.41, with bests of 32* and 3/19. Charli posted 283 runs from 17 outings last season while also taking 10 wickets, and most recently, in a T20 competition, she managed a string of starts and also took 6 wickets from 6 outings. She can be counted on for improved efforts.
Jess Jonassen
The 31-year-old all-rounder in the WBBL, from 135 outings, has taken 162 wickets at an economy rate of 6.54, and from 119 innings has amassed 2033 runs, striking at 114.79. After being out of the senior national team, Jess will want to be at her best to send the selectors a message, and in the 2024-25 domestic season so far, she has notched up big scores and has also been among the wickets. She can be relied upon for the goods.
Pitch:
The 22-yard strip at the Adelaide Oval is a balanced one that offers a fair contest between bat and ball. While batters enjoy the opportunity to score well, with an average in the 120s, bowlers, particularly pacers, benefit from the conditions.
Weather:
The conditions in Adelaide are forecast to be clear and pleasant for cricket, promising a complete game. The temperature is expected to hover around 23°C, with moderate winds and humidity at 49%.
Fantasy playing XI:
Georgia Redmayne, Laura Wolvaardt, Grace Harris, Katie Mack, Laura Harris, Tahlia McGrath, Jess Jonassen, Charli Knott, Megan Schutt, Nicola Hancock, Amanda-Jade Wellington
Match details:
Date – October 27, 2024
Time – 8:10 AM IST
Venue – Adelaide Oval, South Australia
Broadcast – The game will be telecast by the Star Sports Network and live-streamed on Disney+ Hotstar.
Loves all things female cricket