After two years of disruption brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic and state border restrictions, Cricket Australia (CA) on Thursday announced that the 2018 season of the women's Big Bash League (WBBL), consisting of 59 matches, will be hosted all throughout Australia.
On Thursday, October 13, under the lights in Mackay, the eighth iteration of the competition will get under way with Brisbane Heat hosting rival Sydney Sixers, with the final set for November 27. With a total of 14 metro and regional sites, games will be played in all six states as well as the ACT.
For fans of the Melbourne Renegades and Melbourne Stars, the return of the WBBL to teams playing in their home sites is welcome news. The clubs will host games in Victoria for the first time since 2019 at Junction Oval, Ballarat's Eastern Oval, and Moe's Ted Summerton Reserve.
"It's a terrific development for the competition that the WBBL is becoming more of a prime time tournament. The players seem to really like those festival weekends, and I believe the spectators enjoy being able to watch a lot of cricket in one weekend."
"However, we've also had smaller festivals during the week in the past; this year, we've been able to mainly avoid that and turn those midweek games into more isolated contests. We now have more one-off matches on a given night than ever before, which naturally draws larger crowds and audiences. In the end, I believe it to be one of our greatest schedules—if not the strongest since switching to a solo season "Cricket.com.au cited Alistair Dobson, who oversees the Big Bash for Cricket Australia.
Sydney Thunder and Sydney Sixers games will be broadcast at Manuka Oval in Canberra, while games between the Thunder and the Sixers will be played at North Sydney Oval and Blacktown International Sportspark. Additionally, the Hobart Hurricanes resume hosting games at Blundstone Arena and Latrobe Recreation Ground.
For the first time since 2019, Brisbane Heat will play at the renovated Allan Border Field, and Adelaide Strikers will play host to Melbourne Stars at both the Karen Rolton Oval and Centennial Park in Nuriootpa. Once more, Perth Scorchers will hold games at the WACA Ground and their well-liked Lilac Hill festival location.
Dobson pointed out that the Men's T20 World Cup, which will take place from October 16 to November 13, and the WBBL have not collided. "In the end, (the World Cup) hasn't caused us too much inconvenience, partially because the venue mix is relatively separate and similarly, we've been able to avoid the Australian matches in the World Cup,"
The Adelaide Strikers were defeated in the competition's final by the Perth Scorchers, the defending champions.