The 2017–18 Women's Big Bash League season or WBBL|03 was the third season of the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), the semi-professional women's Twenty20 domestic cricket competition in Australia. The tournament was scheduled from 9 December 2017 to 4 February 2018.
The final, held at Adelaide Oval, pitted the Sydney Sixers against the Perth Scorchers for the second season running. Sydney comfortably won the match by nine wickets to claim back-to-back championships. Punctuating an emphatic comeback from retirement, Sixers medium-pace bowler Sarah Coyte managed figures of 4/17 in the decider and was named Player of the Final.
Melbourne Renegades captain Amy Satterthwaite was named Player of the Tournament, although her team failed to qualify for the finals. Sixers captain Ellyse Perry was the leading run-scorer of the season, while the leading wicket-taker title was shared between the Sixers' Sarah Aley and the Scorchers' Katherine Brunt.
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 in the three years prior to the cut-off date (24 April 2017).
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 (4)Gliderol Stadium (4)Traeger Park (2)Andrea McCauleySuzie BatesMegan SchuttTahlia McGrathAmanda-Jade Wellington Suzie Bates Tammy Beaumont Sophie DevineBrisbane HeatAllan Border Field (2)Harrup Park (2)The Gabba (1)Peter McGiffinKirby ShortHolly FerlingGrace HarrisJess JonassenBeth MooneyDelissa Kimmince Deandra Dottin Laura WolvaardtHobart HurricanesBlundstone Arena (5)UTAS Stadium (2)Julia PriceCorinne HallN/AVeda Krishnamurthy Hayley Matthews Lauren Winfield Isobel JoyceMelbourne RenegadesCamberwell Sports Ground (4)Etihad Stadium (1)GMHBA Stadium (1)Tim CoyleAmy SatterthwaiteJess DuffinKris BrittMolly Strano Chamari Atapattu Amy Satterthwaite Lea TahuhuMelbourne StarsMelbourne Cricket Ground (4)Casey Fields (2)David HempKristen BeamsKristen BeamsErin Osborne Mignon du Preez Georgia Elwiss Lizelle Lee Katey MartinPerth ScorchersWACA Ground (4)Lilac Hill Park (3)Perth Stadium (1)Lisa KeightleyElyse VillaniNicole BoltonMeg LanningElyse VillaniLauren Ebsary Katherine Brunt Nat Sciver Thamsyn NewtonSydney SixersSydney Cricket Ground (3)Hurstville Oval (3)North Dalton Park (1)North Sydney Oval (1)Ben SawyerEllyse PerryAlyssa HealyEllyse PerrySarah CoyteSarah AleyLauren CheatleAshleigh Gardner Marizanne Kapp Sara McGlashan Dane van Niekerk Amy JonesSydney ThunderNorth Sydney Oval (2)Robertson Oval (2)Howell Oval (1)Lavington Sports Oval (1)Manuka Oval (1)Joanne BroadbentAlex BlackwellAlex BlackwellRene FarrellRachael HaynesNaomi StalenbergBelinda Vakarewa Harmanpreet Kaur Rachel Priest Stafanie Taylor Fran Wilson
Personnel changes Local players The table below lists local player movements made ahead of the season. Player Departed → Joined Notes Ref(s)Rhiannon DickSydney Sixers→Adelaide StrikersSarah CoyteAdelaide Strikers→–Signed with the Sydney Sixers as a replacement player during the seasonSarah ElliottAdelaide Strikers→–RetiredShelley NitschkeAdelaide Strikers→–RetiredGrace HarrisMelbourne Renegades→Brisbane Heat Australian marquee Returning to the Brisbane HeatStefanie DaffaraSydney Thunder→Hobart HurricanesNicola Hancock–→Hobart HurricanesPreviously played for the Melbourne RenegadesErin BurnsHobart Hurricanes→Sydney SixersJulie HunterHobart Hurricanes→–RetiredJess DuffinMelbourne Stars→Melbourne Renegades Australian marqueeHayley JensenMelbourne Stars→Melbourne RenegadesEmma InglisMelbourne Stars→Melbourne RenegadesClaire KoskiSydney Thunder→Melbourne RenegadesAnnabel SutherlandMelbourne Renegades→Melbourne StarsErin OsborneSydney Thunder→Melbourne Stars Australian marqueeMikayla HinkleySydney Thunder→Perth ScorchersMeg LanningMelbourne Stars→Perth Scorchers Australian marquee Outgoing captain (13–14 win–loss record) Unavailable for the season due to injuryLauren CheatleSydney Thunder→Sydney SixersLisa SthalekarSydney Sixers→–Retired Changes made during the season included:
Sarah Coyte signed with the Sydney Sixers as a marquee replacement player.
Overseas players The table below lists changes to overseas marquee allocations made ahead of the season. Player Departed → Joined Notes Ref(s) Suzie BatesPerth Scorchers→Adelaide StrikersOutgoing captain (9–7 win–loss record) Charlotte EdwardsAdelaide Strikers→–Retired Smriti MandhanaBrisbane Heat→– Veda Krishnamurthy–→Hobart Hurricanes Lauren WinfieldBrisbane Heat→Hobart HurricanesReplacement player in WBBL|02 Amy SatterthwaiteHobart Hurricanes→Melbourne Renegades Heather KnightHobart Hurricanes→–Outgoing captain (15–14 win–loss record) Chamari Atapattu–→Melbourne Renegades Rachel PriestMelbourne Renegades→Sydney ThunderOutgoing captain (6–10 win–loss record) Danni WyattMelbourne Renegades→– Mignon du Preez–→Melbourne StarsReturning to the Melbourne Stars Georgia Elwiss–→Melbourne Stars Lizelle Lee–→Melbourne Stars Morna NielsenMelbourne Stars→– Nat SciverMelbourne Stars→Perth Scorchers Danielle HazellMelbourne Stars→–Replacement player in WBBL|02 Anya ShrubsolePerth Scorchers→– Thamsyn Newton–→Perth ScorchersReplacement player for Meg Lanning Changes made during the season included:
South Africa marquee Laura Wolvaardt signed with the Brisbane Heat as a replacement player. Ireland marquee Isobel Joyce returned to the Hobart Hurricanes as a replacement player. New Zealand marquee Katey Martin signed with the Melbourne Stars as a replacement player. England marquee Amy Jones signed with the Sydney Sixers as a replacement player. England marquee Fran Wilson signed with the Sydney Thunder as a replacement player.
Leadership Coaching changes made ahead of the season included:
Peter McGiffin was appointed head coach of the Brisbane Heat, replacing Andy Richards. Tim Coyle was appointed head coach of the Melbourne Renegades, replacing Lachlan Stevens.
Captaincy changes made ahead of the season included:
Suzie Bates was appointed captain of the Adelaide Strikers, replacing Tegan McPharlin (3–9 win–loss record). Corinne Hall was appointed captain of the Hobart Hurricanes, replacing Heather Knight (15–14 win–loss record). Amy Satterthwaite was appointed captain of the Melbourne Renegades, replacing Rachel Priest (6–10 win–loss record). Kristen Beams was appointed captain of the Melbourne Stars, replacing Meg Lanning (13–14 win–loss record). Elyse Villani assumed the captaincy of the Perth Scorchers, replacing Suzie Bates (9–7 win–loss record).
Captaincy changes made during the season included:
Isobel Joyce stood in as acting captain of the Hobart Hurricanes for five games. Erin Osborne stood in as acting captain of the Melbourne Stars for two games.
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 X4th() XX5th XX8th XX6th XX7th 3rd() 1st() X2nd() Team's results→ Won Tied Lost
Fixtures
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
The Adelaide Strikers recorded the first-ever one-wicket victory in WBBL history, defeating the Melbourne Stars on the last ball of the match. Requiring three runs with one delivery remaining, Tabatha Saville scored a boundary off leg-spinning Stars captain Kristen Beams to clinch a narrow win for the Strikers.
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Knockout phase All knockout phase matches were played as double headers with the men's tournament, hence the venues for both semi-finals and the final were determined using the standings of the BBL07 points table.
Semi-finals
Final
Statistics Highest totals TeamScoreAgainstVenueDateSydney Sixers4/242 (20 overs)Melbourne StarsNorth Sydney Oval9 December 2017Sydney Thunder6/200 (20 overs)Melbourne RenegadesNorth Sydney Oval9 December 2017Melbourne Renegades6/189 (20 overs)Sydney ThunderNorth Sydney Oval9 December 2017Perth Scorchers6/188 (20 overs)Brisbane HeatNorth Sydney Oval10 December 2017Adelaide Strikers3/183 (20 overs)Hobart HurricanesGliderol Stadium9 December 2017 Source: CricInfo
Most runs Player Team Runs Ellyse PerrySydney Sixers|552 Elyse VillaniPerth Scorchers 535 Nicole Bolton Perth Scorchers 482 Beth Mooney Brisbane Heat 465 Suzie Bates Adelaide Strikers 434 Source CricInfo
Most wickets Player Team Wickets Katherine BruntPerth Scorchers23 Sarah Aley Sydney Sixers 23 Dane van Niekerk Sydney Sixers 20 Sophie Devine Adelaide Strikers 17 Nicola Carey Sydney Thunder 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 Amy SatterthwaiteMelbourne Renegades352nd Elyse VillaniPerth Scorchers283rd Ellyse PerrySydney Sixers27=4th Beth MooneyBrisbane Heat25=4th Suzie BatesAdelaide Strikers25 Source: WBBL|03 Player of the tournament
Team of the tournament An honorary XI recognising the standout performers of WBBL|03 was named by bigbash.com.au: Elyse Villani (Perth Scorchers) Beth Mooney (Brisbane Heat) Ellyse Perry (Sydney Sixers) Nicole Bolton (Perth Scorchers) Sophie Devine (Adelaide Strikers) Dane van Niekerk (Sydney Sixers) Amy Satterthwaite (Melbourne Renegades) Katherine Brunt (Perth Scorchers) Rene Farrell (Sydney Thunder) Sarah Aley (Sydney Sixers) Lea Tahuhu (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.
Melbourne Renegades all-rounder Sophie Molineux was named the Young Gun of WBBL|03 after scoring 318 runs and taking 6 wickets. The other nominees for the award were Sydney Sixers' Ashleigh Gardner (who took out the accolade in WBBL02), Renegades teammates Georgia Wareham and Maitlan Brown, Adelaide Strikers batter Tabatha Saville, as well as bowlers Annabel Sutherland from the Melbourne Stars and Belinda Vakarewa from the Sydney Thunder.
Audience A total of twelve matches were televised on free-to-air in the third season of Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) on Network Ten, including four on the opening weekend. The remaining 47 matches were live streamed on the Cricket Australia or MamaMia website as well as the Cricket Australia Live App for mobile.
Below are the television ratings for every game that was broadcast by Network Ten during the season.Mediaweek Australia twitter.com/MediaweekAUS. Retrieved on 9 December 2017
The Super Over of match 42 drew ratings of 296,000 nationally, and 185,000 in the 5 metro cities.Saturday #TEN #Rebel #WBBL03 @tensporttv Melbourne Stars vs Melbourne Renegades twitter.com/MediaweekAUS. Retrieved on 22 January 2018