WBBL preview: Stars name Lanning replacement

Melbourne Stars have appointed a new captain to fill the vacancy left by the absent Meg Lanning, with Nicole Faltum to lead the club in the upcoming Weber WBBL season.

Faltum, a wicketkeeper-batter who hails from Gippsland in eastern Victoria, is just 22 years of age but already has elite-level captaincy experience, having led Victoria for much of the 2021-22 domestic one-day season when Lanning was touring with Australia.

"It's an honour to be named captain of the Melbourne Stars for WBBL|08, this club means a lot to me and I'm so grateful to be given this opportunity," Faltum said.

"The WBBL is always an exciting time of year and I'm looking forward to leading our young group this season, especially back in Victoria in front of our members and fans."

Lanning is on indefinite leave from the game, having announced in August she was stepping away from cricket shortly after leading the national side to Commonwealth Games gold in Birmingham.

Her absence leaves a hole in the Stars' batting line-up, but the Melbourne club have recruited three top-order overseas batters in Indian star Jemimah Rodrigues and English pair Alice Capsey and Lauren Winfield-Hill.

Annabel Sutherland will take on an increased responsibility with the bat, and comes into the tournament fresh off two domestic one-day centuries, while Faltum hit a half-century of her own against Tasmania on Tuesday.

Jonathan Batty, who coaches Surrey and the Oval Invincibles in the United Kingdom, takes over as coach from Jarrad Loughman. After four different head coaches in as many years, the Stars will be seeking stability.

The Stars begin their WBBL|08 campaign on October 15 against Brisbane Heat in Mackay.

Last year's result: Fifth (5 wins, 2 losses, 1 no result)

Overseas players signed: 3 of 3

Coach: Jonathan Batty (new)

WBBL|08 squad: Nicole Faltum (c), Annabel Sutherland (CA contracted), Alice Capsey (Eng), Jemimah Rodrigues (Ind), Lauren Winfield-Hill (Eng), Lucy Cripps, Sophie Day, Tess Flintoff, Kim Garth, Hasrat Gill, Olivia Henry, Rhys McKenna, Sasha Moloney, Sophie Reid

Unavailable: Meg Lanning (CA contracted)

In: Jemimah Rodrigues (Renegades), Alice Capsey, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Sasha Moloney (Hurricanes), Sophie Reid, Olivia Henry, Hasrat Gill

Out: Elyse Villani (Hurricanes), Erin Osborne (retired), Maddy Darke (Scorchers), Maia Boucher, Linsey Smith, Georgia Gall, Anna Lanning

Possible best XI: Sutherland, Winfield-Hill, Capsey, Rodrigues, Moloney, Faltum (c)(wk), Reid, Garth, Flintoff, Day, McKenna

Key player: Annabel Sutherland. The 20-year-old has enjoyed a stunning start to the 50-over domestic season, hitting two centuries for Victoria in three innings. She will be critical with bat and ball, and has the carrot of vacant spots in the Australia XI, in the unlikely event she needs any extra incentive.

Image Id: 712755D8F19640AA9E2ED9961FAC4828 Image Caption: Alice Capsey is already making her mark at international level aged 17 // Getty

The imports: Alice Capsey is just 17 years old but already has a summer of international cricket under her belt after debuting for England in July. Veteran Winfield-Hill was dropped by England during the one-day World Cup earlier this year but it drove her to new heights, as she dominated both the Hundred (219 runs at an average of 55 and strike rate of 136) and the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy (470 runs at 78). Rodrigues missed India's recent series against England due to injury but hit back-to-back fifties in the Asia Cup upon her return.

The cult hero: Kim Garth. The former Ireland allrounder, who debuted for her country aged 14, is officially an Australian resident and will play as a local this season after attaining permanent residency, which opens an additional place for an overseas player on the list.

You should know about: Hasrat Gill. The 16-year-old is one of the brightest young talents in Victorian cricket and took a first grade Premier Cricket hat-trick for the Melbourne Cricket Club last January, ending the season as the competition's leading wicket-taker.

Fixtures

October 15 v Heat, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay

October 16 v Sixers, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay

October 20 v Scorchers, WACA Ground, Perth

October 23 v Thunder, WACA Ground, Perth

October 29 v Renegades, Eastern Oval, Ballarat

October 31 v Thunder, Eastern Oval, Ballarat

November 2 v Strikers, Blacktown International Sportspark

November 5 v Strikers, Lilac Hill, Perth

November 12 v Sixers, CitiPower Centre, Melbourne

November 13 v Renegades, CitiPower Centre, Melbourne

November 15 v Hurricanes, Latrobe Recreation Ground

November 16 v Hurricanes, Latrobe Recreation Ground

November 18 v Scorchers, Ted Summerton Reserve, Moe

November 20 v Heat, Ted Summerton Reserve, Moe

Tickets for Weber WBBL and KFC BBL games are on sale now. Get yours at cricket.com.au/big-bash