WBBL fixtures, schedule, 2024-25 – T20 World Cup squeezes WBBL international stars

Admin July 8, 2024

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WBBL fixtures, schedule, 2024-25 – T20 World Cup squeezes WBBL international stars

The WBBL is under pressure to find international players as the tenth season of the tournament begins seven days after the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, but the reduced length of the tournament will allow for more evening matches in the prime time. greater use of technology.

The overseas roster is currently open and is expected to take place in early September – some clubs have taken advantage of the new opportunity to sign a player on a multi-year contract ahead of the process – and CA are still confident of having a squad. a strong hand of overseas names, but an increasingly busy schedule could see other top stars considering their options.

England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt, who came on late in last season’s campaign against the Perth Schorchers, has told the BBC he will not make himself available this year.

The WBBL has been prepared to play 40 games with three finals remaining in order to handle the burden of the best players in the game, but this season it has faced the pressure of the programs in both. Australia and India begin a three-match ODI series four days after the final on December 1 while England face South Africa from November 24 which skips the final even though Marizanne Kapp and Nadine de Klerk have committed to full seasons with the Melbourne Stars and Brisbane Heat.

“Clubs are working hard in the market at the moment with players and agents,” Alistair Dobson, head of the BBL, told ESPNcricinfo as the WBBL fixture list was launched. “It is obvious that the calendar of the players in the women’s game is very busy at that time of the year, especially this year.

“We are happy with the players who have signed and we think in the next month or two we will get an idea from the players how they are preparing for the World Cup and their desire to come to Australia as soon as possible, even if that is just the beginning. in our tournament, or a few games that may be in it as well. We know that the tournament is still one of, if not the, biggest attraction for players around the world and we expect the big names to be there again.

Gabba joins the stadium series

The series of tournament venues has been extended and brought forward as Cricket Australia looks to replicate the crowd growth experienced in the WPL and Majors.

The independent game will be played at the Gabba for the first time – the WBBL last played there in 2019 as part of a double-header with the BBL – and there will also be two games at the MCG and SCG. Adelaide Oval will also play its third game of the season as it hosts the opening double-header on October 27, which includes defending champions Adelaide Strikers opening the competition with a rematch of last year’s final against the Brisbane Heat.

The WBBL returned to the big arenas last season and the finals at the Adelaide Oval were attended by 12,379 although the increase in the crowd still lags behind what was achieved in England and India.

The stadium series will include a Sydney derby between the Sixers and Thunder on November 10 and a face-off between the Stars and Renegades in Melbourne on November 15.

“The introduction of the stadium series to the WBBL last year was a huge success,” said Dobson. “Think it showed when we put the world’s best women’s cricket league in the world’s best cricket stadiums we get a great product.

“We’ve taken a lot from that, we’ve added a big game at the Gabba; Brisbane Heat at the Gabba is amazing. We’ve brought them a week or so earlier than last year which means the games are more likely to be there. live and how we promote those games will be a big focus for us.”

The final three days of the regular season will overlap with the Australia-India Test in Perth, including a match at the WACA immediately after the second day’s play at nearby Optus Stadium. CA sees this as an opportunity to advertise and cater to the test audience.

The reduced length of the competition also means fewer games in the hard-to-sell weekday afternoon timeslot.

There is a third referee in every game

The consistent availability of TV referees was highlighted last season with several poor decisions that were visible to viewers but could not be seen on the field. With the reduction of matches there will be an improvement in the broadcasting facilities where there is a third referee who works throughout the game with calls such as outs and blowouts. ESPNcricinfo understands that there will be an increase in matches with DRS available although it will not cover all matches.

Full roster of WBBL 2024-25

October 27: Adelaide Strikers vs Brisbane Heat, Adelaide Oval (1.10pm)
October 27: Melbourne Renegades vs Sydney Sixers, Adelaide Oval (4.40pm)
October 27: Perth Scorchers vs Melbourne Stars, WACA (5.30pm)
October 28: Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Thunder, Blundstone Arena (6.10pm)
October 29: Sydney Sixers vs Adelaide Strikers, North Sydney Oval (6.10pm)
October 30: Brisbane Heat vs Melbourne Renegades, Allan Border Field (6.10pm)
October 31: Sydney Thunder vs Hobart Hurricanes, North Sydney Oval (7.15pm)
November 1: Adelaide Strikers vs Sydney Thunder, North Sydney Oval (3.45pm)
November 1: Sydney Sixers vs Melbourne Stars, North Sydney Oval (7.15pm)
November 2: Brisbane Heat vs Hobart Hurricanes, CitiPower Center (11.30am)
November 2: Melbourne Renegades vs Perth Scorchers, CitiPower Center (3.00pm)
November 3: Melbourne Stars vs Hobart Hurricanes, CitiPower Center (10.10am)
November 3: Melbourne Renegades vs Adelaide Strikers, CitiPower Center (1.40pm)
November 5: Perth Scorchers vs Brisbane Heat, WACA (5.10pm)
November 6: Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Sixers. Blundstone Arena (6.10pm)
November 7: Sydney Thunder vs Brisbane Heat, WACA (2.05pm)
November 7: Perth Scorchers vs Melbourne Renegades. WACA (5.35pm)
November 8: Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Sixers, CitiPower Center (11.00am)
November 9: Melbourne Renegades vs Melbourne Stars, CitiPower Center (3.00pm)
November 9: Brisbane Heat vs Adelaide Strikers, Gabba (6.15pm)
November 10: Hobart Hurricanes vs Perth Scorchers, SCG (10.10am)
November 10: Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder, SCG (1.40pm)
November 11: Adelaide Strikers vs Melbourne Renegades, Karen Rolton Oval (5.40pm)
November 12: Sydney Thunder vs Perth Scorchers, Drummoyne Oval (6.10pm)
November 13: Hobart Hurricanes vs Adelaide Strikers, Blundstone Arena (6.10pm)
November 14: Sydney Sixers vs Brisbane Heat, North Sydney Oval (3.30pm)
November 15: Perth Scorchers vs Sydney Thunder, MCG (3.45pm)
November 15: Melbourne Stars vs Melbourne Renegades, MCG (7.15pm)
November 16: Adelaide Strikers vs Hobart Hurricanes, Adelaide Oval (3.00pm)
November 17: Melbourne Stars vs Brisbane Heat, Drummoyne Oval (1.55pm)
November 17: Sydney Thunder vs Sydney Sixers, Drummoyne Oval (5.25pm)
November 19: Adelaide Strikers vs Perth Scorchers, Karen Rolton Oval (5.40pm)
November 20: Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Stars, Drummoyne Oval (6.10pm)
November 21: Sydney Sixers vs Perth Scorchers, Blundstone Arena (3.45pm)
November 21: Hobart Hurricanes vs Melbourne Renegades, Blundstone Arena (7.15pm)
November 22: Brisbane Heat vs Melbourne Stars, Allan Border Field (7.10pm)
November 23: Melbourne Renegades vs Sydney Thunder, CitiPower Center (10.00am)
November 23: Perth Scorchers vs Hobart Hurricanes, WACA (5.30pm)
November 24: Melbourne Stars vs Adelaide Strikers, CitiPower Center (10.00am)
November 24: Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Sixers, Allan Border Field (7.05pm)
November 27: The Knockout
November 29: The Challenger
December 1: Final (Reservation date December 2)