The eighth edition of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) kickstarts on October 13, with eight teams locking horns against each other. A total of 56 T20 matches will be played between October 13 and November 20 across different venues in Australia.
The first match of WBBL08 will be played between Brisbane Heat and Sydney Sixers at the Ray Mitchell Oval, Harrup Park, Mackay, on October 13. The game will begin at 2.10 PM IST.
Squads
Brisbane Heat: Jess Jonassen (captain), Lucy Hamilton, Nicola Hancock, Grace Harris, Laura Harris, Mikayla Hinkley, Ellie Johnston, Amelia Kerr, Charli Knott, Grace Parsons, Georgia Redmayne, Courtney Sippel, Georgia Voll, Pooja Vastrakar, Danni Wyatt, Jess Kerr
Sydney Sixers: Ellyse Perry (captain), Jade Allen, Suzie Bates, Nicole Bolton, Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Stella Campbell, Lauren Cheatle, Sophie Ecclestone, Ash Gardner, Ange Genford, Alyssa Healy, Kate Peterson
Players to watch
Amelia Kerr:
The star New Zealand all-rounder is a right-handed batter and a right-arm leg spinner. She is one of the best all-rounders in the world of women’s cricket. Her abilities to contribute with bat and ball make her an asset for any team. In 52 T20Is, she has scored 423 runs and claimed 50 wickets.
Jess Jonassen:
The captain of Brisbane Heat is a wily left-arm spinner. She has a wealth of experience at the international level. With 94 T20Is under her belt, she has scalped 87 wickets. Apart from her bowling, she can be handy with the bat. She is a left-handed batter with the highest score of 47 in T20Is.
Ashleigh Gardner:
The talented all-rounder of Australia is a right-handed middle-order batter and a right-arm off-spinner. She is known for her hard-hitting abilities. She can clear any boundary with ease. In her 60 T20Is, she has muscled 912 runs and accounted for 35 wickets.
Ellyse Perry:
The captain of Sydney Sixers has led the side to a couple of titles in WBBL. She is a right-handed middle-order batter and a right-arm speedster. She leads from the front with her scintillating all-round abilities. She has 126 T20Is, 1253 runs, and 115 wickets to her name.
Pitch
Expect a hard and new surface that will yield plenty of runs. A high-scoring contest could be on the cards. It will be a day-night contest, and in the latter half of the innings, the bowlers could get some assistance with lights on and relatively cooler conditions.
Weather
The weather is expected to be partly sunny and pleasant. The highest temperature attained during the day will be 27 degrees Celsius. There will be a 32 percent cloud cover and a three percent chance of rain. The wind will blow from the east-southeast.
Fantasy Playing XI
Alyssa Healy, Danielle Wyatt, Ellyse Perry, Suzie Bates, Amelia Kerr, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Jess Kerr, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Cheatle
Match Details
Date: October 13, 2022
Time: 2.10 PM IST
Venue: Ray Mitchell Oval, Harrup Park, Mackay
Live streaming: Sony Sports Network in India
I am a former cricketer having represented Mumbai University at All India University level. I was a part of MCA probables for the U-19 and U-23 age group. I have been an avid cricket writer for the last five years. Currently I am pursuing my Ph.D from IIT Bombay.