The 2016–17 Women's Big Bash League season or WBBL|02 was the second season of the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), the semi-professional women's Twenty20 domestic cricket competition in Australia. The tournament ran from 10 December 2016 to 28 January 2017.
The Sydney Sixers finished the round-robin stage of the tournament in first place and, despite a late-season injury to captain Ellyse Perry, went on to claim their maiden championship. In the final, held at the WACA, Sydney defeated the Perth Scorchers by seven runs in a "veritable classic". Sixers medium-pace bowler Sarah Aley was named Player of the Final, managing figures of 4/23 in the decider and also clinching the title of WBBL|02 leading wicket-taker.
Brisbane Heat wicket-keeper Beth Mooney was named Player of the Tournament, while Melbourne Stars captain Meg Lanning topped the leading run-scorer table for the second-straight season.
Teams Each squad featured 15 active 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 2013 and 1 July 2016.
The table below lists each team's marquee players and other key details for the season. Team Home ground Secondary grounds Coach Captain Australian representatives Overseas marquee playersAdelaide StrikersAdelaide Oval (3)Gliderol Stadium (2)Andrea McCauleyTegan McPharlinSarah CoyteMegan SchuttSarah ElliottTahlia McGrathShelley Nitschke Tammy Beaumont Sophie DevineBrisbane HeatAllan Border Field (4)The Gabba (2)Andy RichardsHolly FerlingJess JonassenBeth MooneyDelissa Kimmince Deandra Dottin Smriti Mandhana Lauren WinfieldHobart HurricanesBlundstone Arena (5)UTAS Stadium (1)Julia PriceHeather KnightJulie Hunter Heather Knight Hayley Matthews Isobel JoyceMelbourne RenegadesEtihad Stadium (2)Queen Elizabeth Oval (2)Lachlan StevensRachel PriestGrace HarrisKris Britt Rachel Priest Lea Tahuhu Danielle WyattMelbourne StarsCasey Fields (2)Toorak Park (1)David HempMeg LanningKristen BeamsJess CameronMeg Lanning Morna Nielsen Nat Sciver Danielle HazellPerth ScorchersWACA Ground (5)Lilac Hill Park (3) Lisa Keightley Suzie BatesNicole BoltonElyse VillaniLauren Ebsary Suzie Bates Katherine Brunt Anya ShrubsoleSydney SixersNorth Sydney Oval (4)Hurstville Oval (2)Sydney Cricket Ground (2)Drummoyne Oval (1) Ben Sawyer Ellyse PerryAlyssa HealyEllyse PerryLisa Sthalekar Marizanne Kapp Sara McGlashan Dane van Niekerk Amy JonesSydney ThunderBlacktown ISP Oval (4)Howell Oval (2)Lavington Sports Ground (1)North Sydney Oval (1)Spotless Stadium (1)Alex BlackwellAlex BlackwellRene FarrellErin OsborneLauren CheatleRachael HaynesNaomi StalenbergHarmanpreet Kaur Stafanie Taylor
Personnel changes Local players The table below lists local player movements made ahead of the season. PlayerDeparted→JoinedNotesRefLauren EbsaryAdelaide Strikers→Perth ScorchersOutgoing captain (6–8 win–loss record)Sarah ElliottMelbourne Renegades→Adelaide StrikersOutgoing captain (3–7 win–loss record)Kara SutherlandSydney Sixers→Brisbane HeatAshleigh BartyBrisbane Heat→–RetiredJodie FieldsBrisbane Heat→–RetiredGrace HarrisBrisbane Heat→Melbourne Renegades Australian marqueeMegan WhiteBrisbane Heat→–RetiredEmily SmithHobart Hurricanes→Perth ScorchersJess Duffin–→Melbourne Stars Australian marquee Withdrew from the Perth Scorchers ahead of WBBL|01Hayley Jensen–→Melbourne Stars Overseas marquee replacement player in WBBL|01 Returning to the Melbourne Stars as a local playerNicky ShawPerth Scorchers→–RetiredJenny WallacePerth Scorchers→–Retired
Overseas players The table below lists changes to overseas marquee allocations made ahead of the season. PlayerDeparted→JoinedNotesRef(s) Charlotte EdwardsPerth Scorchers→Adelaide Strikers Sarah TaylorAdelaide Strikers→– Tammy Beaumont–→Adelaide Strikers Stacy-Ann KingAdelaide Strikers→– Smriti Mandhana–→Brisbane Heat Deandra DottinPerth Scorchers→Brisbane HeatReplacement player in WBBL|01 Lauren WinfieldBrisbane Heat→–Returned to the Brisbane Heat as a replacement player during the season Kate CrossBrisbane Heat→– Lea Tahuhu–→Melbourne Renegades Shabnim IsmailMelbourne Renegades→–Replacement player in WBBL|01 Dane van NiekerkMelbourne Renegades→Sydney Sixers Mignon du PreezMelbourne Stars→– Hayley JensenMelbourne Stars→– Replacement player in WBBL|01 Returning to the Melbourne Stars as a local player Anya Shrubsole–→Perth Scorchers Laura MarshSydney Sixers→– Harmanpreet Kaur–→Sydney Thunder Changes made during the season included: England marquee Lauren Winfield returned to the Brisbane Heat as a replacement player. Ireland marquee Isobel Joyce signed with the Hobart Hurricanes as a replacement player. England marquee Danielle Hazell signed with the Melbourne Stars as a replacement player. England marquee Rebecca Grundy signed with the Perth Scorchers as a replacement player. England marquee Amy Jones signed with the Sydney Sixers as a replacement player.
Leadership Captaincy changes made ahead of the season included: Tegan McPharlin was appointed captain of the Adelaide Strikers, replacing Lauren Ebsary (6–8 win–loss record). Rachel Priest was appointed captain of the Melbourne Renegades, replacing Sarah Elliott (3–7 win–loss record). Suzie Bates was appointed captain of the Perth Scorchers, replacing Nicole Bolton (7–8 win–loss record).
Captaincy changes made during the season included: Kirby Short assumed the captaincy of the Brisbane Heat, replacing Delissa Kimmince (11–11 win–loss record). Kristen Beams stood in as acting captain of the Melbourne Stars for one game, replacing Meg Lanning who was sidelined with a hamstring injury.
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 XX8th X3rd() X4th() XX7th XX5th 2nd() 1st() XX6th Team's results→ Won Tied Lost
Fixtures Format of the group stage was a double round-robin tournament, with teams playing each other twice. Some matches were played in neutral cities as a result of occasional carnival weekends where as many as all eight teams were scheduled at the same venue. There were 14 double header fixtures with the men's Big Bash League, and the semi-finals and final were also played as a double header.
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Knockout phase
Semi-finals
Final
Statistics
Highest totals TeamScoreAgainstVenueDate Hobart Hurricanes 3/171 (20 overs) Sydney Thunder 5 January 2017 Sydney Sixers 6/169 (20 overs) Hobart Hurricanes The Gabba 25 January 2017 Sydney Sixers 3/164 (20 overs) Sydney Thunder Spotless Stadium 28 December 2016 Sydney Sixers 6/161 (20 overs) Adelaide Strikers Adelaide Oval 2 January 2017 Sydney Sixers 5/158 (20 overs) Melbourne Renegades North Sydney Oval 21 January 2017 Source: CricInfo
Most runs Player Team Runs Meg LanningMelbourne Stars 502 Beth MooneyBrisbane Heat 482 Alyssa HealySydney Sixers 479 Elyse VillaniPerth Scorchers 442 Ashleigh GardnerSydney Sixers 414 Source: CricInfo
Most wickets Player Team Wickets Sarah AleySydney Sixers 28 Molly StranoMelbourne Renegades 21 Hayley MatthewsHobart Hurricanes 20 Jess JonassenBrisbane Heat 18 Emma KingPerth Scorchers 17 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 Beth MooneyBrisbane Heat342nd Amy SatterthwaiteHobart Hurricanes293rd Ashleigh GardnerSydney Sixers26=4th Meg LanningMelbourne Stars24=4th Alyssa HealySydney Sixers24 Source: WBBL|02 Player of the tournament
Team of the tournament An honorary XI recognising the standout performers of WBBL|02 was named by bigbash.com.au: Meg Lanning (Melbourne Stars) Beth Mooney (Brisbane Heat) Ellyse Perry (Sydney Sixers) Ashleigh Gardner (Sydney Sixers) Sophie Devine (Adelaide Strikers) Jess Jonassen (Brisbane Heat) Katherine Brunt (Perth Scorchers) Marizanne Kapp (Sydney Sixers) Sarah Aley (Sydney Sixers) Kristen Beams (Melbourne Stars) Molly Strano (Melbourne Renegades)
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 nominees for the WBBL|02 Young Gun were: Week 1: Sophie Molineux (Melbourne Renegades) Week 2: Ashleigh Gardner (Sydney Sixers) – winner Week 3: Tahlia McGrath (Adelaide Strikers) Week 4: Heather Graham (Perth Scorchers) Week 5: Lauren Smith (Sydney Sixers) Week 6: Jemma Barsby (Brisbane Heat) Week 7: Amanda-Jade Wellington (Adelaide Strikers)
Sydney Sixers all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner was named the Young Gun of WBBL|02, having scored 414 runs with the bat and claiming ten wickets with the ball throughout the season.
Audience There was greater television coverage than the previous season, with twelve games aired live by Network Ten, including four stand-alone games on the opening weekend. This included the Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Stars match, which was shown on Network Ten's primary channel during prime time—a first for a stand-alone women's sporting match in Australia. The remaining 47 games were streamed live through Cricket Australia's Live app and Website, and the WBBL Facebook page.
Below are the Australian television ratings for the season.Mediaweek Australia twitter.com/MediaweekAUS. Retrieved on 26 December 2016