Strikers' new weapon leads bowling evolution in WBBL|11

Adelaide Strikers are targeting evolution with the ball as they look to return to the top end of the table in Weber WBBL|11.

Having finished seventh on the table last season, the Strikers pounced on the chance to draft superstar England spinner Sophie Ecclestone with pick No.2 in the WBBL draft after she was overlooked by former club Sydney Sixers.

The left-arm spinner adds another world-class option to an already star-studded attack that also features the internationally capped quartet of Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown, Amanda-Jade Wellington and Tahlia McGrath.

Adelaide's back-to-back Weber WBBL titles in 2022 and 2023 were built on their elite bowling unit, but it was that aspect of their game that largely failed to fire – despite boasting the same core group of players – as their hopes of a three-peat faded last season.

Speaking in Adelaide ahead of the Strikers' first home game against reigning champions Melbourne Renegades on Friday night, coach Luke Williams said last season had highlighted the need to continually evolve.

"We've been fortunate in recent years, have a fair bit of success in the WBBL program, but last year was tough," Williams said on Thursday.

"Through the draft being able to add Sophie Ecclestone, a high-quality left arm spinner, to our program has been absolutely fantastic.

"Sophie's a great personality, been fantastic around the group … she's able to bowl in all phases of the game, is able to take wickets, but also control with her economy.

"We've seen across world cricket and franchise cricket around the world that she's an absolute star, so it'll be fantastic for the local crowd to be able to see her in action

"We're looking at ways to evolve our bowling line, which has been so strong for so long, and continuing looking at ways to be better.

"The competition keeps going from strength to strength, so we know we've got to evolve and looking forward to the challenge this season."

After a washout in their opening game of the season against the Stars on Monday, the Strikers will now look to take down a Renegades outfit full of confidence after securing back-to-back wins to launch their title defence.

It has been a whirlwind lead-in to the season for Williams, who was part of England's coaching staff at the recent ODI World Cup in India, but he said planning throughout the year had left the club well prepared for WBBL|11.

Adelaide Strikers squad v Renegades: Tahlia McGrath (c), Jemma Barsby, Tammy Beaumont, Darcie Brown, Sophie Ecclestone, Ellie Johnston, Anesu Mushangwe, Bridget Patterson, Maddie Penna, Megan Schutt, Tabatha Saville, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Laura Wolvaardt 

"The style of play, lessons from last season, they're conversations that you have throughout the year, and start to build on that, to really prepare (ourselves) with how we want to go about it," he said.

"Once you do get started, there's not a lot of time between games, so a lot of that preparation has to be done in the time leading up to the tournament, and often that's when the group's not together.

"We certainly invest time in that and look for ways that we can feel like we can improve from last season."

Ecclestone and England opening batter Tammy Beaumont – who last played for the Strikers in WBBL|03 – are the two fresh overseas players in the Adelaide ranks this season.

They join the returning Laura Wolvaardt, who is looking to carry her red-hot 50-over form from the World Cup into her sixth season in blue.

Wolvaardt hit back-to-back centuries in the tournament knockouts, blasting Ecclestone and Beaumont's England side out with her 169 in the semi-final before following up with 101 as her team fell short of a maiden World Cup trophy to India in the November 2 decider.

"I've just found I'm in a pretty good place for my batting ... (it's a) totally different format now, in different conditions, lot bouncier here than in India so it's taken me a couple of sessions to adapt to that," Wolvaardt said on Thursday.

"The World Cup was quite long, quite a big eight weeks of being on the road.

"But being back in Adelaide feels like a second home. I've spent so much time already, so it feels refreshing – you can go to the beach, you can go out in the city, so it's nice to have that space and I've really enjoyed it so far.

"It's always a little bit strange playing with people that you just played against couple of days ago (but) thankfully, I've played with Soph before at Manchester Originals, so we've spent a bit of time together.

"First time playing with Tammy, so I've got to know her a bit in the last couple of days.

"I guess it's weird landing and opening (the batting) with someone you've never really spoken to before, but it's just the nature of the calendar at the moment and I think it's very cool getting to meet all these new people."

The Renegades meanwhile remain without captain Sophie Molineux as she continues her recovery from a quad strain.

The allrounder trained in the nets at the CitiPower Centre on Thursday however and if passed fit, could return for Sunday's Melbourne Derby.

Melbourne Renegades squad v Strikers:  Georgia Wareham (c), Charis Bekker, Alice Capsey, Sarah Coyte, Emma de Broughe, Deandra Dottin, Nicole Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Milly Illingworth, Sara Kennedy, Davina Perrin, Naomi Stalenberg, Courtney Webb 

Weber WBBL|11 Standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Total points PTS
1 Hobart Hurricanes Women HUR	10	7	2	0	1	0.662	0	15
2 Melbourne Stars Women STA	9	5	3	0	1	0.863	0	11
3 Sydney Sixers Women SIX	9	5	3	0	1	-0.365	0	11
4 Melbourne Renegades Women REN	10	5	5	0	0	0.121	0	10
5 Perth Scorchers Women SCO	9	5	4	0	0	-0.189	0	10
6 Adelaide Strikers Women STR	9	3	3	0	3	0.097	0	9
7 Sydney Thunder Women THU	9	3	5	0	1	-0.296	0	7
8 Brisbane Heat Women HEA	9	0	8	0	1	-0.944	0	1

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

PTS: Total points