The women’s domestic T20 competition that is about to take place in Australia has undergone a major overhaul. First conceived as state-based, the tournament would now be franchise-based, with eight teams based on the eight WBBL franchises, including an ACT side.
This came following protests from Victoria and New South Wales, where they said they objected to the original plan based on arguments that their fringe players would not have adequate games.
Revised Tournament Structure
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To cope with these concerns, Cricket Australia (CA) and the states arrived at a new structure. It will consist of eight WBBL teams plus a side from ACT that is currently in the WNCL. They are to take place in a group stage of four matches each, with the top four teams proceeding to the knockout stage.
The competition will be held at the same time the T-20 World Cup game is being played in Bangladesh when the Australian national players will not be available. This leads to a potential release of space for others, as it is also expected that the overseas stars will have limited space. This timing is intended to give upcoming talents sufficient time to display their abilities.
A unique challenge is with ACT due to several of their players being contracted to various WBBL teams. For instance, Katie Mack is one of the main batters in the Adelaide Strikers team, and she may not be available in certain matches, which could affect the composition of the teams.
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WBBL: Balancing Workloads and Growth
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The reasons for the aforementioned decision were the need to reduce the workloads of top players, the desire to preserve the WBBL’s appeal for internationals, the desire to draw more spectators to matches, and finally, the desire to get rid of non-primetime matches. One of the key initiatives aimed at ensuring that the number of match opportunities for players in the state remained constant despite the shortened WBBL season.
It is important to note that Cricket New South Wales (NSW) has shown its support for the new tournament structure. Lee Germon, chief executive of NSW, stated that there is a determination to make the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder the two best franchises.
He said that the new tournament would assist both clubs in their quest to realize their goals in their quest to become a WBBL-winning club and also in developing players for the national team. He added that:
At a time when this enhanced player pathway is in the best interests of Australian cricket and provides further opportunity for the continued success of our national women’s teams.
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Contract Delays and Financial Implications
The uncertain competition structure also delayed contractual commitments on the part of the states, and this is usually tied to the end of April. This puts a delay in the plan, but the new T20 competition for women in 2024–25 will enhance the female average domestic player salary to AU$163,322. Further, there is no change in the salary cap on the current WBBL as the caps remain at par with no player payment cut witnessed.
The announcements about the restructured women’s domestic T20 competition are an important milestone for Australian cricket and a step on the way towards the orientation of the WBBL clubs and the inclusion of an ACT outfit.
This shift is the result of regulations from the states and its organizational nature and is aimed at ensuring that players have equal opportunities to play and spend adequate time on the field while helping women’s cricket develop and improve in terms of results in Australia.
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