WBBL is back and it's bigger than ever

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Women's CricZone Staff
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The WBBL|05 will be played in its own window for the first time this season, highlighted by seven consecutive festival weekends around the country that will culminate in a Finals Festival Weekend on December 7-8, giving the country’s best female players an opportunity to take centre stage in a landmark shift away from the men’s BBL.

Increase in number of games will be played that will be played in prime time means more eyeballs will be generated for the broadcasters. WBBL will be the perfect lead-in for the T20 World Cup, to be played on Australian soil for the first time in February and March.

“This is monumental for the women’s game,” Cricket Australia Executive General Manager Fan Engagement Anthony Everard said.

“The players showed that last year with more totals of over 150 than the previous three seasons of the rebel WBBL combined, all culminating into an incredible standalone Finals Festival Weekend.

“Moving the entire tournament to its own standalone period is the first step towards achieving that ultimate goal of being the best women’s league in the world, giving the world’s best female cricketers from across the globe the platform to show fans what they are capable of.”

North Sydney Oval will host the opening weekend on October 18-20, with Sydney Sixers, Sydney Thunder and Brisbane Heat to feature in three matches across the three days.

Elsewhere, WBBL|05 will be launched with matches between Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Renegades at Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide, and between Melbourne Stars and Hobart Hurricanes at the CitiPower Centre in Melbourne.

Brisbane’s Allan Border Field, the WACA Ground in Perth, Karen Rolton Oval, Drummoyne Oval in Sydney, Blundstone Arena in Hobart and the CitiPower Centre at Junction Oval will also hold festival weekends.

Outside of the festival weekends, Burnie, Mackay, Launceston and Ballarat are among the regional centres included in the WBBL|05 schedule.

The season will culminate in a Finals Festival Weekend on December 7-8, with the team finishing on top of the ladder to host both semi-finals and the grand final.

“This is something we’ve been building towards and last year’s final series has proved that the rebel WBBL is ready to stand on its own two feet,” Everard said.

“The volume of televised content nearly doubled last season, with the 23 broadcast matches averaging 213,000 on Seven and Fox Cricket.

“To build on this, fans will have a more consistent broadcast offering this season, with seven consecutive festival weekends around the country broadcast live, with all remaining matches streamed on cricket.com.au.

"Festival weekends will also give families the best chance to come and experience the game all around the country.”

WBBL|05 Festival Weekends

  • Sydney Festival Weekend | North Sydney Oval – October 18-20

  • Brisbane Festival Weekend | AB Field – October 26-27

  • Perth Festival Weekend | WACA – November 1-3

  • Adelaide Festival Weekend | Karen Rolton Oval – November 9-10

  • Sydney Festival Weekend | Drummoyne Oval – November 15-17

  • Hobart Festival Weekends | Blundstone Arena - November 22-24

  • Melbourne Festival Weekend | CitiPower Centre at Junction Oval - November 30 – December 1

  • Finals Festival Weekend | Venue TBC – December 7-8


Also, 23 matches that will be broadcast live on the Seven Network, Fox Cricket and Kayo in Australia below.



























































































































DATE (All times local)MATCHVENUE
Friday, 18 October @ 7:40pmSydney Sixers v Sydney ThunderNorth Sydney Oval
Saturday, 19 October @ 7:10pmSydney Sixers v Brisbane HeatNorth Sydney Oval
Sunday, 20 October @ 2:10pmSydney Thunder v Brisbane HeatNorth Sydney Oval
Saturday, 26 October @ 9:40amAdelaide Strikers v Hobart HurricanesAllan Border Field
Saturday, 26 October @ 1:10pmBrisbane Heat v Perth ScorchersAllan Border Field
Sunday, 27 October @ 9:40amPerth Scorchers v Adelaide StrikersAllan Border Field
Sunday, 27 October @ 1:10pmBrisbane Heat v Hobart HurricanesAllan Border Field
Friday, 1 November @ 5:40pmPerth Scorchers v Melbourne RenegadesWACA Ground
Saturday, 2 November @ 12:10pmMelbourne Renegades v Sydney SixersWACA Ground
Saturday, 2 November @ 3:55pmPerth Scorchers v Melbourne StarsWACA Ground
Sunday, 3 November @ 11:10amSydney Sixers v Melbourne StarsWACA Ground
Saturday, 9 November @ 1:40pmAdelaide Strikers v Perth ScorchersKaren Rolton Oval
Sunday, 10 November @ 1:40pmAdelaide Strikers v Melbourne StarsKaren Rolton Oval
Friday, 15 November @ 7:10pmSydney Thunder v Sydney SixersDrummoyne Oval
Saturday, 16 November @ 7:10pmBrisbane Heat v Sydney ThunderDrummoyne Oval
Sunday, 17 November @ 2:10pmSydney Sixers v Melbourne RenegadesDrummoyne Oval
Friday, 22 November @ 7:10pmHobart Hurricanes v Brisbane HeatBlundstone Arena
Saturday, 23 November @ 7:10pmHobart Hurricanes v Adelaide StrikersBlundstone Arena
Saturday, 30 November @ 10:40amMelbourne Stars v Melbourne RenegadesCitiPower Centre
Sunday, 1 December @ 10:40amMelbourne Renegades v Sydney ThunderCitiPower Centre
Saturday, 7 DecemberSemi-Final 1TBC
Saturday, 7 DecemberSemi-Final 2TBC
Sunday, 8 DecemberFinalTBC
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