Women’s BBL: Sydney Sixers start new season as favourites
The Sydney Sixers aren’t the defending champions — but they’ll always be the WBBL team to beat. Read up on how the competition is shaping up ahead of the new season. EVERY TEAM’S CHANCES REVEALED
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Defending champions or not, the Sydney Sixers are used to being the hunted in the Women’s Big Bash League.
And so, when the WBBL begins its maiden stand-alone season on Friday night, the Sixers will be anointed as firm favourites again.
Last summer’s runners-up after a thrilling finals series ended in a loss to Brisbane in the decider, the Sixers will open the tournament against cross-code rivals the Thunder.
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So often the champions at international level with Australia and domestic level with NSW, the likes of Ellyse Perry and Alyssa Healy will take the rare position of trying to reclaim a trophy.
But as always, they feel like it’s not just the Heat most rivals will be rising to challenge, but the Sixers as well.
“I feel like everyone wants to beat the Sixers,” Healy told AAP.
“It’s like playing for NSW for so long. Everyone really wants to beat NSW just simply because of the success we have had.
“You feel it. You feel it when you are out there playing that people really want to beat you.
“But that’s what I love. I’m as competitive as anyone. I like that challenge and I like that battle, so bring it on.”
The Sixers have the world’s best player in Perry, who averaged close to 100 with the bat for the majority of last summer but still wanted improvement with the ball.
Healy has already shown herself to be the game’s form player this summer, having bludgeoned 750 runs at 83.33 for Australia in the past two months.
Power-hitter Ashleigh Gardner, injured quick Lauren Cheattle and South African stars Dane Van Niekerk and Marizanne Kapp also add to their glamour-team status.
“We’ve still got a really great team again for this summer,” Healy said.
“We’ve had the same core group together now for a great period of time and some exciting youngsters signed up as well.
“Beth Mooney came out and her bold prediction was that the Sixers wouldn’t make the finals. I’m not sure about that.
“I don’t quite think we’re the only team being hunted. I think the Heat have put a really strong side together and we’ll be challenging.”
Aside from the Sixers and Heat, Perth’s young squad looks ready to come of age under Australia’s captain Meg Lanning.
Adelaide also have high hopes with the world’s No.1 ranked bat Suzie Bates and top-ranked bowler Megan Schutt, but have only made the finals just once before.
Hobart can also lay claim to having recruited the best after raiding the Thunder’s stocks and should rise from their wooden-spoon position of the past two years with Aussie quick Tayla Vlaeminck another addition.
HOW THE WOMEN’S BIG BASH LEAGUE SIDES STACK UP
ADELAIDE STRIKERS
BIG NAMES: Have the world’s best Twenty20 bat in Suzie Bates and No.1-ranked bowler Megan Schutt. Gun Kiwi all-rounder Sophie Devine is also back.
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR: West Indian Stefanie Taylor and Australian Katie Mack have moved from the Thunder and Stars respectively and are both big hitters of the ball.
CHANCES: Have an improved squad capable of reaching the semi-finals but need to be better with the ball after missing finals for the third time in four years last summer.
BRISBANE HEAT
BIG NAMES: Beth Mooney is one of the competition’s most consistent bats while power hitter Grace Harris had the best strike rate in the competition last year with 148.41.
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR: Kiwi Amelia Kerr could be the best new talent this summer. Holds the record for the highest score in women’s one-day internationals (232no) and also averages 22 with her leg-spinners.
CHANCES: The defending champions will be a big threat again with a well-rounded squad headlined by plenty of power up the top.
HOBART HURRICANES
BIG NAMES: Have revamped their roster with a raft of talent, with Aussie stars Nicola Carey and Tayla Vlamenickjoining England veteran Fran Wilson as new faces at the Hurricanes.
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR: Former Thunder spinner Maisy Gibson is another recruit and has the started the 50-over season well with five wickets at 13.80 for Tasmania.
CHANCES: Have finished last for the past two years but their recruits should see them on the cusp of reaching the finals.
MELBOURNE RENEGADES
BIG NAMES: Australian spinning all-rounder Sophie Monineux will want a big WBBL ahead of the T20 WorldCup after being sidelined by shoulder surgery. Was the team’s best last year as they made the finals.
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR: English opener Tammy Beaumont is playing her first WBBL season, but arrives with confidence after a century against Australia in the Ashes.
CHANCES: Were beaten in a semi-final super over last year, but there is no reason why they shouldn’t push for the decider again as their roster comes of age.
MELBOURNE STARS:
BIG NAMES: Captain Elyse Villani is the big in and she arrives in the pursuit of runs after being dropped from the Australian squad just months out from the Twenty20 World Cup.
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR: South Africans Mignon du Preez and Lizelle Lee showed the ability to score big runs fast last year, but need to do so more consistently.
CHANCES: Their squad has improved on the team that missed the semis for the fourth season last summer, but will need big runs up top to make their first finals.
PERTH SCORCHERS
BIG NAMES: Have one of the biggest names of all in Australia’s captain Meg Lanning. She averaged 48.62 last season and looks in even better form at the start of this summer.
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR: Heather Graham was rewarded with Australian selection this month after dominating at domestic level.She topped last year’s WBBL’s wicket- taking with 22 at 16.95 and is handy with the bat.
CHANCES: On paper have every right to challenge for the title with their young squad now at the right age and Meg Lanningleading the way.
SYDNEY SIXERS
BIG NAMES: Where to start? Ellyse Perry is the world’s best cricketer, Alyssa Healy the game’s best wicketkeeper-bat and Ashleigh Gardner arguably the cleanest striker of a ball in the competition.
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR: Teenage star Hayley Silver-Holmes debuted aged just 15 last year and will likely have an increased role this year. The young quick has already represented Australia’s under-19s.
CHANCES: Lost the final last year but will rightly enter WBBL05 as favourites.
SYDNEY THUNDER
BIG NAMES: Rachael Haynes and Alex Blackwell provide plenty of stability in the top order while Naomi Stalenberg is one of the league’s most powerful hitters.
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR: South African quick Shabnim Ismail is the world’s No.2 ranked bowler and averages just 18.35 with the ball in T20 internationals ahead of her maiden WBBL campaign.
CHANCES: Have the experience and young talent but lack the depth they enjoyed last summer. Could slip out of the finals.