Seven takeaways from the WBBL|11 fixture

With the Weber WBBL|11 schedule released, here’s seven takeaways out of the 35 action-packed days of competition. 

View the schedule here

WBBL|10 Final rematch opens season

Melbourne Renegades lifted the trophy for the first time in WBBL|10 after defeating Brisbane Heat at the MCG. It was a bitter pill to swallow for the Heat, who also lost the final the year before. This season, Brisbane will be out for revenge when they host the Renegades in the opening match of the tournament at Allan Border Field on November 9.

That game will kick off a blockbuster triple header, with last season’s semi-finalists Hobart Hurricanes and Sydney Thunder also set to play at Allan Border Field, while on the other side of the county, Perth Scorchers will host their fierce rivals Sydney Sixers at the redeveloped WACA Ground.

Sciver-Brunt makes Hobart her home

Hobart fans will not have to wait too long to see English superstar Natalie Sciver-Brunt in purple at home for the first time, with the Hurricanes to host the Adelaide Strikers at Ninja Stadium on November 18. That match will pit Sciver-Brunt against her England teammate Sophie Ecclestone, who will be making her Strikers debut this season after she was snapped up with pick No.2 in the draft.

Another date for Hobart fans to pencil into the diary is November 29, when the Hurricanes will host Sciver-Brunt’s former team Perth Scorchers in a Saturday night blockbuster.

Harris sisters face off

Grace and Laura Harris are no strangers to being on opposing teams when it comes to The Hundred and Women’s Premier League, but this season will see them go head-to-head for the first time in the WBBL.

Harris – Laura, that is – stunned Big Bash fans when she defected from the Heat to sign with Sydney Thunder at the end of last season. The aggressive middle-order weapon will meet her old team once in WBBL|11, on November 21, and she’ll return to her old stomping ground at Allan Border Field to do so.

Rivalry matches take centre stage

The WBBL|11 schedule is stacked with rivalry matches – both geographical and historical – throughout the season. This year, both Melbourne derbies will be played at the CitiPower Centre, with the first taking place on Sunday, November 16 before the second on Saturday, November 29. The first Sydney Smash will be hosted by the Thunder at Drummoyne Oval on November 15, before it’s the Sixers’ turn at North Sydney Oval on November 30. Adelaide Strikers and Perth Scorchers will do battle for the Faith Thomas Trophy at Karen Rolton Oval on Sunday November 16, while Adelaide will also play host to one of the league’s spiciest rivalries  when the Strikers take on the Heat on November 25.

Sophie v Sophia

One of the biggest shocks from the overseas player Draft was the Sydney Sixers’ call not to take English superstar spinner Sophie Ecclestone with the No.1 pick. Ecclestone was a feature of the Sixers’ line-up in 2022 and 2024, forming a dangerous spin attack alongside Ashleigh Gardner and Amelia Kerr last season. But the Sixers ultimately decided they needed to prioritise picking a top-order batter, in order to address an area where they struggled in WBBL|10, and it was fellow Englishwoman Sophia Dunkley’s name which was called out first at the draft.

The Strikers, with pick No.2, unsurprisingly pounced on Ecclestone and she will have to wait until the very last match of the regular season for chance to play against her old team, and her England teammate, at North Sydney Oval on December 7.

Friday night blockbuster at Adelaide Oval

While the ‘Stadium Series’ is not returning in WBBL|11, Adelaide Oval remains firmly in the mix and will host regular season matches for the third season in a row. This year, it will feature a star-studded double header on Friday, November 28, with the Sydney Sixers playing the Brisbane Heat in one of the league’s most enduring rivalries before the Strikers meet the Sydney Thunder under lights.

Double-headers galore

A scheduling squeeze created by the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, which runs until November 2, means this year’s WBBL is starting a fortnight later than last year. It is also packed into 35 days before the KFC BBL begins on December 14, with the tournament around a week shorter than the league would prefer. However, that means a near constant supply of cricket through November and early December, with only three match-free days during the regular season. It also means the league has looked to make the most of fan-friendly weekend slots, with almost every Friday, Saturday and Sunday featuring two matches.

Sign up to the waitlist at bigbash.com.au for pre-sale access before tickets go on public sale. Pre-sale for WBBL|11 will start July 29 and August 12 for BBL|15.