2015–16 Women's Big Bash League season

The 2015–16 Women's Big Bash League season or WBBL|01 was the first season of the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), the semi-professional women's Twenty20 domestic cricket competition in Australia. The tournament ran from 5 December 2015 to 24 January 2016.

In the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Sydney Thunder defeated cross-town rivals, the Sydney Sixers, to win the inaugural championship title. Thunder all-rounder Erin Osborne managed bowling figures of 3/21 in the decider and was named Player of the Final.

Melbourne Stars captain Meg Lanning was the leading run-scorer of WBBL|01 and was consequently named Player of the Tournament, although her team narrowly missed out on qualifying for finals. Sydney Thunder medium-pace bowler Rene Farrell was the tournament's leading wicket-taker.

Teams Teams were aligned with franchises in the men's Big Bash League and each squad consisted of 14 players, with an allowance of up to five marquee signings including a maximum of three from overseas. Australian marquees were defined as players who made at least ten limited-overs appearances for the national team between 1 July 2012 and 1 July 2015. TeamHome groundSecondary groundsCoachCaptainAustralian representativesOverseas marquee players Adelaide StrikersAdelaide Oval No. 2 (3)Adelaide Oval (2)Andrea McCauleyLauren EbsarySarah CoyteMegan SchuttLauren EbsaryShelley Nitschke Sophie Devine Stacy-Ann King Sarah Taylor Brisbane HeatThe Gabba (4)Allan Border Field (1)Andy RichardsDelissa KimminceHolly FerlingJodie FieldsJess JonassenGrace HarrisDelissa KimminceMegan White Kate Cross Lauren WinfieldHobart HurricanesAurora Stadium (4)Blundstone Arena (2)Kingston Twin Ovals (2)Julia PriceHeather KnightJulie Hunter Heather Knight Hayley Matthews Amy Satterthwaite Melbourne RenegadesJunction Oval (2)Etihad Stadium (1)Lachlan StevensSarah ElliottKris BrittSarah Elliott Rachel Priest Dane van Niekerk Danielle Wyatt Shabnim Ismail Melbourne StarsJunction Oval (4)Melbourne Cricket Ground (2)David HempMeg LanningKristen BeamsMeg Lanning Mignon du Preez Morna Nielsen Nat Sciver Hayley Jensen Perth ScorchersWACA Ground (5)Aquinas College (2)Lisa KeightleyNicole BoltonNicole BoltonElyse Villani Suzie Bates Katherine Brunt Charlotte Edwards Deandra Dottin Sydney SixersSydney Cricket Ground (2)Drummoyne Oval (2)Hurstville Oval (1)Waverley Oval (1)Ben SawyerEllyse PerryAlyssa HealyEllyse PerryLisa Sthalekar Laura Marsh Marizanne Kapp Sara McGlashan Sydney ThunderSydney Showground Stadium (1)Howell Oval (1)University Oval No.1 (1)Joanne BroadbentAlex BlackwellAlex BlackwellRene FarrellRachael HaynesErin Osborne Stafanie Taylor

Points table

Win–loss table Below is a summary of results for each team's fourteen regular season matches, plus finals where applicable, in chronological order. A team's opponent for any given match is listed above the margin of victory/defeat. Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 SF F XX7th XX6th X2nd() XX8th XX5th X4th() 3rd() 1st() Team's results→ Won Tied Lost

Fixtures The format of the group stage was a double round-robin tournament. Several matches were scheduled at neutral venues with as many as five teams playing multiple matches in one city on the same weekend. There were 8 double-header regular season fixtures with the men's Big Bash League, as well as the semi-finals and final.

Weekend 1

Weekend 2

Weekend 3

Weekend 4

Weekend 5

Weekend 6

Weekend 7

Knockout phase Semi-finals

Final

Statistics Highest totals TeamScoreAgainstVenueDateBrisbane Heat3/190 (20 overs)Sydney SixersAquinas CollegeSydney Sixers6/172 (20 overs)Sydney ThunderSydney Cricket GroundAdelaide Strikers4/169 (20 overs)Melbourne StarsJunction OvalSydney Sixers5/164 (20 overs)Melbourne RenegadesJunction OvalMelbourne Stars1/158 (20 overs)Adelaide StrikersJunction Oval Source: CricInfo

Most runs Player Team Runs Meg Lanning Melbourne Stars 560 Charlotte Edwards Perth Scorchers 462 Ellyse Perry Sydney Sixers 430 Alex Blackwell Sydney Thunder 410 Beth Mooney Brisbane Heat 400 Source:CricInfo

Most wickets Player Team Wickets Rene Farrell Sydney Thunder 26 Veronica Pyke Hobart Hurricanes 22 Sarah Aley Sydney Sixers 19 Morna Nielsen Melbourne Stars 18 Molly Strano Melbourne Renegades 18 Source: CricInfo

Awards Player of the tournament Player of the Tournament votes are awarded on a 3-2-1 basis by the two standing umpires at the conclusion of every match, meaning a player can receive a maximum of six votes per game. Pos.PlayerTeamVotes1st Meg LanningMelbourne Stars362nd Charlotte EdwardsPerth Scorchers313rd Heather KnightHobart Hurricanes284th Ellyse PerrySydney Sixers26=5th Stafanie TaylorSydney Thunder23=5th Beth MooneyBrisbane Heat237th Jess JonassenBrisbane Heat20=8th Marizanne KappSydney Sixers19=8th Danielle WyattMelbourne Renegades1910th Amy SatterthwaiteHobart Hurricanes18

Team of the tournament An honorary XI recognising the standout performers of WBBL|01 was named by bigbash.com.au: Meg Lanning (Melbourne Stars) Beth Mooney (Brisbane Heat) – wicket-keeper Charlotte Edwards (Perth Scorchers) Ellyse Perry (Sydney Sixers) Heather Knight (Hobart Hurricanes) – captain Alex Blackwell (Sydney Thunder) Sara McGlashan (Sydney Sixers) Morna Nielsen (Melbourne Stars) Marizanne Kapp (Sydney Sixers) Veronica Pyke (Hobart Hurricanes) Rene Farrell (Sydney Thunder)

Young gun award Players under 21 years of age at the start of the season are eligible for the Young Gun Award. Weekly winners are selected over the course of the season by a panel of Cricket Australia officials based on match performance, on-field and off-field attitude, and their demonstration of skill, tenacity and good sportsmanship. Each weekly winner receives a $500 Rebel gift card and the overall winner receives a $5000 cash prize, as well as access to a learning and mentor program.

The WBBL|01 Young Gun title was awarded to Sydney Thunder fast bowler Lauren Cheatle, who claimed 18 wickets at an economy rate of 5.81 across the season.

Audience A total of ten matches were televised on free-to-air in the first season of Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) on One HD and Channel Ten. The average TV ratings for these matches are given below.

Initially only eight matches (seven regular season double-headers and the grand final) were scheduled to be televised on One HD. Due to higher than expected viewership, Channel Ten decided to move the Melbourne Derby on 2 January, the Sydney Smash on 16 January and the grand final to the primary channel, and also added coverage of the two semi finals on One.

Match No Teams Average TV Ratings References Broadcast Channel National 5 metros 20 Brisbane Heat vs Adelaide Strikers 250,000 165,000 Women's Big Bash League hits football's A-League out of park in television ratings smh.com.au. Retrieved on 22 Dec 2015Saturday 19 December 2015 tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved on 21 Dec 2015KFC Big Bash League Season 5 2015/16 TV ratings mediaweek.com.au. Retrieved on 21 Dec 2015 One HD 24 Sydney Sixers vs Perth Scorchers 183,000 132,000 One HD 30 Adelaide Strikers vs Perth Scorchers 126,000 One HD 32 Hobart Hurricanes vs Brisbane Heat 158,000 One HD 34 Melbourne Stars vs Melbourne Renegades 372,000 254,000 Women's Big Bash League cricket now an Australian television ratings hit theguardian.com. Retrieved on 3 Jan 2016 Channel Ten 43 Melbourne Renegades vs Sydney Thunder 9 January 2016 One HD 50 Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder 16 January 2016 Channel Ten SF1 Perth Scorchers vs Sydney Thunder 21 January 2016 One HD SF2 Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Sixers 22 January 2016 One HD Final Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder 24 January 2016 Channel Ten

References

Further reading

Notes

External links Official fixtures