Sophie Ecclestone’s move from Sydney Sixers to Adelaide Strikers marked a notable shift in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) draft. The Sixers sprang a surprise by selecting England batter Sophia Dunkley as their No.1 pick, making Ecclestone available for the Strikers, who quickly snapped her up with the second pick.
The draft process was marked by unpredictability, especially after Melbourne Renegades lost Hayley Matthews to a shoulder injury, and Hobart Hurricanes announced they had pre-signed England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt. Teams were scrambling to make the best choices in a rapidly changing playing field.
Melbourne Stars aimed to recruit Jemimah Rodrigues with the third pick, but Brisbane Heat retained her. A similar attempt for England’s Danni Wyatt-Hodge was thwarted as Hobart Hurricanes held on to her. Eventually, the Stars succeeded in obtaining Amy Jones, an England wicketkeeper-batter, after Perth Scorchers chose not to use their retention rights. Scorchers, meanwhile, attempted to secure Heather Knight and Deandra Dottin but were countered by Sydney Thunder and the Renegades using their retention picks.
Scorchers finally settled on pre-signing Sophie Devine at the platinum level, wrapping up the opening round. In an unexpected move during the second round, they selected Paige Scholfield, a fringe England player, at the gold price. Also joining the Scorchers was Chloe Tryon of South Africa, set to represent her fourth WBBL club.
Sydney Thunder, with a bolstered overseas lineup, expressed satisfaction with landing South Africa fast bowler Shabnim Ismail in the final round. Their squad now includes Knight as a retention and Chamari Athapaththu, whom they’ve pre-signed.
A noteworthy comeback is that of Tammy Beaumont to the Adelaide Strikers. Previously, she played 27 matches for them from 2016 to 2018, and after stints with the Renegades and Thunder, she returns to her former club.
The Renegades, impacted by Matthews’ injury, refrained from selecting a full roster during the draft. This gives them the opportunity to recruit an additional player from those initially left undrafted.
Draft Summary:
– Adelaide Strikers: Sophie Ecclestone, Laura Wolvaardt, Tammy Beaumont
– Brisbane Heat: Jemimah Rodrigues, Chinelle Henry, Nadine de Klerk
– Hobart Hurricanes: Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith
– Melbourne Renegades: Deandra Dottin, Alice Capsey
– Melbourne Stars: Amy Jones, Marizanne Kapp, Dani Gibson
– Perth Scorchers: Sophie Devine, Paige Scholfield, Chloe Tryon
– Sydney Sixers: Sophia Dunkley, Amelia Kerr, Maddy Villiers
– Sydney Thunder: Heather Knight, Chamari Athapaththu, Shabnim Ismail
