Cricket

Brisbane Heat's Grace Parsons emerged as a star in her second WBBL match, leading her team to a historic 28-run victory over Melbourne Renegades. The 21-year-old legspinner claimed 3 for 22 in four overs, turning the tide after Renegades had started strongly in pursuit of Heat's 169 for 8.Parsons' heroics marked the first time in WBBL history that Heat had begun a season with consecutive wins. Renegades had made a blistering start thanks to Hayley Matthews' 35 off 28, but Parsons' double-wicket maiden in her opening over halted their momentum.The turning point came when Deandra Dottin was controversially given out lbw after the ball deflected off her glove onto her pad. Despite Dottin's call for a review, the absence of DRS in this match proved costly for Renegades.Courtney Webb's run-out and Sophie Molineux's dismissal in the 10th over further compounded Renegades' woes, leaving them reeling at 71 for 5. Shikha Pandey's excellent bowling continued to restrict Renegades, despite Naomi Stalenberg's quickfire 38.Parsons' performance was particularly impressive given her shoulder injury last year, which sidelined her for the entire WBBL season despite being Queensland's leading wicket-taker in the WNCL. Her talent has earned her a spot in Australia A against India, signaling a promising future.Parsons credits her development to former Heat legspinner Amelia Kerr and spin bowling coach Cameron Boyce. "Learning off Amelia the last three years has been really special," she said. "Our spin bowling coach at the Heat is amazing, and it's been cool to pick his brain."Earlier, Georgia Redmayne and Lauren Winfield-Hill had set the innings up with a 66-run partnership. Redmayne's stylish square drives and Winfield-Hill's strike rotation kept the scoreboard ticking. Charli Knott and Dottin's dismissals threatened to derail Heat, but Laura Harris' quickfire 31 during the power surge boosted the total.Jess Jonassen's unbeaten 25 helped Heat reach a competitive 169 for 8, which proved too much for Renegades despite Parsons' heroics.

Adelaide Strikers emerged victorious in their WBBL title defense opener, defeating Sydney Sixers by 11 runs at North Sydney Oval. The match was marred by a frightening incident involving Strikers wicketkeeper Bridget Patterson, who was struck in the face by a 119kph delivery.Patterson's injury occurred in the fourth over of the Sixers' chase, when a ball from Darcie Brown kicked up and hit her near the right eye. She was immediately attended to by medical staff and was able to walk off the field after a few minutes. Patterson remained at the ground for the rest of the game and will undergo further assessment.Despite the setback, the Strikers' middle order rallied to post a competitive total of 171. Patterson, Orla Prendergast, and Amanda-Jade Wellington combined for 123 runs off 92 balls, with Wellington particularly impressive, hitting two sixes and three fours in her 40-run knock.In reply, Ellyse Perry dominated the early stages of the chase with a 26-ball fifty, while Sarah Bryce impressed with 62 off 44 balls. However, after Bryce's dismissal, the Sixers innings collapsed, losing six wickets for just 18 runs.Legspinners Wellington and Anesu Mushangwe were instrumental in the Strikers' victory, bowling superbly in the closing overs. Mushangwe finished with figures of 3-27, while Wellington took 2-29.

Caoimhe Bray, the 15-year-old all-rounder, has made a remarkable debut for the Sydney Sixers in the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), becoming the youngest player in the competition's history. Despite comparisons to Australian legend Ellyse Perry, Bray remains unfazed and embraces the opportunity to learn from her idol.Bray's journey to the WBBL has been meteoric. As an eight-year-old, she played for her Under-11 club cricket team. Last season, she amassed 955 runs in the NSW Under-18 Brewer Shield and led her team to the title. Her all-round performance in a tri-series against New Zealand earned her a spot in the Australia Under-19 squad.In the WBBL Spring Challenge, Bray impressed with her pace bowling, clocking 112kph. Her five wickets in four games, including the dismissal of Laura Harris, caught the attention of the Sixers.On Sunday, Bray made her WBBL debut against the Adelaide Strikers. She claimed the wicket of Deandra Dottin and hit the winning runs, guiding the Sixers to victory. Despite her nerves, Bray remained composed and focused on her own game."I don't think it's anything like scary or overwhelming being compared to her [Ellyse Perry] because she's such a great person," Bray said. "I just love that people are even saying it."Bray's dual-sport career includes representing the Junior Matildas in football. Despite her WBBL contract, she intends to continue playing both sports for as long as possible.Bray's rapid rise has been a testament to her talent and dedication. Her ability to bowl at high speeds and her all-round skills have made her a valuable asset to the Sixers. As she continues to develop, Bray has the potential to become one of the most exciting players in Australian cricket.

New Zealand's all-rounder Amelia Kerr has been ruled out of the remaining two ODIs against India due to a left quadricep muscle tear. The injury, sustained during the opening game, is expected to sideline her for approximately three weeks.Kerr's absence is a significant blow to New Zealand's hopes of climbing the Women's ODI Championship table. Currently ranked sixth, the White Ferns need a top-six finish to secure direct qualification for the 2026 ODI World Cup.The 22-year-old was a key figure in New Zealand's recent T20 World Cup triumph, finishing as the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 15 scalps. She continued her impressive form in the opening ODI against India, taking 4 for 42 and scoring an unbeaten 25.Kerr's injury also casts doubt on her participation in the upcoming Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) for the Sydney Sixers. As a platinum-category pick, she was expected to play a pivotal role for the Sixers. However, she could miss up to eight of their 10 league games even if she recovers within the estimated three-week timeframe.New Zealand head coach Ben Sawyer expressed disappointment over Kerr's injury. "We're really gutted for Melie," he said. "Injuries are always a challenging time for a player, and we know how disappointed she is to not be able to play these games.""Everyone knows how much of an integral part of this team Melie is, so we'll certainly miss her. But we're wishing her a speedy recovery."The remaining two ODIs between New Zealand and India will be played on October 27 and 29 in Ahmedabad. The White Ferns will face a tough challenge against the world champions without their star all-rounder.

The tenth season of the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) is set to commence on Sunday, October 16, with a triple-header featuring reigning champions Adelaide Strikers and Brisbane Heat. The tournament has been reduced to 40 games plus finals to align with the BBL and accommodate the growing women's cricket calendar.Each club will play 10 regular season games, down from 14 last season. The top four teams will qualify for the finals, which will follow a three-game format. The team finishing top will host the final on December 1.The WBBL has introduced several new features this season. A third umpire will be available in every game, and there will be an increase in matches with full DRS. An innings timer will also be in operation, with 73 minutes available to bowl the first ball of the 20th over.Several key players will be on display in the WBBL, including Phoebe Litchfield, Annabel Sutherland, Amelia Kerr, and Deandra Dottin. Litchfield, the youngest full-time captain in WBBL history, will lead Sydney Thunder. Sutherland, who captained Melbourne Stars, is a rising star in Australian cricket. Kerr, the Player-of-the-World Cup, has joined Sydney Sixers from Brisbane Heat. Dottin, who had a brilliant T20 World Cup, will play for Melbourne Renegades.The WBBL is expected to be a competitive and exciting tournament, with several teams vying for the title. Adelaide Strikers will be aiming for a hat-trick of titles, while Brisbane Heat, Sydney Sixers, and Melbourne Stars will be among the other contenders.

Phoebe Litchfield, the rising star of Australian cricket, has been appointed as the captain of Sydney Thunder for the upcoming Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) season. At just 21 years old, Litchfield becomes the youngest full-time captain in WBBL history.Litchfield's appointment comes after the departure of England captain Heather Knight, who led Thunder last season but will miss the latter stages of this year's competition due to injury. Litchfield has been a key player for Thunder since making her debut at the age of 16, scoring over 1200 runs in 67 matches.In the past season, Litchfield has shown significant improvement in her batting, increasing her strike rate and scoring 309 runs at an impressive 130.37. Her maturity and leadership qualities have also been evident, making her a natural choice for the captaincy role.Thunder general manager Trent Copeland praised Litchfield's appointment, saying, "She's young, but her experience in the game makes this a natural progression. Phoebe has always been mature beyond her years, and her leadership qualities have been evident from the moment she joined Thunder."Litchfield will have the support of an experienced squad, including Chamari Athapaththu, Hannah Darlington, Shabnim Ismail, and Sammy-Jo Johnson, as well as coach Lisa Keightley. Thunder will begin their WBBL campaign against Hobart Hurricanes on October 28.

Ni Made Putri Suwandewi, a promising Indonesian fast bowler, has joined the Perth Scorchers for the upcoming Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) season as an Associate rookie. Her signing marks a significant milestone in the growing partnership between WA Cricket and Persatuan Cricket Indonesia, with a focus on developing women's cricket in the country.Suwandewi, 26, has been a standout performer for Indonesia since her international debut in 2019. With 49 wickets in 40 WT20Is at an exceptional average of 8.18 and an economy rate of 2.97, she has established herself as one of the most economical bowlers in women's T20I cricket.Her impressive bowling repertoire includes a menacing inswinger, a deceptive slower ball, and the ability to execute precise yorkers. Perth Scorchers coach Becky Grundy and high performance boss Kade Harvey were particularly impressed by her skills during their visit to Bali earlier this year."She bowls a natural inswinger, but has excellent variety with a good slower ball and can hit the yorkers," Harvey said. "She's quite short, but a really skilful bowler."Suwandewi's arrival in Perth has been met with enthusiasm, and she has already made a positive impression during training. "She's got the potential to play a role for us in the tournament," Harvey said. "We're going to be missing some international players at different stages. It was a good opportunity to utilise the rules in terms of the Associate rookie. But we wouldn't have done it if we didn't think she was capable of contributing."The signing of Suwandewi underscores the growing partnership between WA Cricket and Persatuan Cricket Indonesia. Grundy and Harvey's visit to Bali in April provided an opportunity to witness the progress of women's cricket in Indonesia and identify areas for collaboration."We were really impressed with the standard of cricket from the girls in Indonesia," Harvey said. "They play on astro turf, so we think a big part of their development is getting on good turf wickets."With over 200,000 women playing cricket across 21 provinces, Indonesia has a vast potential for growth in the sport. The partnership between WA Cricket and Persatuan Cricket Indonesia aims to provide support and guidance to help the Indonesian women's team achieve their goal of becoming a top 10 team in the world.

Tayla Vlaeminck, the unlucky Australian and Melbourne Renegades fast bowler, has been ruled out of the WBBL for the third consecutive season due to a shoulder dislocation suffered during the T20 World Cup.Vlaeminck, 25, dislocated her bowling shoulder just moments into Australia's World Cup match against Pakistan, her first at a major tournament since 2018. She was subsequently ruled out of the World Cup, and the Renegades confirmed on Friday that she would play no part in the WBBL, which starts next Sunday.Vlaeminck's WBBL absence extends back to November 2021, when she played for the Hobart Hurricanes. She signed with the Renegades ahead of the 2022-23 season but has not played a single game due to a string of injuries.Vlaeminck has dislocated her left shoulder twice. The first occurred while playing for Victoria in the 2017-18 season. During the Australia A tour of England, which coincided with last year's Women's Ashes, she dislocated the same shoulder again while bowling, leading to corrective surgery.Before her Australian debut in 2018, Vlaeminck had undergone two ACL reconstructions. Stress fractures in her foot also forced her to miss the 2020 home T20 World Cup, the 2022 ODI World Cup, the Commonwealth Games later that year, and the 2023 T20 World Cup. Her foot injuries led her to train with professional dancers at the Australian Ballet as part of her rehabilitation.Vlaeminck's latest injury is a significant blow to the Renegades, who were hoping to challenge for the WBBL title this season. The team will now have to rely on other bowlers to fill the void left by Vlaeminck's absence.

The Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) is set to witness a significant technological upgrade in its tenth season, with the introduction of a third umpire in every game and an increase in matches utilizing the Decision Review System (DRS).To enhance the accuracy of on-field decisions, the WBBL will implement a third umpire for the first time. This additional official will be responsible for reviewing close calls and providing assistance to the on-field umpires.Furthermore, the league will expand the use of DRS to 33 out of the 43 matches. DRS allows teams to challenge umpiring decisions related to dismissals, such as leg before wicket (LBW), caught behind, and run outs. The TV umpire will have the authority to overturn or uphold the on-field decision based on video replays.In addition to the expanded DRS coverage, the WBBL will introduce an innings timer. Similar to the Big Bash League (BBL), teams will have 73 minutes to be ready to bowl the first ball of the 20th over. Failure to meet this deadline will result in a fielding penalty, requiring an extra fielder inside the circle.The implementation of these technological advancements aims to improve the fairness and accuracy of the game. Alistair Dobson, the head of Big Bash Leagues, emphasized the importance of world-class technology in a world-class competition. He believes that the expanded DRS coverage, TV umpire availability, and innings timer will enhance the viewing experience and provide a more consistent and fair playing field for the players.The tenth season of the WBBL kicks off on October 27 with a triple-header day. Defending champions Adelaide Strikers will face Brisbane Heat in a rematch of last season's final, followed by Melbourne Renegades against Sydney Sixers at the same venue. Perth Scorchers will then host Melbourne Stars at the WACA.