Women's Big Bash League|05

[corbies]

I probably should know this but are all the English girls out for the finals?

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I probably should know this but are all the English girls out for the finals?

Yes they are. Some teams have replacements.

 

[RedTinMania]

Any replacement international must have played at least one group game to be eligible for the finals. Hence the Renegades benching Beaumont for Chamari Atapattu, they needed to do that

 

[Teen Wolf]

Team of the Tournament:


I was surprised to learn this guy was on the selection panel:



Going through them one by one:
Devine (STR) - Also won the Bashlow, meaning the four best players in the league's five-year history have now taken out the MVP award once each.
Mooney (HEA) wk - Even though it's passé to pot Healy, this truly has been the 5th straight WBBL in which Moons has outshone her.
Wyatt (REN) - The dodgiest pick, can't say she had a better season than Lee, and I wouldn't have included either.
Lanning (SCO) - Did the selectors a favour with her last match ton.
Perry (SIX) - I'd move her up to 3, and save the middle-order spots for girls who actually batted somewhere in the vicinity of that position.
Duffin (REN) c - Would therefore go up one spot to squeeze in Patterson.
Jonassen (HEA) - On the rare occasions she doesn't perform well, it's cos she's a dud. When she does perform well, it's cos everyone else is a dud. You honestly can't argue with those mental gymnastics.
Kapp (SIX) - Closing out the quota of 3 internationals allowed for the team, to mimic actual WBBL squad conditions, yet the contracted Australian players limit wasn't enforced.
Strano (REN) - Another good season, but would've personally gone with Wellington here.
Schutt (STR) - A close call, Ismail with the slight edge for me, Shoota for the 12th imo.
Vakarewa (HUR) - I guess the Thunder can act interested in Belinda and try to lure her back, now that Farrell has retired?

Noffke (HEA) coach - They named a coach but not a 12th man, another strange decision!

Young Gun Award? If this doesn't go to Darlington, I don't know what is real anymore. Likening her to the greatest T20 player ever on the first page of this thread is already shaping up to be the best call of my BigFooty career (although the one I made about Duffin as captain, just half-a-dozen-or-so posts before that, is looking pretty good right about now too).

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Don't have too many issues with it.

Controversially I'd almost have not picked Perry, I really don't lie this ida of picking players out of position, if she can't make the top 3, don't pick her. I'd almost have picked Darlington in the side personally. I like the Wyatt selection. She's a big reason the Renegades made it.

Strano or Wellington is line ball, can't go wrong there.

Ismail wasn't fantastic for a part of the season, came good towards the back end. Schutt is comfortably ahead personally.

 

[Teen Wolf]

CA did a good thing by giving the finals a weekend free of men's internationals and BBL. But the semis should have been played tonight.

Something like:

• Friday 5.00pm ACDT Strikers v Scorchers at Glenelg
• Friday 7.30pm AEST Heat v Renegades at Mackay/Cairns
• Sunday 2pm AEDT Final at ABF, KRO or the WACA/Lilac Hill (depending on highest qualifier, a novel approach I know)

It's almost as if they forgot what prompted the push for a standalone fixture!

 

[LukeParkerno1]

CA did a good thing by giving the finals a weekend free of men's internationals and BBL. But the semis should have been played tonight.

Something like:

• Friday 5.00pm ACDT Strikers v Scorchers at Glenelg
• Friday 7.30pm AEST Heat v Renegades at Mackay/Cairns
• Sunday 2pm AEDT Final at ABF, KRO or the WACA/Lilac Hill (depending on highest qualifier, a novel approach I know)

It's almost as if they forgot what prompted the push for a standalone fixture!

Can’t say I agree. I like the Saturday/Sunday split. It’s better for families. Getting to games on Friday after work is tricky. I like the games at one ground too.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Can’t say I agree. I like the Saturday/Sunday split. It’s better for families. Getting to games on Friday after work is tricky. I like the games at one ground too.

You must therefore like the idea of a Strikers-Renegades final in Brisbane, which is ridiculous.

The championship decider should have a guarantee of being played in the state of one of the competing teams, everything else should be worked out backwards from there.

Btw Saturdays aren't that great for families, since it's when most junior sport is played. In any case, for Adelaide fans wanting to attend their team's "home" semi-final, what's more convenient: a Friday evening game in their own city, or a Saturday morning game in Queensland?

 

[LukeParkerno1]

You must therefore like the idea of a Strikers-Renegades final in Brisbane, which is ridiculous.

The championship decider should have a guarantee of being played in the state of one of the competing teams, everything else should be worked out backwards from there.

Btw Saturdays aren't that great for families, since it's when most junior sport is played. In any case, for Adelaide fans wanting to attend their team's "home" semi-final, what's more convenient: a Friday evening game in their own city, or a Saturday morning game in Queensland?

If you come first you deserve to host it in your conditions. Personally it’s that simple all the grounds are fine. Allan Border Field is perfect just like Drummoyne was last year worked well.

It’s harder to get from work, home then get to ground- makes it a very long night. Saturday is much easier when the games are done by 6pm. You can have a great day out.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Drummoyne was last year worked well.

Last year when the two top teams actually got home semi-finals? And the highest-ranked finalist was guaranteed home ground advantage? I agree, worked very well.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Last year when the two top teams actually got home semi-finals? And the highest-ranked finalist was guaranteed home ground advantage? I agree, worked very well.

You can’t have two sides in different cities then playing the final the next day somewhere else.

Let’s be real won’t matter as Brisbane should win the first semi.

 

[Teen Wolf]

You can’t have two sides in different cities then playing the final the next day somewhere else.

No s**t, that's why I'm advocating for playing the semi-finals on the Friday (or even the weekend before, if need be).

 

[LukeParkerno1]

No s**t, that's why I'm advocating for playing the semi-finals on the Friday (or even the weekend before, if need be).

That’s just extending the season for the sake of it. Don’t see what’s the issue in playing at AB Field. Saturday and Sunday works out. I’m travelling up tomorrow for the games- I wouldn’t be able to do it if it were Friday

 

[toml]

Agree with the way it's scheduled or not, but it's likely to be sold out according to the Heat's Instagram and you can't argue with that result. Shame it's supposed to be 40+ degrees tomorrow which might keep the crowds away.

 

[Teen Wolf]

That’s just extending the season for the sake of it. Don’t see what’s the issue in playing at AB Field. Saturday and Sunday works out. I’m travelling up tomorrow for the games- I wouldn’t be able to do it if it were Friday

As long as you can go, that's the important thing.

Anyway, the BBL Final venue has been organised on <48hrs notice four times (including the most recent season), so there's no reason why the same couldn't happen with the WBBL when the logistics are obviously far more manageable.

Agree with the way it's scheduled or not, but it's likely to be sold out according to the Heat's Instagram and you can't argue with that result.

Oh but I do argue. Could've had two sold-out semi-final venues, for a start. And a sold-out final won't count for anything if the home team isn't playing in it.

 

[k31th]

Scorchers are looking shaky with Meg Lanning out early and without their two star stabilising internationals in Amy Jones and Nat Sciver. You'd expect with the Strikers being able to keep their NZ international players that they'll easily win this match... at 3/23 off 5 overs with Lanning, Piparo and Bolton out, they're leaving this innings to some under-utilized for this season players...

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Bolton opening....

Surely they have better options

 

[k31th]

another WBBL done and dusted already...
congratulations to the Brisbane Heat on going back to back and congratulations to Sophie Devine for being woman of the series (even though she had an absolute mare in the final).

 

[Teen Wolf]

Disappointing that the Scorchers didn't care to plan for an overseas replacement. Or maybe they had their eye on a West Indies player and were foiled by the near-impromptu Trinbago league. Despite not scoring enough runs yesterday, that match was by no means over at the innings break.

If they couldn't find a perfect like-for-like in the batting dept., I think it still would've been worth bringing in an x-factor bowler to add some variety to their attack, even somebody a bit risky like Tumi Sekhukune from South Africa or recent Sri Lankan tour member Achini Kulasuriya--quick and exciting types who would make things happen one way or another. Or, dare I go back to the well, improve their spin stocks with Kiwi Leigh Kasperek. Instead, after the Garth-Peschel-Graham trio couldn't get the key breakthrough, they were relying on the sameness of Betts to do the job. Plus they had Hempenstall listed at 11, who (from memory) would've also offered the skiddy medium-pace stuff, if Meg actually threw her the ball.

Can't remember if I laughed or just rolled my eyes a week or so ago when reading Mel Jones' quotes about cricket boards needing to work together better to ensure overseas players are available for WBBL finals. CA can't even get on the same page with itself, slim chance of it happening seamlessly with the ECB or the WICB (forget about the BCCI altogether). And from what I've seen, no journo has bothered to raise the question why Ellyse Perry and Beth Mooney haven't signed on for The Hundred.

 

[Cleavy]

Can't remember if I laughed or just rolled my eyes a week or so ago when reading Mel Jones' quotes about cricket boards needing to work together better to ensure overseas players are available for WBBL finals. CA can't even get on the same page with itself, slim chance of it happening seamlessly with the ECB or the WICB (forget about the BCCI altogether). And from what I've seen, no journo has bothered to raise the question why Ellyse Perry and Beth Mooney haven't signed on for The Hundred.

or just have the ICC block out a time period for WBBL like they do with IPL.

 

[Teen Wolf]

or just have the ICC block out a time period for WBBL like they do with IPL.

Thereby forcing England and India to obstruct the WBBL in a more brazen fashion--which isn't to say they're ever subtle, currently they kinda remind me of Homer and Chief Wiggum hearing about buried treasure.



CA: Our women's T20 domestic comp is by far the best in the world now, and it's helping strengthen our national team!
BCCI: Weeeell, I guess we'll be pulling our players from the league then. For... international duties.
ECB: Yeah us too. We will also be pulling our players from the league. For... international duties.
BCCI & ECB: *quickly schedules series against WI and Pak*

Plenty of space on the women's cricket calendar in which Test cricket isn't even a thing. I return to my closing point: Perry. Mooney. Hundred. Is Cricket Australia actually going to let their two best WBBL players participate? Sure, if the price is right.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Wait. Did the Scorchers play a number 11 who didn’t get a bowl in the semi final? What type of list management is that?

 

[Teen Wolf]

Wait. Did the Scorchers play a number 11 who didn’t get a bowl in the semi final? What type of list management is that?

Yes, and a similar situation isn't that uncommon in other teams (like Hinkley for the Heat and O'Neil for the Strikers today) except it tends to be players identified as future stars rather than a 31yo who goes way back with the captain.

 

[corbies]

Wait. Did the Scorchers play a number 11 who didn’t get a bowl in the semi final? What type of list management is that?

Alex Price played 15 of the Strikers 16 matches this season. Didn't get a bat and bowled 7 overs for the entire season.

Mikayla Hinkley for the Heat also played 15 matches, didn't bowl and made 22 runs in 5 innings batting mostly 9 or lower.

Jodie Hicks went her first 15 matches at the Sixers before she batted or bowled.

There seems to be always at least one player in each team that is realistically just there to field and its because so many of the top players are all-rounders.