Eight England women’s players to hone skills overseas this winter:
- Charlotte Edwards & Katherine Brunt: Perth Scorchers
- Heather Knight: Hobart Hurricanes
- Kate Cross & Lauren Winfield: Brisbane Heat
- Sarah Taylor: Adelaide Strikers
- Danielle Wyatt: Melbourne Renegades
- Laura Marsh: New South Wales
Seven England women’s players will be heading ‘Down Under’ to play in the inaugural edition of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) this winter.
After successful stints with Western Australia, Tasmania and South Australia respectively last year, Charlotte Edwards, Heather Knight and Sarah Taylor will return this winter to play for the associated WBBL teams – Perth Scorchers, Hobart Hurricanes and Adelaide Strikers – in the new T20 competition.
England team-mates, Kate Cross and Lauren Winfield will also feature in the WBBL, after signing for Brisbane Heat, Katherine Brunt will join Charlotte Edwards for a stint with Perth Scorchers in December, and Danielle Wyatt will be based with Melbourne Renegades.
All-rounder Laura Marsh will also be honing her skills in Australia this winter, having signed to play for New South Wales in the established 50-over state-based Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL). Heather Knight (Tasmania), Sarah Taylor (South Australia), Lauren Winfield (Queensland) and Danielle Wyatt (Victoria) will also play in the WNCL, alongside their WBBL commitments.
Kate Cross of England in action at the ECB National Performance Centre on July 10, 2014 (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images for ECB)
Lancashire and England women’s fast bowler, Kate Cross, said: “I’m very excited about signing for Brisbane Heat and am really looking forward to playing in the first ever Women’s Big Bash League. We are currently enjoying unprecedented times for women’s cricket, with increasing levels of professionalisation, improving standards and a constantly growing profile.”
“With the ICC World T20 in India coming up early next year, playing in the WBBL will give us the perfect opportunity to practise our skills against some of the best players in the world in a highly competitive environment. Playing in the WBBL should also give us a taste of what we can look forward to experiencing in the ECB’s Women’s Cricket Super League in England next summer.”
The first season of the WBBL will see eight clubs – aligned with the eight KFC Big Bash League clubs – take part in a T20 competition comprising of 59 matches in 51 days, culminating in the final on Sunday 24 January 2016.
Earlier this summer, the ECB announced that the first Women’s Cricket Super League will be launched during the 2016 season. This major new development will help to support greater participation, encourage higher levels of performance and create new commercial partnerships for the women’s game in England. The competition will feature six teams and will receive a £3 million investment from the ECB over the next four years.
