The new women's domestic competition returns for a second season on October 21
All you need to know: T20 Spring Challenge 2025
What is the Spring Challenge all about?
After making its debut in 2024, the Spring T20 Challenge is back for a second season. The tournament was introduced in the cricket calendar to ensure the country's top women's domestic talent did not lose out on the number of games, following a decision to trim the WBBL regular season from 14 to 10 games.
The Spring Challenge is a nine-team competition featuring the eight Big Bash clubs along with the ACT Meteors. It will once again give an opportunity to the WBBL clubs and players to fine tune their preparations for the season.
This will also be a platform for the uncontracted players to make their case for the remaining deals on offer. Clubs are required to keep at least one spot on their WBBL list open for a domestic Australian player in their Spring Challenge squad.
The where and when…
The Spring Challenge will be played in carnival style in Sydney over 10 days. Twenty-one matches will be hosted across four venues – North Sydney Oval, Cricket Central, Blacktown International Sports Park and Drummoyne Oval.
The tournament will begin this Tuesday, October 21, with the Sydney Sixers taking on the inaugural champions Hobart Hurricanes at North Sydney Oval at 10am AEDT.
The other home side, Sydney Thunder, will face the ACT Meteors later in the day at the same venue. Cricket Central will also host two fixtures on the opening day.
Cricket Central host the two semi-finals and the final.
What's the format?
All nine teams will play four other sides in the league stage of the tournament. The top four performers will progress to the semi-finals to be played on October 29, with the final on October 30.
How can I watch?
Every game will be streamed live on Kayo, cricket.com.au and the CA Live app.
All games will be open to the public and free to attend for cricket fans.
Players to watch
The tournament will once again coincide with an ICC tournament, this time the Women's ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. While the top Australian internationals are away, the Spring T20 will help clubs test their bench strength ahead of the WBBL and give fans a chance to watch the future stars of the game in action.
Overseas signings Dani Gibson (Melbourne Stars) and Paige Scholfield (Perth Scorchers), who are not part of their national side England's World Cup squad, will fly to Australia early to join up with their clubs for the competition.
Big-hitting Lizelle Lee will bring her destructive form from the WNCL to the Hobart Hurricanes, now listed as a local player after receiving Australian permanent residency during WBBL|10.
Melbourne Stars will again have the experience of former Australian captain Meg Lanning in their ranks. The Stars were engaged in multiple trades with cross-town rivals, Melbourne Renegades. They have boosted their bowling stocks by signing Ella Hayward and Georgia Prestwidge from the side in red during the off-season.
Allrounder Tess Flintoff, the latest player to be handed an Australian contract, will be a major gain for the Gades as she makes the move after six seasons in the green.
The Spring T20 will also be the first time Laura Harris is seen in the Sydney Thunder's colours after making a trade period shift from the Brisbane Heat. Katie Mack will be a crucial reinforcement for the Perth Scorchers after the senior batter moved on from the ACT Meteors and Adelaide Strikers to find new state and WBBL homes.
Brisbane Heat's 15-year-old leg-spinner Ayaka Stafford will be one of the youngsters to keep an eye on. Not only has the teenager represented the Australian U19 side, but she has also played T20 International cricket for Japan, her mother's country of birth.
Full squad lists
ACT Meteors: Paris Bowdler, Rachel Carroll, Zoe Cooke, Grace Dignam, Holly Ferling, Angelina Genford, Amy Hunter, Carly Leeson, Grace Lyons, Shivani Mehta, Olivia Porter, Gabrielle Sutcliffe, Annie Wikman
Adelaide Strikers: TBC
Brisbane Heat: Lily Bassingthwaite, Bonnie Berry, Lucinda Bourke, Sianna Ginger, Lucy Hamilton, Nicola Hancock, Charli Knott (c), Annie O'Neil, Georgia Redmayne, Clodagh Ryall, Ayaka Stafford, Filippa SueSee, Mikayla Wrigley
Hobart Hurricanes: Mia Barwick, Nicola Carey (vc), Ava Curtis, Ruth Johnston, Lizelle Lee, Caitlyn Mair, Tabatha Saville, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Lauren Smith, Molly Strano, Rachel Trenaman, Elyse Villani (c), Callie Wilson
Melbourne Renegades: Charis Bekker, Sarah Coyte, Emma de Broughe, Samara Dulvin, Nicole Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Olivia Henry, Milly Illingworth, Charli McLennan, Jasmine Nevins, Zoe Samuel, Naomi Stalenberg, Courtney Webb (c)
Melbourne Stars: Sophie Day, Maisy Gibson, Dani Gibson (OS), Ella Hayward, Jasmine Kamboj, Meg Lanning, Rhys McKenna, Ines McKeon, Sasha Moloney, Indigo Noble, Mia Perrin, Georgia Prestwidge, Sophie Reid
Perth Scorchers: Chloe Ainsworth, Maddy Darke, Amy Edgar, Mikayla Hinkley, Ebony Hoskin, Katie Mack, Shay Manolini, Rebecca McGrath, Lilly Mills, Chloe Piparo, Paige Scholfield (OS), Ruby Strange, Maddie White
Sydney Sixers: Caoimhe Bray, Maitlan Brown, Mathilda Carmichael, Lucy Finn, Elsa Hunter, Lauren Kua, Emma Manix-Geeves, Claire Moore, Frankie Nicklin, Kate Pelle, Courtney Sippel
Sydney Thunder: Samantha Bates, Ella Briscoe, Stella Campbell, Tara French, Hasrat Gill, Laura Harris, Anika Learoyd, Alexandra Mavros, Olivia Maxwell, Taneale Peschel, Eva Ragg, Tahlia Wilson (c)