Adelaide Strikers new WBBL fixture unveiled, hailed as ‘incredibly exciting’ for future of women’s cricket

For the first time, the Women’s Big Bash League will be played as a standalone event in October and November, with cricketers hailing it as incredibly exciting for the future of female sport.

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It’s the dawn of a new era for women’s cricket, as Cricket Australia today unveils its first fixture for a standalone Women’s Big Bash League.

The move to separate the WBBL from the men’s Big Bash, which will keep its summer slot, is being hailed as “incredibly exciting” for the future of the competition.

The WBBL, approaching its fifth season, is staying at its 14-game fixture, but will take on a more family-friendly feel with boutique venues and weekend “festivals of cricket” played across the country.

In all, the season will feature seven successive festival weekends across the country, all broadcast live on Kayo, Fox Sports and Seven.

The competition will run from mid-October — a relatively empty spot on the Australian sporting calendar so that the country’s best female cricketers will be on full display.

South Australia’s newly redeveloped Karen Rolton Oval will play host to the Adelaide Strikers home games.

The Strikers will play all their games on either Saturdays or Sundays, with the exception of one played on a Wednesday, on November 20 against Sydney Thunder in Wollongong.

The team will also travel to Queensland twice for a series of games in both Brisbane and regional Mackay, as well as trips to Hobart and Sydney.

Amanda-Jade Wellington and Tahlia McGrath are looking forward to the new WBBL season. Picture MATT TURNER

Strikers opening bowler Megan Schutt — who is currently the ICC’s No. 1 ranked T20 international bowler in the world — said it was a huge step forward for women’s cricket.

“It recognises that the WBBL is the best female domestic cricket competition in the world,” she said.

“This move gives the WBBL its own chance to shine in its own section of summer, away from the BBL.

“I never thought that we would see a standalone WBBL competition so soon, so it’s incredibly exciting.”

Schutt said the women’s Big Bash not only provided an opportunity to showcase international talent, but for domestic players to show what they’re capable of on a big stage.

“I think it being held in October/November is a great time of the year too, since there doesn’t seem to be many international tours, which is providing more chances for international players,” she said.

Strikers new head coach Luke Williams said the standalone event was a really exciting opportunity for the game.

Strikers players Megan Schutt, Amanda-Jade Wellington and Tahlia McGrath at Adelaide Oval. Picture MATT TURNER.

“The standalone season is such an important milestone for WBBL and this is a particularly exciting season to be a part of,” Williams said.

“Our games against the Renegades are always a tight contest, so to start the season at home that way, is set to be a fantastic spectacle for fans.”

During the 2018-19 season, the Brisbane Heat took one weekend of matches to regional Mackay, where more than 8213 people attended across two days at Harrup Park.

Strikers specialist spin bowler Amanda-Jade Wellington said she was looking forward to again heading to Mackay.

“We had a great turn out when we last travelled to Mackay, so hopefully the locals can come out and get behind us again, that’ll be fantastic,” she said.

“I’m also really looking forward to getting there, it always good fun travelling to regional areas.”

But sticking closer to home, Wellington was also excited about the five — at least — games being played at the redeveloped Karen Rolton Oval.

“We have the best fans at the Strikers and hopefully they will get behind us for all of the home games,” she said.

“I really like Karen Rolton Oval and I hope the fans do too, it’s a beautiful ground, with a lighting field and it kind of reminds of the Allan Border Field.”

The Strikers will be hoping for an improved season this year, after finishing the 2018-19 season sixth from the eight WBBL teams, with a 5-8 win-loss record and one abandoned match.

Tahlia McGrath said the team was focused on improving that record and making the finals- which will be played in December.

“We’re looking forward to putting all three aspects of our game together and bring a complete game, which was lacking for us last year,” the allrounder said.

“The tactical side of things was an area we needed to work on and Luke’s big on that, with video reviews of games and opposition analysis and I think that’s something we’ll look to improve on.”

The women’s 50-over competition — the Women’s National Cricket League — fixture will be released later this month.

ADELAIDE STRIKERS WBBL Fixture:

Saturday, October 19, 2019

v Melbourne Renegades

Karen Rolton Oval (Live stream)

Sunday, October 20, 2019

v Melbourne Renegades

Karen Rolton Oval (Live stream)

Saturday, October 26, 2019

v Hobart Hurricanes

Allan Border Field, Brisbane, (Ch 7)

Sunday, October 27, 2019

v Perth Scorchers

Allan Border Field, Brisbane, (Ch 7)

Saturday, November 2, 2019

v Brisbane Heat

Harrup Park, Mackay, (Live stream)

Sunday, November 3, 2019

v Brisbane Heat

Harrup Park, Mackay, (Live stream)

Saturday, November 9, 2019

v Perth Scorchers

Karen Rolton Oval (Ch 7)

Sunday, November 10, 2019

v Melbourne Stars

Karen Rolton Oval (Ch 7)

Saturday, November 16, 2019

v Melbourne Stars

TBC, but a Strikers venue, (Live stream)

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

v Sydney Thunder

North Dalton Park, Wollongong (Live stream)

Saturday, November 23, 2019

v Hobart Hurricanes

Blundstone Arena, Hobart, (Ch 7)

Sunday, November 24, 2019

v Sydney Thunder

Blundstone Arena, Hobart, (Live stream)

Saturday, November 30, 2019

v Sydney Sixers

Hurstville Oval, Sydney (Live stream)

Sunday, December 1, 2019

v Sydney Sixers

Hurstville Oval, Sydney (Live stream)