'The benchmark': stars hail WBBL ahead of new season

Insisting the WBBL remains the women's cricket's most prestigious short-format tournament, veteran superstar Sophie Devine is tipping this season's edition will be the most unpredictable.

Featuring 43 games in 38 days, the veritable smorgasbord of T20s gets under way next Thursday with Devine believing all eight teams can win the title.

"Looking at all the squads, anyone can beat anyone on their day and especially in T20 cricket," the Perth Scorchers captain said at Friday's season launch in Sydney.

"It's such a game where it only takes one person to change it. So, for us, home games become super important because I want to make sure that you're winning those games at home.

"But there are no easy home games either."

Four months after Australia claimed a record-extending seventh T20 World Cup crown, the country's elite talent - plus the likes of New Zealand great Devine and other international drawcards - will be spread across the competition.

And that's what Devine reckons will make the 12th WBBL the most exciting.

"Looking back over the competition's history, it's sort of gone in waves a little bit as there's teams that you think should absolutely be in the finals, and then they're not," the 37-year-old said.

"So it really does depend on the year and how people go and the form of players as well. The competition being the (short) length that it is, you can ride the wave a little bit.

"I do genuinely think that any team in this comp can win it."

While The Hundred tournament in the UK is growing in appeal and India's WPL is more lucrative, Devine is adamant the WBBL remains "the benchmark" competition. 

"Certainly over the last couple of years, it's become a lot tighter and that's been down to probably the standard of the domestic players," said the Kiwi dual international.

"A lot of franchise competitions, it's the international players that have the biggest impact here. But it's always been the domestic players which have proven to be the difference between the teams.

"That's why this competition is so good because it just keeps getting better and better.

"The talent of the domestic players brings the standard up considerably so, for me, this still is the benchmark for franchise cricket."

The scheduling of the competition, chiefly during school terms, has come under criticism from senior players, notably champion allrounder Ellyse Perry.

But, as she enters her 20th summer of cricket, Perry softened her stance on Friday.

"There are challenges with that but having more games on the weekend certainly makes it easier," Perry said.

"We're hopefully pushing further towards December this year so the school year's winding down a little bit more.

"But there's probably a time to look at that and see where it fits best, but this year we've got some awesome opportunities with this competition and we've got no doubt that the fans will still find a way to come."

Sydney Thunder face the Melbourne Renegades in the opening match of the competition in Melbourne on October 29.

The Hobart Hurricanes launch their title defence against the Melbourne Stars in the second match of Thursday's double-header at Junction Oval, which will host night games for the first time this season after its long-awaited lights were installed.