A host of leading players from around the world will be in Sydney for the WBBL
Andrew McGlashan14-Oct-2020Suzie Bates (New Zealand/Adelaide Strikers)T20I record: Matches 122; Runs 3301; Avg 30.00; S/R 110.62 | Wickets 50; Avg 25.52; Econ 6.73
WBBL record: Matches 70; Runs 1710; Avg 28.50; S/R 104.07 | Wickets 35; Avg 28.08; Econ 6.83Formed the formidable Smash Sisters pairing at the Strikers with Sophie Devine, but has lost her national team-mate who has moved to the Perth Scorchers. There is some doubt over her fitness heading in the tournament after she picked up a shoulder injury against Australia in BrisbaneTammy Beaumont (England/Sydney Thunder)T20I record: Matches 88; Runs 1382; Avg 22.29; S/R 108.73
WBBL record: Matches 40; Runs 854; Avg 22.47; S/R 95.20The England opener hasn’t quite been able to translate her excellent ODI record into T20 but was the leading scorer in the recent series against West Indies and remains a dangerous option at the top of the order. She has had previous BBL stints with the Strikers and the RenegadesKatherine Brunt (England/Melbourne Stars)T20I record: Matches 87; Runs 493; Avg 17.00; S/R 113.85 | Wickets 89; Avg 19.39; Econ 5.49
WBBL record: Matches 44; Runs 447; Avg 17.88′ S/R 103.47 | Wickets 49; Avg 17.71; Econ 5.15An aggressive seamer and hard-hitting batter, Brunt has been a stalwart of the England side and will be tasked to bring a cutting edge to the Stars attack. She has the best economy rate in WBBL history (5.15) of anyone to have bowled at least 250 deliveries.Nadine de Klerk (South Africa/Brisbane Heat)T20I record: Matches 20; Runs 241; Avg 24.10; S/R 94.50 | Wickets 18; Avg 14.38; Econ 7.06
WBBL record: Yet to playThe bustling seamer made a mark when she came into the South Africa side during the T20 World Cup, claiming 3 for 19 in the semi-final against Australia. She was awarded a national contract shortly after the tournament.Sophie Devine (New Zealand/Perth Scorchers)T20I record: Matches 94; Runs 2447; Avg 30.97; S/R 125.42 | Wickets 91; Avg 17.07; Econ 6.26
WBBL record: Matches 66; Runs 2174; Avg 39.52; S/R 129.40 | Wickets 60; Avg 22.13; Econ 7.12The New Zealand captain has become one of the most dominant players in the format. She is the highest scoring overseas player in WBBL history (behind just Ellyse Perry and Beth Mooney) and was the Player of the Tournament last season. Her switch from the Strikers to Scorchers was one of the biggest off-season moves.Sarah Glenn has emerged as a formidable part of England’s spin attack•Nathan Stirk/Getty ImagesSarah Glenn (England/Perth Scorchers)T20I record: Matches 15; Wickets 22; Avg 12.63; Econ 5.34
WBBL record: Yet to playLegspinner Glenn is among the most promising emerging bowling talents in the game having impressed during the T20 World Cup and last month’s series against West Indies where she was named Player of the Series and was also awarded the PCA Player of the Year title.Maddy Green (New Zealand/Brisbane Heat)T20I record: Matches 51; Runs 385; Avg 11.66; S/R 86.32
WBBL record: Matches 16; Runs 309; Avg 20.60; S/R 112.36Green showed glimpses of her power in the matches against Australia and has also worked on developing her offspin. She could have an important part to play in compensating for the loss of Beth Mooney at the defending championsShabnim Ismail (South Africa/Sydney Thunder)T20I record: Matches 92; Wickets 99; Avg 18.65; Econ 5.73
WBBL record: Matches 15; Wickets 13; Avg 25.23; Econ 6.65Among the fastest bowlers in the world, it was Ismail’s economy that stood out last season as she conceded 5.88 but the Thunder will hope she can add further wicket-taking to the record.Hayley Jensen (New Zealand/ Hobart Hurricanes)T20I record: Matches 30; Wickets 24; Avg 24.91; Econ 6.74
WBBL record: Matches 36; Wickets 32; Avg 19.21, Econ 6.55The medium-pacer has joined the Hurricanes, her fourth WBBL club, as a replacement player and won’t immediately be available unless one of the three other overseas signings is injured. She had a good T20 World with three-wicket hauls against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.Amelia Kerr celebrates a wicket•Getty ImagesAmy Jones (England/Perth Scorchers)T20I record: Matches 54; Runs 776; Avg 19.89; S/R 116.51
WBBL record: Matches 34; Runs 689; Avg 24.60; S/R 114.26Jones, the wicketkeeper-batter, is now in the middle-order for England it may be a role she plays for the Scorchers given they also have Mooney and Devine. She struck 55 off 37 balls in the fourth match of the series against West Indies.Marizanne Kapp (South Africa/Sydney Sixers)T20I record: Matches 78; Runs 946; Avg 19.30; S/R 96.23 | Wickets 58; Avg 20.65; Econ 5.42
WBBL record: Matches 70; Runs 637; Avg 18.20; S/R 101.11 | Wickets 77; Avg 17.67; Econ 5.18A fine allrounder, Kapp is the leading overseas wicket-taker in WBBL history after a long association with the Sixers and part of a formidable line-up. She started the T20 World Cup in excellent form but her tournament was curtailed by illness.Amelia Kerr (New Zealand/Brisbane Heat)T20I record: Matches 35; Wickets 37; Avg 19.89; Econ 5.75
WBBL record: Matches 16: Wickets 14; Avg 25.50; Econ 6.22Kerr, the legspinning allrounder, has just turned 20 but has already been around the international scene for four years. She will be a key weapon in the Heat attack and is also a very handy batter in the middle order, who could need to take on more responsibility this season. She took nine wickets across the six recent matches against Australia.Heather Knight (England/Sydney Thunder)T20I record: Matches 79; Runs 1256; Avg 22.83; S/R 119.96 | Wickets 20; Avg 25.00; Econ 5.71
WBBL record: Matches 55; Runs 1353; Avg 26.52; S/R 107.63 | Wickets 39; Avg 27.27; Econ 6.92The England captain, who has moved from the Hurricanes to the Thunder, has taken her T20 batting to a new level this year with 486 runs at 40.50 and a strike-rate of 135.75 which included a maiden century against Thailand in the T20 World Cup.Lizelle Lee’s power game will now be utilised by the Renegades•Getty ImagesLizelle Lee (South Africa/Melbourne Renegades)T20I record: Matches 74; Runs 1664; Avg 25.21; S/R 109.47
WBBL record: Matches 40; Runs 1100; Avg 29.72; S/R 125.57A thunderous striker of the ball, Lee has crossed town from the Stars to the Renegades and will be tasked with making the most of the Powerplay. In consecutive seasons she has produced the first century of the competition: 102 off 56 balls against the Sixers in 2018-19 and 103 off 65 balls against the Scorchers last summer.Hayley Matthews (West Indies/Hobart Hurricanes)T20I record: Matches 55; Runs 986; Avg 18.60; S/R 105.68 | Wickets 51; Avg 18.00; Econ 6.00
WBBL record: Matches 43; Runs 737; Avg 18.42; S/R 99.46 | Wickets 28; Avg 25.71; Econ 6.84Matthews will be looking to revive her credentials as one of the finest young players around after a lean run in T20Is where her top score in the last 14 innings is 23. Her talent suggests she should be averaging much better than 18Rachel Priest (New Zealand/Hobart Hurricanes)T20I record: Matches 75; Runs 873; Avg 16.77; S/R 104.42
WBBL record: Matches 69; Runs 1410; Avg 21.04; S/R 116.14After retiring from international cricket, wicketkeeper-batter Priest has set up her cricket base in Tasmania after previous WBBL spells with the Renegades and the Thunder. She will carry significant responsibility in what shapes as a potentially light Hurricanes top order.Amy Satterthwaite (New Zealand/Melbourne Renegades)T20I record: Matches 102; Runs 1595; Avg 21.26; S/R 96.02 | Wickets 24; Avg 22.00; Econ 7.07
WBBL record: Matches 53; Runs 1254; Avg 31.35; S/R 101.29 | Wickets 43; Avg 18.97; Econ 6.51Back as captain of the Renegades after maternity leave, Sattherthwaite will have a vital role at the top of the order which will be without Jess Duffin. She slotted back into international cricket impressively against AustraliaLaura Wolvaardt will be looking to bring these shots to the WBBL•Getty ImagesNat Sciver (England/Melbourne Stars)T20I record: Matches 80; Runs 1535; Avg 25.58; S/R 112.37 | Wickets 52; Avg 19.38; Econ 6.35
WBBL record: Matches 52; Runs 952; Avg 24.41; S/R 112.52 | Wickets 36; Avg 27.66; Econ 6.90A formidable allrounder, Sciver – one of the few players to have a shot named after them – joins team-mate Brunt at the Stars and is capable of match-changing performances with bat and ball. She had an outstanding T20 World Cup and made 82 off 61 balls against West Indies last monthLea Tahuhu (New Zealand/Melbourne Renegades)T20I record: Matches 60; Wickets 52; Avg 21.09; Econ 5.97
WBBL record: Matches 56; Wickets 49; Avg 24.61; Econ 5.96Continues to vie to be the fastest bowler in the game, Tahuhu is another injury concern heading into the tournament have suffering a back strain in the ODI series against Australia. If fit, she will be the pace-bowling strike weapon for the Renegades.Stafanie Taylor (West Indies/Adelaide Strikers)T20I record: Matches 108; Runs 3062; Avg 36.02 | Wickets 94; Avg 16.88; Econ 5.65
WBBL record: Matches 60; Runs 1074; Avg 26.19; S/R 101.41 | Wickets 49; Avg 18.51; Econ 6.55Taylor has an impressive T20 record and will be tasked with helping fill the void created by Devine’s departure after her 2019-2020 campaign was cut short by international duty and then injury.Chloe Tryon (South Africa/Hobart Hurricanes)T20I record: Matches 65; Runs 757; Avg 20.45; S/R 139.66 | Wickets 19; Avg 34.36; Econ 7.09
WBBL record: Matches 13; Runs 248; Avg 35.42; S/R 178.41
Few players in the world hit the ball as hard as Tryon – her WBBL strike-rate, albeit, from a small number of matches, is far and away the best in WBBL history (minimum 125 balls faced). The key for the Hurricanes will be finding the best spot in the order for her.Dane van Niekerk (South Africa/Sydney Sixers)T20I record: Matches 83; Runs 1839; Avg 28.73; S/R 94.79 | Wickets 63; Avg 21.06; Econ 5.45
WBBL record: Matches 63; Runs 795; Avg 21.48; S/R 105.67 | Wickets 64; Avg 20.00; Econ 6.35The South Africa captain is another of the leading allrounders in the game, although given the Sixers’ batting strength it is arguably her legspin that plays the more important role. She was Player of the Match in South Africa’s opening T20 World Cup victory over England earlier this year.Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa/Adelaide Strikers)T20I record: Matches 25; Runs 427; Avg 22.47; S/R 103.38
WBBL record: Matches 20; Runs 99; Avg 8.25; S/R 92.52It is best not to pay too much attention to Wolvaardt’s previous WBBL record which was two seasons with the Heat. The T20 World Cup felt like a breakthrough tournament for her in the format, with two dazzling unbeaten innings to highlight her as one of the most exciting emerging batting talents.