Women's cricket in 2021 (now playing: Zim v Ire)

WI v RSA and ENG v NZL fixtures - post #135

100 Most Valuable Players list - post #123

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In the spirit of Festivus, I've got a lot of problems with the BCCI and now you're gonna hear about it.

But, in addition to India's stagnation, there can be a lot of other news popping up and developments unfolding in the women's game which can be hard to keep track of. So, aside from threads dedicated to the rare televised series/tournament, this should be a good place to collate it all.

Calendar as it stands

The Women's Cricket World Cup in New Zealand has been rescheduled to 2022. Australia's fixture looks like this:


India were supposed to tour here in January for 3 ODIs (and with the calendar opening up a bit, god forbid a Test might've been added to make the trip worthwhile), but there's been no word yet with regards to trying to reschedule it. Their board's dgaf attitude is an extreme obstacle:
  • They pulled out of a tour to England earlier this year, even though the ECB were going to foot the bill for all bubble-related costs (so the West Indies ended up jumping in).
  • Then they cockblocked their players from participating in the WBBL by scheduling a four-match women's IPL joke exhibition.
  • Despite rumours of various series against the Windies, Sri Lanka, England etc, nothing has come of it.
  • And now, who knows what the plan is. Some other nations, where women are similarly second-class citizens, can cite the money factor as a reason for the pause on international cricket. But not in this case.
Other than India, the Big 8 teams yet to return to international cricket are Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka. South Africa are scheduled to host Pakistan for three ODIs and three T20Is next month.

Australia are a strong chance to tour New Zealand in Feb-March.

The WNCL season starts on 15 January, fixture here. Will New South Wales be able to travel to South Australia for the first round? Will other states continue to operate in a reasonably normal fashion? It's almost pointless pontificating about this stuff in advance, take it as it comes.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games will be hosting women's T20 cricket at Edgbaston:
  • Eight-nation tournament, with the top seven teams in the ICC rankings as of 1 April 2020 to automatically qualify.
  • A qualification tournament will take place to determine which Caribbean country will represent the sixth-ranked West Indies. The details for that tournament are expected to be confirmed by early January 2021 and is expected to be played in March of April of 2021.
  • The tournament to determine the eighth qualifier will be confirmed by no later than 31 July 2021 and will take place no later than 31 January 2022. If Barbados, for example, wins the WI spot then I'm not sure if Jamaica are allowed to compete in that tournament for the final spot. Hopefully they can, as they would be roughly as strong as (if not stronger than) Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
What have I missed?
 
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The BCCI had a big important meeting on Xmas eve, leading to the same old empty promise stuff. The strongest commitment offered for women's international cricket is a rumour that they will start to think about a series against SL and/or Eng in March--confirming what we all knew, they are going to cancel their January tour here without any good reason.



And while decisions are made and announced about an expanding IPL, there's been no good reason recently provided as to why a proper women's T20 league isn't a top priority. Quite the opposite, actually.

The neglect is downright scandalous and, to underline the ludicrousness of India's extended hiatus, I should add a minor correction to a point I made in the OP: the list of women's teams that have already returned to international cricket also includes associates Germany* and Austria!

*Btw that "German" team has got the ECB playbook down pat, with an array of ethnically diverse names in the line-up resembling a UN panel. One of their better players, in fact, includes Janet Ronalds, who grew up (she's mid-30s now) in a sleepy village south-east of Munich known as Warragul, Victoria.

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To ensure this post doesn't resemble the previous one too closely, here's a tabulated summary of Cricinfo's "20 women cricketers for the 2020s" article from a couple months ago. It isn't as provocative as, but likely much more accurate than, the frankly bizarre list that was produced for the men's game.

AustraliaSophie Molineux
22, allrounder
Tayla Vlaeminck
21, fast bowler
Georgia Wareham
21, legspinner
Phoebe Litchfield
17, batter
Annabel Sutherland
19, allrounder
BangladeshMurshida Khatun
21, opener
EnglandSophie Ecclestone
21, left-arm orthodox spinner
Issy Wong
18, fast bowler
Sarah Glenn
21, legspinner
IndiaShafali Verma
16, opener
Jemimah Rodrigues
20, batter
Radha Yadav
20, left-arm spinner
Richa Ghosh
17, batter
New ZealandAmelia Kerr
20, allrounder
PakistanOmaima Sohail
23, batter
South AfricaLaura Wolvaardt
21, top-order batter
Nadine de Klerk
20, allrounder
Sri LankaKavisha Dilhari
19, allrounder
West IndiesShabika Gajnabi
20, allrounder
Sheneta Grimmond
22, allrounder

And yes, Ashleigh Gardner just missed the age cut-off, while Hannah Darlington and Darcie Brown almost certainly would've been included if the nominations were gathered closer to the article's date of publication. But I don't know if similar irregularities can sufficiently explain the lack of English and NZ batting prospects.
 
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Pippen94

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The BCCI had a big important meeting on Xmas eve, leading to the same old empty promise stuff. The strongest commitment offered for women's international cricket is a rumour that they will start to think about a series against SL and/or Eng in March--confirming what we all knew, they are going to cancel their January tour here without any good reason.



And while decisions are made and announced about an expanding IPL, there's been no good reason recently provided as to why a proper women's T20 league isn't a top priority. Quite the opposite, actually.

The neglect is downright scandalous and, to underline the ludicrousness of India's extended hiatus, I should add a minor correction to a point I made in the OP: the list of women's teams that have already returned to international cricket also includes associates Germany* and Austria!

*Btw that "German" team has got the ECB playbook down pat, with an array of ethnically diverse names in the line-up resembling a UN panel. One of their better players, in fact, includes Janet Ronalds, who grew up (she's mid-30s now) in a sleepy village south-east of Munich known as Warragul, Victoria.

---

To ensure this post doesn't resemble the previous one too closely, here's a tabulated summary of Cricinfo's "20 women cricketers for the 2020s" article from a couple months ago. It isn't as provocative as, but likely much more accurate than, the frankly bizarre list that was produced for the men's game.

AustraliaSophie Molineux
22, allrounder
Tayla Vlaeminck
21, fast bowler
Georgia Wareham
21, legspinner
Phoebe Litchfield
17, batter
Annabel Sutherland
19, allrounder
BangladeshMurshida Khatun
21, opener
EnglandSophie Ecclestone
21, left-arm orthodox spinner
Issy Wong
18, fast bowler
Sarah Glenn
21, legspinner
IndiaShafali Verma
16, opener
Jemimah Rodrigues
20, batter
Radha Yadav
20, left-arm spinner
Richa Ghosh
17, batter
New ZealandAmelia Kerr
20, allrounder
PakistanOmaima Sohail
23, batter
South AfricaLaura Wolvaardt
21, top-order batter
Nadine de Klerk
20, allrounder
Sri LankaKavisha Dilhari
19, allrounder
West IndiesShabika Gajnabi
20, allrounder
Sheneta Grimmond
22, allrounder

And yes, Ashleigh Gardner just missed the age cut-off, while Hannah Darlington and Darcie Brown almost certainly would've been included if the nominations were gathered closer to the article's date of publication. But I don't know if similar irregularities can sufficiently explain the lack of English and NZ batting prospects.


I don't think there's much demand for women's t20 league
 
I don't think there's much demand for women's t20 league
100 million viewers seems to be a reasonable starting point.

Regardless, it's the job of cricket's governing bodies to generate increased demand while simultaneously servicing it. Also known as growing the game.
 

Pippen94

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seems to be a reasonable starting point.

Regardless, it's the job of cricket's governing bodies to generate increased demand while simultaneously servicing it. Also known as growing the game.

No women's domestic league is getting 100 million viewers.
If ratings & crowds for women's big bash is anything to go by - not generating much interest or growth
 
No women's domestic league is getting 100 million viewers.
If ratings & crowds for women's big bash is anything to go by - not generating much interest or growth
Wrong and wrong again.
 
If competition could get that size audience it would exist already & you wouldn't be begging for somebody to prop one up like ca do with women's big bash
Already provided the link that proves you wrong, run along little fella.
 
With yesterday's confirmation that India will postpone their tour of Australia to next season (adding three T20Is to the initial three ODIs), it turns 2021/22 into a schedule almost as busy as 2019/20.

I think I want the schedule to look like this...
  • Sep-Oct 2021: Women's Ashes
  • Oct-Nov 2021: WBBL|07
  • Nov-Dec 2021: India tour
  • Jan-Feb 2022: WNCL
  • Early March 2022: World Cup prep in NZ (shouldn't have to be too extensive if the 2021/22 tour goes ahead)
  • Mar 2022: World Cup in NZ

...for a couple of reasons:
  • It weakens the ECB and BCCI's go-to "national duty" excuse that has prevented full WBBL participation from their players in the past.
  • It gets all the T20 cricket (domestic and international) out of the way early.
  • Lots of state cricket is the best build up to a World Cup, since it ensures everybody in the frame for national selection is getting good match practice (as opposed to a lot of them losing form by barely getting a hit in international warm-ups etc, which is often the case).
 
The latest headlines go like this:

England have scheduled two T20Is and three ODIs in/against Pakistan for October 14-22, coinciding with the men's tour. Almost certainly means the Women's Ashes will be played after the WBBL (hopefully immediately after in Nov-Dec, rather than eventually after in Jan-Feb).

Bangladesh will reportedly (yet to see it announced by the ICC) host the Under 19 Women's World Cup in December.

And the first seven games of the WNCL season (initially meant to begin 15 Jan) have been rescheduled for 28 Feb - 7 March. So they'll start on 25 Jan now... maybe. But if not, the calendar is clear for most of February (1st to the 18th), which might come in handy if the situation hasn't improved enough in time for the new first round of matches.
 
The selected Australian players, at this stage, will thus be absent for the last round and final of WNCL. So a chance for another darkhorse winner there.

With England announcing their own series against the Kiwis for Feb-March, it'll be the first time they've toured New Zealand in six years. Almost as long as it's been since the West Indies and Pakistan have played us here. Which reminds me, getting WI and/or PAK over for a mid-year tour, somewhere north of the Tropic of Capricorn, might not be a bad idea either.

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Given all the pre-WBBL speculation I did about Kim Garth (built around who she would play for, never seemed plausible to me that she wouldn't play at all), I may as well point out that she scored a century for Dandenong on the weekend. Against the Molly Strano-led Essendon Maribyrnong Park whose bowling attack would be quite a bit stronger than, say, the Otago Sparks unit that conceded a 36-ball century against Sophie Devine earlier today.
 
Almost a boilover in the first RSA-PAK ODI last night. Despite van Niekerk and Tryon missing the series, I was still expecting big wins for South Africa. For Pakistan to start off so competitively, on a tour without their captain Maroof, is encouraging. Though it wouldn't have got as close as it did if not for the hosts crumbling in the field towards the end, or for the fact that Wolvaardt ran herself out on a slow pitch that was made for her...




Shabnim Ismail and Diana Baig, the respective spearhead of each team's bowling attack for some time now, both enjoyed a rare dominant all-round performance. And if Baig had at least tried to run on the last ball, futile though it may have felt at that point, I'd have said she deserved a piece of the Player of the Match honours regardless of the loss.

On the home front, WNCL partly rescheduled once more, with it now starting Saturday week (a few days after the new season of some pesky footy league kicks off, once again leaving CA with nowhere to hide).
 
South Africa wrapped up a 3-0 series win overnight. Batting first again (more on that later), they collapsed from 1/124 to 7/157 before clawing their way to 201 all out. Defended it by 32 runs which is a pretty strong result at the end of the day, given that Kapp (who had a big 2nd game) and de Klerk also sat out the 3rd match in addition to van Niekerk and Tryon.

Milestone of the match was Proteas acting captain Sune Luus becoming the 20th woman to take 100 ODI wickets (half of those wickets were against Bangladesh, Ireland and Pakistan... but take what you can get etc).

WODI100wickets.png


For Pakistan, it was a familiar tale with the top-order struggling and the same bowlers keeping them in the game. But the real missed opportunity occurred in the 2nd match when they won the toss and chose to bowl. Aside from it hurting their chances to grab a win imo, you want to find out something new about your team every match in a series like this and I don't think that was achieved.

A three-match T20I series between the two teams is next. And then, this just announced the other day, Pakistan will travel to Harare to play Zimbabwe in two T20Is and three one-dayers (not official ODIs). Zimbabwe.

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England's squad arrived in New Zealand yesterday, and NZC confirmed they will return the favour with a UK tour in the middle of the year. Peering through the stats/results of the ongoing Super Smash, looks like the next crop of young batting talent is still at least another season away.
 
Pakistan closed out their tour of South Africa by finally picking up a deserved win, though in a not-entirely-satisfactory fashion, due to rain bringing the match to a premature end. Duckworth-Lewis ensured they weren't robbed of a result in their favour, but once again they would have benefitted much more from being able to test themselves defending a low total right down to the wire.

That's especially true since it was against another rather depleted South African line-up--this time no Wolvaardt and, among others, Tazmin Brits who was their best bat in the first two T20Is. Brits is a latecomer to international cricket, has a pretty interesting backstory involving a javelin/Olympic career thwarted by a car accident (leave the phone alone while driving) and a fairly ugly reverse sweep.

The brightest breakthrough of the series would probably have to be Pakistan's Ayesha Naseem, who already packs a punch with the bat at 16yo. Having mostly demonstrated her clean striking off the full-and-straight deliveries, the question will be how she fares once bowlers sit up and take proper notice. So far she's looked a bit hopeless against any well-directed ball arriving at or above chest height, similar to another young subcontinental phenom:

 
that's a cracking bouncer from Ismail... she's such a firebrand :D
Compounded by it moving off the seam. Kinda the inverse of one that Carey, fresh off a maiden century, copped first ball the other day.



Wade-like in her resignation to wearing it on the body there, lucky to have it only hit the shoulder blade. Though, given how short it was from Brown, it really should have sailed over her head (which did happen a couple times later on in the spell, thanks to a rather erratic pitch).
 

konkani

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Oh i didn't realise the ODI world cup had been moved from this year (unless I got the dates mixed up?). Damn, i had been really looking forward to that.
 
Decent quality stream of the Vic-NSW WNCL game on cricket.com.au today.
Oh i didn't realise the ODI world cup had been moved from this year (unless I got the dates mixed up?). Damn, i had been really looking forward to that.
Yeah the qualifying tournament to determine the 6th, 7th and 8th teams still hasn't even been held yet, pushed back to June/July this year in Sri Lanka.
 

corbies

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I'm surprised Perry hasn't moved back to NSW given she moved to Melbourne as her husband was playing for the Rebels but they've since split.

I suppose she could just like Melbourne :eek:.
 



Wasn't expecting Darlington to get picked for this tour, thought they would leave her to play out a full WNCL given a) she was appointed as NSW vice-captain; and b) she already gained experience in NZ conditions last summer by playing the domestic T20 comp over there. But I didn't realise Kimmince was taking time out at the moment, therefore a perfectly logical choice.

Vakarewa the other surprise as she didn't get a game back in Sep/Oct when the door was ajar. If she ends up just carrying the drinks again for another series (not unimaginable with 7 other pace bowlers selected), it probably would've been a better opportunity to take a young specialist bat for the ride, whether it be a little Webbie or a big Trenno type.

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No official announcement yet, but a lot of likelys and reportedlys floating around about India hosting South Africa for 5 games of one format and 3 games of another from March 7ish.

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Highlights from today's match between NZ and England.

 
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