Brisbane Heat pose with the Women’s Big Bash League trophy © Getty Images
The entire 59-game WBBL season will be held in Sydney, starting on October 25, to enable the competition to go ahead amid the challenges created by Covid-19.
Sydney had already been scheduled to host a three-week hub during the competition but ongoing travel and border restrictions around Australia has required it to be moved to one city throughout.
The WBBL becomes the first part of the Australian domestic season to be reworked and slotted into place. Fixtures, venues and broadcast times will be released in due course.
Alistair Dobson, the head of Big Bash Leagues, confirmed work was ongoing to enable overseas players to take part in the tournament.
“We want to thank the NSW Government for their willingness to work together to deliver the WBBL|06 competition in Sydney,” Dobson said.
“We are incredibly proud to deliver a full season of rebel WBBL|06 and would like to thank the NSW Government, our partners States & Territories Associations, the Australian Cricketers’ Association as well as – in particular Cricket NSW – for rallying together at this challenging time to deliver a safe and successful tournament.
“We can achieve great things together and the spirit of cooperation has been truly uplifting. Thanks must also go to our broadcasters, partners, players and staff for their outstanding support as we navigate what has been a challenging period.”
The Australian season will begin later this month when the New Zealand Women play three T20Is and three ODIs, the first international sport in the country since the pandemic took hold, and Dobson hopes the game can pick up from where it left off with the T20 World Cup final at the MCG on March 8.
“The ICC Women’s World Cup Final will forever be an iconic moment in our game’s history, and we are committed to carrying that momentum into the season ahead,” Dobson said.
“The likes of Meg Lanning, Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt and Beth Mooney have become household names in Australia and it will be brilliant watching them showcasing their talent and skills for their respective clubs this summer.
“Meg and Beth are among those to change clubs in the off-season, adding another dimension of excitement and expectation to the league.
“We will also be working closely with Australian and State governments to allow top-quality international players to enter our borders and join our clubs.”
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo