Cricket

The Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) draft is set to take place on September 1, and teams are eagerly preparing to bolster their squads. Here's a comprehensive look at the pre-draft signings, retention options, and potential targets for each club:Adelaide Strikers:* Pre-draft signing: Smriti Mandhana* Retention rights: Georgia Adams, Laura Wolvaardt* Draft picks: 6, 14, 22, 27The Strikers have secured the services of Indian superstar Smriti Mandhana and are expected to retain Laura Wolvaardt. They may seek a middle-order allrounder to complement their strong batting lineup.Brisbane Heat:* Pre-draft signing: Nadine de Klerk* Retention rights: Bess Heath* Draft picks: 7, 15, 18, 31With several key departures, the Heat will prioritize replacing Amelia Kerr's all-round abilities. They may also target a top-order batter to support Grace Harris and Georgia Redmayne.Hobart Hurricanes:* Pre-draft signing: Lizelle Lee* Retention rights: Shabnim Ismail, Bryony Smith* Draft picks: 1, 9, 24, 25The Hurricanes have secured Lizelle Lee and will use their top pick to acquire a top-four batter. They may also seek an additional pace bowler to strengthen their attack.Melbourne Renegades:* Pre-draft signing: Hayley Matthews* Retention rights: Eve Jones, Harmanpreet Kaur* Draft picks: 3, 11, 19, 30The Renegades have made significant domestic signings but may still target a top-order batter and an allrounder to complement their strong bowling unit.Melbourne Stars:* Pre-draft signing: Marizanne Kapp* Retention rights: Alice Capsey, Sophia Dunkley* Draft picks: 4, 12, 21, 28The Stars have a strong pace-bowling unit but may seek a high-quality frontline spinner. They may also target another top-order batter to support Meg Lanning.Perth Scorchers:* Pre-draft signing: Sophie Devine* Retention rights: Amy Jones, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Danni Wyatt* Draft picks: 8, 16, 17, 32The Scorchers may opt for a similar batting-heavy approach as last year, having secured Sophie Devine. They may also consider strengthening their bowling department.Sydney Sixers:* Pre-draft signing: Amelia Kerr* Retention rights: Suzie Bates, Sophie Ecclestone, Jess Kerr, Chloe Tryon, Linsey Smith* Draft picks: 2, 10, 23, 26The Sixers have added Amelia Kerr's all-round abilities and may seek another spinner. They may also target a top-order batter to supplement Alyssa Healy and Ellyse Perry.Sydney Thunder:* Pre-draft signing: Chamari Athapaththu* Retention rights: Heather Knight* Draft picks: 5, 13, 20, 29The Thunder have secured Heather Knight but may seek another frontline bowling option. They may also target a middle-order hitter to complement Taneale Peschel.

The BBL and WBBL drafts are set to take place on September 1, where the eight clubs in each competition will secure overseas players for the 2024-25 season. The draft process has undergone significant changes this year, with clubs now allowed to pre-sign one overseas player before the draft.Draft Order and Rounds:The draft order was determined by a weighted lottery based on last season's finishing positions. In the WBBL, Hobart Hurricanes have the first pick, while Perth Scorchers have the last. In the BBL, Melbourne Stars will have the first pick, and Sydney Sixers will have the eighth.The draft consists of four rounds, with each round featuring different player categories:* Round 1: Platinum players* Round 2: Platinum and Gold players* Round 3: Gold and Silver players* Round 4: Silver and Bronze playersPre-Signed Players and Retention:Clubs have already taken advantage of the new pre-signing rule, with all eight clubs securing at least one overseas player before the draft. These pre-signed players will be allocated to a specific round based on the value of their contract.Each club also has one retention pick, which can be used to retain a player who played for the club the previous season or who was signed last year but did not play.Player Availability:The WBBL and BBL seasons have been reduced to 40 games each, which has impacted player availability. The WBBL starts just seven days after the T20 World Cup, and there are various bilateral cricket series scheduled during the competition.In the BBL, most pre-signed players have committed to a full season, but some players drafted in the draft itself may leave early due to commitments to other T20 leagues.Player Salaries:Players are divided into four price bands based on their value:* WBBL: * Platinum: $110,000 * Gold: $90,000 * Silver: $65,000 * Bronze: up to $40,000* BBL: * Platinum: $360,000-$420,000 * Gold: $300,000 * Silver: $200,000 * Bronze: up to $100,000