Women's Big Bash League 2019-20: Team news, squads, fixtures and where to watch

The fifth season of the Women's Big Bash League will begin from Friday, 18 October 2019. Defending champions Brisbane Heat will aim to continue their good form in the tournament and start on a strong note.

With the rest of the teams recruiting heavily, the competition is expected to get more intense with every passing match. A good show in the tournament will open the door for players to represent their national team in the T20 World Cup scheduled to be held next year in Australia.

Team news and squads

Adelaide Strikers

A disappointing season saw Adelaide strikers finish sixth in the points table last year with 11 points. With a new coach in Luke Williams, Adelaide Strikers will be hoping for a change of fortunes this year.

Not only do they have the world’s top-ranked T20 bowler in Australian Megan Schutt, but they will also have the services of West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor.

Squad

Suzie Bates (NZ), Darcie Brown, Sarah Coyte, Sophie Devine (NZ), Ellie Falconer, Katie Mack, Tahlia McGrath, Tegan McPharlin, Annie O’Neill, Bridget Patterson, Alex Price, Tabatha Saville, Megan Schutt (Aus), Stafanie Taylor (WI), Amanda-Jade Wellington (Aus), Lauren Winfield (Eng, replacement)

Brisbane Heat

Defending champions Brisbane Heat will be looking to carry on their good run of form in the competition. With the inclusion of New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr and Maddy Green, the Brisbane Heat squad looks stronger than ever.

They play their first match on 19 October against Sydney Sixers.

Squad

Lilly Mills, Charli Knott, Haidee Birkett, Maddy Green, Grace Harris, Laura Harris, Mikayla Hinkley, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Jess Jonassen, Amelia Kerr, Delissa Kimmince, Beth Mooney, Georgia Prestwidge, Kirby Short, Courtney Sippel.

Hobart Hurricanes

After finishing at the bottom of the table last year with only two wins under their belt, Hobart Hurricanes went on a recruiting spree. They picked up Nicola Carey and Tayla Vlaeminck along with Belinda Vakarewa and Maisy Gibson.

With Smriti Mandhana out with a toe injury, they went for England’s Fran Wilson as the replacement. They also picked England captain Heather Knight.

Squad

Corinne Hall (c), Nicola Carey, Stefanie Daffara, Erin Fazackerley, Katelyn Fryett, Maisy Gibson, Brooke Hepburn, Heather Knight, Hayley Matthews (WI, replacement), Sasha Moloney, Meg Phillips, Emily Smith, Chloe Tryon, Belinda Vakarewa, Tayla Vlaeminck, Fran Wilson

Melbourne Renegades

Melbourne Renegades were unlucky to lose the one-over eliminator to Sydney Sixers in the semi-finals last year. That was after their patchy group stage performance which included seven wins and six losses.

The Renegades won’t be having the services of New Zealand captain Amy Satterthwaite, and will instead be relying heavily on England star Tammy Beaumont. Jeff Duffin will lead the side.

Tammy Beaumont

Squad

Tammy Beaumont, Makinley Blows, Maitlan Brown, Josie Dooley, Jess Duffin, Erica Kershaw, Claire Koski, Carly Leeson, Sophie Molineux, Courtney Neale, Molly Strano, Lea Tahuhu, Georgia Wareham, Courtney Webb, Danni Wyatt

Melbourne Stars

Melbourne Stars had a disastrous fourth season where they finished second last with five wins and eight losses. For this year’s event, they have brought in Elyse Villani, Emma Inglis, Lucy Cripps, Tess Flintoff and Katey Martin.

Squad

Kristen Beams, Lucy Cripps, Mignon du Preez, Nicole Faltum, Holly Ferling, Tess Flintoff, Nicola Hancock, Emma Inglis, Alana King, Lizelle Lee, Katey Martin, Erin Osborne, Angela Reakes, Annabel Sutherland, Elyse Villani (c)

Perth Scorchers

Perth Scorchers won seven and lost seven games last season. They were pushed forward by the stupendous performance of Heather Graham, who was last season’s leading wicket-taker.

For this season they have brought in Jemma Barsby, Samantha Betts, Kath Hempenstall, Georgia Redmayne, Nat Sciver and Kim Garth.

Squad

Jemma Barsby, Samantha Betts, Nicole Bolton, Mathilda Carmichael, Pippa Cleary, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Kath Hempenstall, Amy Jones, Emma King, Meg Lanning, Taneale Peschel, Chloe Piparo, Georgia Redmayne, Natalie Sciver

Sydney Sixers

Third season's champions and last year’s finalists, Sydney Sixers will be aiming to go one step further with a strong squad this time around. Already filled with the likes of Ellyse Perry, Alyssa Healy and Ashleigh Gardner, Sydney will be hoping their younger stars fire as well.

Australia Under-19 keeper Maddy Darke, 16-year-old Hayley Silver-Holmes and recent high school graduate Emma Hughes will aim to learn from the wealth of experience present in their ranks.

Squad

Sarah Aley, Alisha Bates, Erin Burns, Stella Campbell, Lauren Cheatle, Maddy Darke, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jodie Hicks, Emma Hughes, Marizanne Kapp, Ellyse Perry (c), Hayley Silver-Holmes, Dane van Niekerk, Lauren Smith

Sydney Thunder

Sydney Thunder finished the group stage last year at the second spot and lost the semi-final to eventual champions Brisbane Heat by just four runs. It was a matter of so close yet so far for the team, which has some exciting players this time around.

Nida Dar

Nida Dar has picked up a WBBL contract, the first Pakistan cricketer to achieve this feat, and she will be joined by one of the fastest bowlers in the game - Shabnim Ismail of South Africa.

Squad

Rachael Haynes (c), Sam Bates, Alex Blackwell, Nida Dar, Hannah Darlington, Rene Farrell, Lisa Griffith, Saskia Horley, Shabnim Ismail, Kate Peterson, Rachel Priest, Naomi Stalenberg, Rachel Trenaman, Tahlia Wilson

Fixtures

18 October

Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder

19 October

Melbourne Stars vs Hobart Hurricanes, Adelaide Strikers vs Melbourne Renegades, Sydney Sixers vs Brisbane Heat

20 October

Melbourne Stars vs Hobart Hurricanes, Sydney Thunder vs Brisbane Heat, Adelaide Strikers vs Melbourne Renegades

23 October

Melbourne Renegades vs Perth Scorchers

26 October

Adelaide Strikers vs Hobart Hurricanes, Sydney Sixers vs Melbourne Stars, Brisbane Heat vs Perth Scorchers, Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Renegades

27 October

Perth Scorchers vs Adelaide Strikers, Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Stars, Brisbane Heat vs Hobart Hurricanes

1 November

Perth Scorchers vs Melbourne Renegades

2 November

Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Thunder, Melbourne Renegades vs Sydney Sixers, Perth Scorchers vs Melbourne Stars, Brisbane Heat vs Adelaide Strikers

3 November

Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Thunder, Sydney Sixers vs Melbourne Stars, Brisbane Heat vs Adelaide Strikers

9 November

Melbourne Renegades vs Hobart Hurricanes, Adelaide Strikers vs Perth Scorchers, Sydney Sixers vs Brisbane Heat

10 November

Perth Scorchers vs Sydney Thunder, Melbourne Renegades vs Hobart Hurricanes, Adelaide Strikers vs Melbourne Stars

12 November

Perth Scorchers vs Sydney Thunder

13 November

Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Sixers, Melbourne Stars vs Brisbane Heat

15 November

Sydney Thunder vs Sydney Sixers

16 November

Melbourne Stars vs Adelaide Strikers, Sydney Thunder vs Brisbane Heat

17 November

Perth Scorchers vs Brisbane Heat, Sydney Sixers vs Melbourne Renegades

20 November

Melbourne Renegades vs Brisbane Heat, Melbourne Stars vs Perth Scorchers, Sydney Thunder vs Adelaide Strikers, Sydney Sixers vs Hobart Hurricanes

22 November

Hobart Hurricanes vs Brisbane Heat

23 November

Perth Scorchers vs Sydney Sixers, Melbourne Renegades vs Melbourne Stars, Hobart Hurricanes vs Adelaide Strikers

24 November

Adelaide Strikers vs Sydney Thunder, Perth Scorchers vs Sydney Sixers

27 November

Brisbane Heat vs Melbourne Renegades, Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder

30 November

Melbourne Stars vs Melbourne Renegades, Sydney Sixers vs Adelaide Strikers, Perth Scorchers vs Hobart Hurricanes

1 December

Melbourne Renegades vs Sydney Thunder, Sydney Sixers vs Adelaide Strikers, Perth Scorchers vs Hobart Hurricanes, Melbourne Stars vs Brisbane Heat

7 December

Semifinals

8 December

Final

Where to watch

WBBL 2019-20 can be streamed live on Sony LIV and will be telecast live on the Sony Network.

Follow Sportskeeda for all the updates on ENG vs NZ schedule, ENG vs NZ head to head, news, results, points table, most runs, most wickets and fantasy tips.