It's back to the future for the Melbourne Stars as Meg Lanning resumes the captaincy
Stars call on experienced heads to go deeper in WBBL|12
The Melbourne Stars have gone back to the future this season as Meg Lanning returns to lead the club into Weber WBBL|12.
Five-time World Cup winning former Australia captain Lanning last led the Stars in 2023 before handing the reins over to Annabel Sutherland, who has now stepped down after two seasons in the role.
It was a call made by Sutherland to lighten her own responsibilities during a packed summer for Australia's women, given the load she carries as one of the world's premier allrounders.
Lanning never expected to end up back in charge at the Stars, but told cricket.com.au she was happily embracing the role.
"It probably wasn't something that was on my radar too much, having stepped back from it a couple of years ago, with Annabel stepping in," Lanning said. "But once we had some discussions this year around how do we get the best out of everybody, it came down to me stepping into that role, which I'm happy to do - whatever's going to help the team win and play at our best.
"Annabel will still play a really big role in the leadership space, and hopefully it just frees her up a little bit to be able to go out there and play, so we can see the best of her out on field."
WBBL|12 club previews
Lanning has been working with incoming Stars coach Richard Pyrah to prepare for the upcoming season, and they will draw on the experience of other senior players including Sutherland and Australia quick Kim Garth as sounding boards.
The 34-year-old has continued to dip her hand into leadership roles since retiring from international cricket, including captaining in the Women's Premier League, and leading the Manchester Super Giants in this year's Hundred.
The right-hander was at her dominant best as the Stars returned to the top four last season, scoring a league-leading 479 runs.
The Stars have added spin-bowling allrounder Charlie Dean to their ranks this season alongside two returning England internationals in Amy Jones and Dani Gibson.
Their all-round stocks took a hit, however, when South Africa's Marizanne Kapp withdrew from the coming season. Kapp, who joined the Stars on a three-year deal ahead of WBBL|10, opted out of the final year of her contract to focus on international duties with the Proteas due to play a rare Test against India starting on December 9, just four days after the WBBL|12 final, as part of a multi-format series that will also feature three ODIs and three T20Is.
Kapp, who has featured in all 11 previous WBBL seasons across four clubs, had an interrupted start to 2026, missing games against India and Pakistan due to illness and injury.
Last season
Result: Fourth, lost the Knockout to the Perth Scorchers
Most runs: Meg Lanning (479 runs at an average of 53.22, SR of 136.07)
Most wickets: Sophie Day (16 wickets, average 12.43, econ 7.5)
WBBL|12 squad
Sophie Day, Charlie Dean (England), Kim Garth, Dani Gibson (England), Maisy Gibson, Amy Jones (England), Meg Lanning (c), Carly Leeson, Rhys McKenna, Indigo Noble, Georgia Prestwidge, Zoe Samuel, Naomi Stalenberg, Annabel Sutherland
Ins: Charlie Dean (England), Zoe Samuel, Carly Leeson, Naomi Stalenberg
Outs: Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), Maia Bouchier (Strikers), Sophie Reid (Renegades), Ines McKeon, Sasha Moloney
Internationals: Amy Jones, Dani Gibson, Charlie Dean (all England)
Head coach: Richard Pyrah (replacing Andy Christie)
Season schedule
Possible best XI
Meg Lanning (c), Rhys McKenna, Amy Jones (wk), Annabel Sutherland, Dani Gibson, Charlie Dean, Zoe Samuel, Georgia Prestwidge, Kim Garth, Maisy Gibson, Sophie Day
Player availability
England are not playing international cricket until January, leaving their players available for the full season.
Overseas recruits
Dani Gibson (England): Pace-bowling allrounder Gibson returns for a third season in green. She is one of the league's best power hitters, finding the boundary 26 times last season, scoring 170 runs at a strike rate of 139.34. The 25-year-old will also provide another seam-up bowling option for the Stars.
Charlie Dean (England): England vice-captain Dean will appear in the Big Bash for the first time this summer. The 25-year-old recently skippered her country to an ODI series sweep over Ireland while filling in for Natalie Sciver-Brunt, and will boost the Stars' spin stocks with her offies, while also adding depth to their batting order and leadership experience. With five years of international experience and 120 England appearances to her name, Dean has taken 77 T20I wickets at an average of 18.32.
Amy Jones (England): Experienced keeper-batter Jones will be back behind the stumps after finishing as the club's second-highest run scorer in 2025, having cemented herself as a reliable number three option in 2025, scoring 234 runs from 11 matches, with a top score of 59. The 33-year-old was equally as valuable behind the stumps, proving herself as one of the best wicketkeepers in the world.
Inside word with Stars captain Meg Lanning and quick Kim Garth
Richard Pyrah's arrival as coach
Yorkshire's Richard Pyrah has signed on as Stars coach for the next two seasons, taking the reins from Andy Christie, who stepped back into an assistant role with the club while remaining head coach of Victoria's women's team.
Pyrah had previously worked across both England and Australia and spent the past three years at the helm of Yorkshire, who were elevated to the top tier of the ECB's women's county competition this year.
He also worked as an assistant coach with Sunrisers Leeds during this year's women's Hundred, working alongside Annabel Sutherland and Dani Gibson.
"He got here just before Spring Challenge started, and we had a few phone calls and whatnot leading into it, but it was really helpful to have him throughout Spring Challenge, just for the staffing group and the playing group to get used to each other, how he operates, what he expects of us, and for him to get a bit of a handle on the group as well," Lanning said.
"So that was a really productive tournament for us. We felt like we improved throughout that tournament, and some really clear roles have come up. So he's been great so far. I think he's provided a really clear direction for our group, how we want to play, how we want to operate on and off the field."
Who will open the batting?
Lanning opened the batting with rising allrounder Rhys McKenna last season, with the club heavily reliant on the former Australia captain and Amy Jones at first drop. McKenna hit one half-century, but overall averaged 13.72 with a strike rate of 110. The Stars stuck with the same opening pair in the T20 Spring Challenge, where McKenna hit an impressive 45-ball 55.
"That's probably where we're leaning," Lanning said. "Rhys last year showed some really good signs. She's a young player who's got some exceptional skills and talent.
"It's just about her having the confidence to go out there and play her game. We just want to maximise everybody's skills and we've got Annabel and Dani Gibson through the middle, and then Amy Jones as well."
The pace cartel
Despite Kapp's absence, the Stars still boast one of the stronger pace attacks in the league, led by Kim Garth and Annabel Sutherland alongside Gibson and local allrounder Rhys McKenna.
"We've got a lot of variety within the team," Lanning said. "Kim Garth can take the new ball and on her day, she's pretty unplayable. It's handy to have her and Annabel, who is just going from strength to strength, and can bowl at any phase of the innings.
"She really understands her game now, which I think is a really cool thing to have. We feel like we've got some options throughout the innings and some variety as well, which I think is important. We play on pretty good wickets, so you want to be able to dish up some different stuff."
The spin attack
Charlie Dean comes in to support left-arm spinner Sophie Day, who was the Stars' leading wicket taker in WBBL|11, and Maisy Gibson, giving them a more well-rounded spin attack.
"Charlie gives us a lot in a lot of different areas - she's very experienced," Lanning said of Dean. "She's captained England a fair bit, so she's a cool head and someone who can stay really calm under pressure which is really handy in T20 cricket in particular.
"Her bowling is an option throughout any time in the innings, she can bowl those tough overs as well. With the Surge you need people that can be flexible in that area, and (she brings a lot) with the bat and in the field as well."