2022–23 Women's Big Bash League season

The 2022–23 Women's Big Bash League season or WBBL|08 was the eighth season of the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), the semi-professional women's Twenty20 domestic cricket competition in Australia. The tournament was played from 13 October to 26 November 2022. The Perth Scorchers entered the season as the defending champions, having won their maiden title in WBBL07, but failed to qualify for the finals.

The Sydney Sixers won eleven games during the regular season—a new WBBL record—and finished on top of the points table for the fourth time in the team's history, thereby automatically qualifying (and earning host rights) for the Final. In the championship decider, played at North Sydney Oval, the Sixers were defeated in an upset by the Adelaide Strikers. Making a second-consecutive Final appearance, the Strikers won by ten runs to claim their first WBBL title. All-rounder Deandra Dottin was pivotal in her team's victory, contributing an unbeaten 52 runs with the bat and two wickets with the ball, and was subsequently named Player of the Match.

For the third-straight season, Perth Scorchers batter Beth Mooney was the competition's leading run-scorer. Adelaide Strikers fast bowler Megan Schutt led the league for wickets taken, and Sydney Sixers all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner became the first past-winner of the Young Gun Award to be named Player of the Tournament.

Teams

Each squad is made up of 15 active players. Teams can sign up to five 'marquee players', with a maximum of three of those from overseas. Marquees are defined as any overseas player, or a local player who holds a Cricket Australia national contract at the start of the WBBL|08 signing period.

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 playersAdelaideStrikersKaren Rolton Oval (5)Centennial Park Oval (1)Luke WilliamsTahlia McGrathDarcie BrownTahlia McGrathMegan SchuttAmanda-Jade Wellington Deandra Dottin Laura WolvaardtBrisbaneHeatAllan Border Field (3)Great Barrier Reef Arena (3)Ashley NoffkeJess JonassenJess JonassenGrace Harris Amelia Kerr Jess Kerr Pooja Vastrakar Danni WyattHobartHurricanesBlundstone Arena (3)Latrobe Recreation Ground (2)Dan MarshElyse VillaniNicola CareyHeather GrahamNaomi StalenbergMolly StranoElyse Villani Mignon du Preez Hayley Jensen Lizelle Lee Issy WongMelbourneRenegadesCitiPower Centre (2)Eastern Oval (2)Ted Summerton Reserve (1)Simon HelmotSophie MolineuxTayla VlaeminckGeorgia WarehamSarah CoyteSophie MolineuxChamari Athapaththu Shabnim Ismail Eve JonesHarmanpreet Kaur Hayley MatthewsMelbourneStarsCitiPower Centre (2)Ted Summerton Reserve (2)Eastern Oval (1)Jonathan BattyNicole FaltumMeg LanningAnnabel Sutherland Alice Capsey Bess HeathJemimah Rodrigues Lauren Winfield-HillPerthScorchersWACA Ground (3)Lilac Hill Park (3)Shelley NitschkeSophie DevineAlana KingBeth MooneyHolly Ferling Sophie Devine Maddy Green Marizanne KappSydneySixersNorth Sydney Oval (4)–Charlotte EdwardsEllyse PerryAshleigh GardnerAlyssa HealyEllyse PerryNicole BoltonErin BurnsStella CampbellLauren Cheatle Suzie Bates Sophie EcclestoneSydneyThunderBlacktown ISP Oval (3)North Sydney Oval (2)Manuka Oval (1)Trevor GriffinRachael HaynesRachael HaynesHannah DarlingtonBelinda Vakarewa Tammy Beaumont Amy Jones Lea Tahuhu Chloe Tryon

Personnel changes

Local players The table below lists local player movements made ahead of the season.

Player Departed → Joined Notes Ref(s)Erin OsborneMelbourne Stars→–RetiredBelinda VakarewaHobart Hurricanes→Sydney ThunderReturning to the Sydney ThunderTayla VlaeminckHobart Hurricanes→Melbourne Renegades Australian marquee Returning to the Melbourne Renegades Unavailable for the season (injury)Heather GrahamPerth Scorchers→Hobart HurricanesSasha MoloneyHobart Hurricanes→Melbourne StarsElyse VillaniMelbourne Stars→Hobart HurricanesThird WBBL team (previously played for the Perth Scorchers)Jess DuffinMelbourne Renegades→–Unavailable for the seasonHayley Silver-HolmesSydney Sixers→Hobart HurricanesSarah CoyteAdelaide Strikers→Melbourne RenegadesThird WBBL team (previously played for the Sydney Sixers)Angelina GenfordHobart Hurricanes→Sydney SixersHolly FerlingMelbourne Renegades→Perth ScorchersFourth WBBL team (previously played for the Brisbane Heat and Melbourne Stars)Georgia PrestwidgeBrisbane Heat→Melbourne RenegadesMaddy DarkeMelbourne Stars→Perth ScorchersThird WBBL team (previously played for the Sydney Sixers)Kate PetersonSydney Thunder→Sydney SixersSaskia Horley–→Sydney Thunder Returning to the Sydney Thunder Replacement player Approved as local signing despite having recently played international cricket for Scotland

Overseas players The table below lists changes to overseas player allocations made before and during the season.

Player Departed → Joined Notes Ref(s) Amelia Kerr–→Brisbane HeatReturning to the Brisbane Heat Maddy Green–→Perth ScorchersPreviously played for the Brisbane Heat Chamari AthapaththuPerth Scorchers→Melbourne Renegades Returning to the Melbourne Renegades Replacement player Lizelle Lee–→Hobart HurricanesThird WBBL team (previously played for the Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades) Pooja Vastrakar–→Brisbane Heat Deandra Dottin–→Adelaide StrikersThird WBBL team (previously played for the Perth Scorchers and Brisbane Heat) Issy WongSydney Thunder→Hobart HurricanesWithdrew due to injury Hayley Matthews–→Melbourne RenegadesPreviously played for the Hobart Hurricanes Danni Wyatt–→Brisbane HeatPreviously played for the Melbourne Renegades Shabnim Ismail–→Melbourne Renegades Returning to the Melbourne Renegades Previously played for the Sydney Thunder Jemimah RodriguesMelbourne Renegades→Melbourne Stars Dane van NiekerkAdelaide Strikers→– Anneke BoschBrisbane Heat→– Nadine de KlerkBrisbane Heat→– Poonam YadavBrisbane Heat→– Rachel PriestHobart Hurricanes→–Outgoing captain (5–8 win–loss record) Richa GhoshHobart Hurricanes→– Eve Jones–→Melbourne Renegades Replacement player Returning to the Melbourne Renegades Alice Capsey–→Melbourne Stars Sophie Ecclestone–→Sydney Sixers Tammy Beaumont–→Sydney ThunderReturning to the Sydney Thunder Suzie Bates–→Sydney SixersThird WBBL team (previously played for the Perth Scorchers and Adelaide Strikers) Lauren Winfield-Hill–→Melbourne StarsFourth WBBL team (previously played for the Brisbane Heat, Hobart Hurricanes and Adelaide Strikers) Chloe Tryon–→Sydney ThunderPreviously played for the Hobart Hurricanes Amy Jones–→Sydney ThunderThird WBBL team (previously played for the Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers) Hayley Jensen–→Hobart Hurricanes Replacement player Returning to the Hobart Hurricanes Jess Kerr–→Brisbane HeatReplacement player Lea Tahuhu–→Sydney Thunder Previously played for the Melbourne Renegades Replacement player Maia BouchierMelbourne Stars→– Linsey SmithMelbourne Stars→– Shafali VermaSydney Sixers→– Radha YadavSydney Sixers→– Smriti MandhanaSydney Thunder→– Deepti SharmaSydney Thunder→– Bess Heath–→Melbourne StarsReplacement player

Leadership Coaching changes made ahead of the season included:

Jonathan Batty was appointed head coach of the Melbourne Stars, replacing Jarrad Loughman. Charlotte Edwards was appointed head coach of the Sydney Sixers, replacing Ben Sawyer. Dan Marsh was appointed head coach the Hobart Hurricanes, replacing Salliann Beams.

Captaincy changes made ahead of the season included: Elyse Villani was appointed captain of the Hobart Hurricanes, replacing Rachel Priest (5–8 win–loss record). Nicole Faltum was appointed captain of the Melbourne Stars, replacing Meg Lanning (27–25 win–loss record).

Captaincy changes made during the season included: Hayley Matthews stood in as acting captain of the Melbourne Renegades for two games, after Sophie Molineux sustained a knee injury. Megan Schutt stood in as acting captain of the Adelaide Strikers for two games while Tahlia McGrath was rested with a back complaint.

Media coverage Seven Network were once again scheduled to broadcast 24 matches on free-to-air television, which will be simulcast on Foxtel. The remaining 35 matches will be broadcast by Foxtel, and will also be streamed live on cricket.com.au. All 59 matches will be available to watch live and on-demand via Kayo Sports.

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 →2nd() X3rd() XX4th() XXX7th XXX6th XXX5th →→1st() XXX8th Team's results→ Won Tied Lost

Fixtures As per all previous seasons, WBBL|08 will consist of a 56-match double round-robin, followed by a finals series featuring the top four qualifiers.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

In the 15th meeting between the two Melbourne teams—the first to take place in their home city since 30 November 2019—the Renegades lost three early wickets before Josie Dooley and Courtney Webb formed a 50-run partnership from 39 balls. Sarah Coyte hit two sixes off the bowling of Kim Garth in the 20th over, helping to set a target of 149 for victory.

The Stars began the run chase sluggishly, and failed to capitalise on several controversial umpiring decisions in their favour. Alice Capsey survived a close stumping chance but was ultimately dismissed for just eleven, while the Decision Review System overturned an LBW call for Garth who would nevertheless fall to the bowling of Coyte in the following over. Earlier in the innings, Coyte became the eighth player in WBBL history to claim 100 career wickets.

Annabel Sutherland breathed life into the contest as the Stars scored 22 runs from the 14th over against the previously economical Ella Hayward. The Renegades created several opportunities to effectively close out the match but put down key catching chances, which included an error in the field by Shabnim Ismail off her own bowling.

Needing an unlikely 23 runs from six balls to win, Sutherland promptly launched two sixes to dramatically shift the game's momentum. While delivering the third ball of the final over, Renegades captain Sophie Molineux suffered a knee injury which forced her from the field. Georgia Prestwidge was subsequently given the task of finishing the over, having not bowled throughout the innings up to that point. Sutherland proceeded to hit another six, and Stars captain Nicole Faltum then scored one run off the last delivery of the match to clinch her team's sixth win against their crosstown rivals.

Week 6

Knockout phase

Eliminator

Challenger

Final Background The Sydney Sixers reached their fifth WBBL Final, having appeared in each of the league's first four championship deciders. They became the second team in the competition's history (following the Melbourne Stars in WBBL06) to reach the Final after finishing the previous season in last place. WBBL|08 Sixers squad members Erin Burns, Lauren Cheatle, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy and Ellyse Perry were all part of the team's title-winning campaign in WBBL03. Gardner, Healy and Perry were also part of the team's title-winning campaign in WBBL02.

The Adelaide Strikers reached their second-consecutive WBBL Final, and third in four seasons. Suzie Bates, overseas marquee player for the Sydney Sixers in WBBL|08, was the captain of the Strikers in WBBL05 when they were defeated in the championship decider by the Brisbane Heat. Jemma Barsby and Laura Wolvaardt are the only WBBL|08 Strikers squad members to have previously been part of a title-winning campaign, having played for the Heat when they defeated the Sixers in the WBBL04 Final.