خاض فريق ليفربول، بقيادة المدرب آرني سلوت، مباراته في إطار منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا مساء يوم الثلاثاء، وذلك ضد نظيره فريق إنتر ميلان.

وحل ليفربول ضيفًا على إنتر ميلان، في الجولة السادسة من دوري أبطال أوروبا، مرحلة الدوري موسم 2025/26، حيث حقق الريدز فوزًا بهدف دون رد.

وخاض ليفربول تلك المباراة بدون النجم المصري محمد صلاح، الذي تم استبعاده من قائمة الفريق كقرار من آرني سلوت، إثر تصريحاته الهجومية التي أدلى بها يوم السبت الماضي.

واضطر المدير الفني لفريق إنتر ميلان، كيفو، لإجراء تغيير مبكر في الدقيقة 11 من عمر الشوط الأول بعد إصابة هاكان تشالهان أوغلو، حيث دفع بزميله بيوتر زيلينسكي.

وتحصل لاوتارو مارتينيز على بطاقة صفراء في الدقيقة 13 بعد تدخله ضد آندي روبرتسون الذي احتاج لبعض الوقت قبل أن يتمكن من استكمال اللعب مجددًا.

وتصدى يان سومر، حارس مرمى فريق إنتر ميلان، لفرصتين متتاليتين من جانب ليفربول في الدقيقة 18، عن طريق كورتيس جونز وريان جرافنبيرخ، في مهارة رائعة من جانب السويسري.

وفي الدقيقة 29، تصدى يان سومر لفرصة هدف من ليفربول بعد تسديدة من هوجو إيكتيكي، من الناحية اليمنى ولكن الحظ لم يحالفه، لتتحول إلى ركلة ركنية.

وتواصلت الضربات على إنتر ميلان بعدما تعرض لاعب آخر للإصابة وهو أتشيربي، في الدقيقة 30، حيث اضطر إلى الخروج ونزل مكانه يان بيسيك.

وتمكن ليفربول من تسجيل هدف أول أمام خصمه فريق إنتر ميلان، في الدقيقة 32 من عمر الشوط الأول، عن طريق إبراهيما كوناتي، بعد ركلة ركنية حيث وصلت الكرة إلى منطقة الجزاء، وسددها الفرنسي برأسه في الشباك، وتدخلت تقنية الفيديو للتأكد من صحته لوجود شك حول خطأ من جانب إيكتيكي.

وتم استدعاء حكم المباراة لرؤية الموقف بدقة عبر شاشة تقنية الفيديو، قبل اتخاذ قرار نهائي بإلغاء الهدف، لتعود المباراة إلى التعادل السلبي.

وتحصل هوجو إيكتيكي على بطاقة صفراء في الدقيقة 38 من عمر الشوط نفسه، بسبب ارتكابه خطأ، بينما احتسب الحكم 7 دقائق كوقت بدلًا من الضائع لذلك الشوط، وتصدى أليسون بيكر لفرصة هدف من لاوتارو مارتينيز في آخر اللحظات.

وفي الدقيقة 57، تحصل لاعب فريق إنتر ميلان، هنريك مخيتاريان، على بطاقة صفراء لارتكابه خطأ ضد دومينيك سوبوسلاي، في حين ظفر كورتيس جونز ببطاقة صفراء في الدقيقة 73.

وكاد ليفربول أن يسجل هدفًا في الدقيقة 81، بعد تسديدة من برادلي ولكن يان سومر، حارس إنتر ميلان، تصدى ببراعة، ليحافظ على النتيجة كما هي، 0/0.

وتدخلت تقنية الفيديو لوجود شك حول ضربة جزاء محتملة لصالح ليفربول، في الدقيقة 85، بسبب خطأ من باستوني ضد فلوريان فيرتز، قبل احتساب الركلة في النهاية بالفعل، وإنذار لاعب إنتر ميلان.

ونفذ دومينيك سوبوسلاي ضربة جزاء ليفربول بنجاح، ليحولها إلى هدف لصالح ليفربول في الوقت القاتل.

بتلك النتيجة، ارتفع رصيد ليفربول إلى 12 نقطة في المركز الثامن في جدول دوري أبطال أوروبا، بينما تجمد رصيد إنتر ميلان عند 12 نقطة في المركز الخامس.

The New York Yankees are sleepwalking through the dog days of summer.

The club looked to be turning a corner to close a disappointing month of July, as they had won four of five games, then imported seven players at a busy trade deadline, seemingly adding even more muscle to the roster and excitement into the clubhouse.

But the Yankees have fallen flat since, blowing two leads in a series-opening loss against the Miami Marlins, getting swept by those same Marlins and then losing the first game of the series in walk-off fashion to the Texas Rangers.

So, after four straight losses and a 12–16 stretch since July 1, are the defeats wearing on the Yankees players?

"Yes," Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters after Monday's loss. "Doesn’t matter though. It doesn’t matter. Weigh on us. Stress. We gotta win. Period. We know that. Nobody cares how stressful it is. That’s all just noise, excuses, whatever. We’ve got to go play better and we’ve got to win, and we know that."

What might help the struggling Yankees turn things around is the return of captain and two-time American League MVP Aaron Judge, who is slated to be available for Tuesday's game after being sidelined since July 25 with a flexor strain in his right elbow.

Whether through the presence of Judge, or other means of turnaround, change needs to come soon for the Yankees. Once alone in first place in the AL East, New York is now 5.5 games back of the first-place Toronto Blue Jays and is tied with the Seattle Mariners for the second AL wild card spot.

Usual suspects Karnataka and Saurashtra, indomitable J&K, on-a-roll Bengal among last teams standing

Saurabh Somani18-Feb-2020Gujarat
After beginning steadily, Gujarat’s season took off with a stirring win over Punjab in their fourth game. They were 72 for 5 in the second innings, with the overall lead just 124, but the last five wickets added 95 runs, and the target of 220 proved beyond Punjab. The next games had Gujarat defeating defending champions Vidarbha in a close contest, taking a hard-fought first-innings lead against Delhi, and rounding things off with a win against Andhra.Best performers
Axar Patel has played only four matches in the season so far, but he’s already taken 24 wickets. He also made an important 89 against Andhra.The all-round talents of Roosh Kalaria have served Gujarat well across formats, particularly this season. In the Ranji Trophy so far, he’s Gujarat’s highest-wicket taker with 30 strikes. His batting average is a useful 16.25 too.Bengal
Bengal had been good without being great in the first half of the season, but the surge came in their second half. A Manoj Tiwary triple-century led to an innings win over Hyderabad, rain robbed them of potential first-innings lead points at least against Delhi, and then they came from behind to win each of their last two games, against Rajasthan and Punjab. They chased down 320 against Rajasthan, and won a tense, low-scoring shootout against Punjab.Best performers
Manoj Tiwary was always going to be one of Bengal’s go-to batsmen, but the sudden downturn of form for captain Abhimanyu Easwaran meant the responsibility on Tiwary was greater. He was scoring consistent runs, then exploded with that monumental 303*. He ended the league stage with two half-centuries on a dustbowl against Punjab.Shahbaz Ahmed had played just two first-class matches before this season, but he turned out to be Bengal’s surprise weapon; 29 wickets at an average of just 13.44 were already fantastic, but Shahbaz has also hit 281 runs at 31.22. One of his two half-centuries came in that chase against Rajasthan.Karnataka
Karnataka were expected to top the table, and would have done so if not for a couple of uneven performances. But they won the big moments. They came out on top in two thrilling games against two long-time rivals: Tamil Nadu and Mumbai. They also stepped on the gas when needed, with two wins in their last three league games.Best performers
Injury has meant K Gowtham has played only four games, but he’s been a strong presence in each of those, with bat and ball. A batting average of 44.60 and a bowling average of 20.57 speak for themselves.Devdutt Padikkal tapered off somewhat in the second half of the season, but he had begun with a bang, and is still the highest run-getter for Karnataka this season with 547 runs. That comes on the back of good form in the Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophies.Saurashtra
Saurashtra continued the form that took them to the final last year, with solid performances through the league phase. They might have finished higher on the table, but Madhya Pradesh held on for a draw with nine wickets down. Saurashtra’s only blip came in a loss to Uttar Pradesh.Best performers
Jaydev Unadkat had what was till then his best Ranji season last year. This year, he’s taken it a notch further. He’s missed a game but still has 51 wickets, at an incredible average of 11.90 and equally stunning strike rate of 25. Unadkat has been the heartbeat of the bowling attack.Cheteshwar Pujara has the best average among Saurashtra’s batsmen, though that was perhaps only to be expected. However, with Pujara not available, it’s Sheldon Jackson who has stepped up, much like he did last season too. Jackson is the leading run-getter for Saurashtra, and a lot of his runs have come at crucial times.Parvez Rasool shares some smiles with team-mates after yet another Jammu & Kashmir victory•PTI Andhra
Andhra had a splendid campaign and were leading the combined A & B table for a large part until two consecutive losses at the end dented their position. However, thanks to the good work put in earlier, they still qualified comfortably enough.Andhra served early notice of their form. In their opening-round game against defending champions Vidarbha, they battled back from conceding a 230-run first-innings lead to force a draw. In their next match, they beat Delhi by nine wickets, narrowly missing out on a bonus point. They had a run of four wins in five matches at one point.Best performers
Before this season, medium-pacer KV Sasikanth had made only sporadic appearances for Andhra. Now, he’s indispensable to Andhra’s plans. The leading wicket-taker with 35 scalps despite missing a game, he’s also scored 203 runs at 22.55, becoming a useful lower-order batsman.This has been the season that Ricky Bhui’s talent has met with more consistent performances. Bhui is Andhra’s leading run-getter, but more than the runs, it’s the situations in which he’s got them. He made 100* in the season opener against Vidarbha to help salvage a draw and his 144* in the next match against Delhi was the cornerstone of Andhra’s win.Jammu & Kashmir
They came into this season on the back of unprecedented strife in the state. Even without that context, their performances on the field have been sensational, but given the larger picture, they have been even better. The only game they lost, to Haryana, was a two-wicket defeat. The best part about J&K’s season has been how much of a team show it has been. They haven’t relied on any one person significantly more than others. Four batsmen have over 400 runs (a fifth has 386). Five bowlers have more than 20 wickets. The entire team has showcased indomitable spirit.Best performers
Even in a team effort, you can’t keep Parvez Rasool away from the limelight. He’s got 403 runs, and his average of 44.77 is the highest in the team. He’s also got 25 wickets at just 14.56. And he’s done this despite missing games.The exciting young Abdul Samad had made a name for himself at the start of the season when he was picked up in the IPL auction. The rest of the season has shown why. That he has 547 runs is impressive enough – but stunningly, they have come at a strike rate of 116.13. His innings have been truly game changing. And he’s found the time to turn his arm over and grab four wickets in 15 overs too.Odisha
Odisha began their season with three consecutive bonus-point wins. They were a bit fortunate to get a draw against Tripura with two days and a session lost to rain. It could have marked a slide in fortunes, but the inflexion point was successfully passed in a heart-stopping one-wicket win against Haryana in the next match. Though they lost two of their last four matches, they had done enough to finish in the top two in Group C.Best performers
He’s only 26 but Suryakant Pradhan is already a veteran for Odisha. He has never quite enjoyed a season as spectacular as this one, though. He’s already the team’s leading wicket-taker with 35 wickets, but he’s also contributed 244 runs, including a manic 64 off 28 balls against Services, batting at No. 9.Their ages – 33 and 19 – are possibly the only differentiators between Basant Mohanty and Rajesh Mohanty. Basant has 30 wickets at 18.90, Rajesh has 32 wickets at 18.43. Basant is more economical, Rajesh strikes quicker. Together they have given Odisha a pace edge that they lacked when Basant was operating solo.Goa
Relegated to the Plate Group last year, Goa are back to Group C after topping the Plate table this year. Goa were expected to get tough competition from only two teams – Chandigarh and Pondicherry – and they came through those tests well. Conceding a massive lead of 329 against Chandigarh, they dug in during the second innings to force a draw. They held off Pondicherry for a ten-run first-innings lead and then induced a late collapse to surge to victory on the final day.Best performers
Amit Verma has had the season of an allrounder’s dreams. It would have been great as a batsman or bowler alone – 791 runs at an average of 71.90, and 41 wickets at 13.26. He’s been Goa’s highest run-getter and wicket-taker, and he’s the captain too.Smit Patel began the season relatively slowly, with 71 runs in his first three innings. Then he began reeling off the big scores without pause, ending the league stage with 751 runs at an average of 75.10.

How a pair of contrasting characters proved integral to Hampshire’s maiden Championship triumph

Paul Edwards15-May-2020June 13, 1961
If you have 21 seconds to spare in this strangest of seasons, you might do well to visit the video-sharing platform YouTube and search for “Derek Shackleton Hampshire”. Among the available delights is a slow-motion film of the Hampshire medium-pacer bowling one ball against an unnamed and unseen Gloucestershire batsman at Bournemouth in 1962. That was a strange season, too.For one thing, cricket was still making the increasingly sham distinction between amateurs and professionals. For another, it was the final year in which the County Championship was decided on average points per game, nine counties opting to play 28 three-day matches while the other eight contested 32; and it was also the last summer in which the English season would consist solely of first-class matches. “The new Knock-Out competition”, as Wisden quaintly called the future Gillette Cup, would be introduced in 1963.But each of the eight seasons from 1958 to 1965 was something of a voyage into the unknown for Hampshire’s cricketers. How could it be otherwise when they were led by a skipper whose life seems to have been so dedicated to hedonism that it could have been plucked straight from the pages of Scott Fitzgerald? Yet Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie, an Old Etonian socialite, was able to win over the professionals on the Hampshire staff and even persuade one or two to enjoy his own sybaritic lifestyle. Moreover so successful was his captaincy and so skilled the players he led that Hampshire won their first County Championship in 1961. How they managed it remains one of domestic cricket’s great tales.The conventional view of Hampshire’s maiden title was that Ingleby-Mackenzie used his gambler’s flair to inveigle opposing skippers into making generous declarations and setting targets which his team chased to death or glory. And a few Yorkshire players, smarting because their side had been denied yet another hat-trick of championships, have stuck to this belief. But as Hampshire’s former archivist, David Allen, has shown, only three of the county’s 19 victories in 1961 came after their opponents’ declarations and they matched Yorkshire’s achievement in taking all 20 wickets in 15 of their games. Ingleby Mackenzie’s side triumphed partly because it included batsmen of the quality of Roy Marshall and Henry Horton, both of whom scored over two thousand runs, and seam bowlers of the class of “Butch” White and Shackleton, who each took over a hundred wickets.At the same time ten of Hampshire’s wins in 1961 came after Ingleby-Mackenzie had declared. That reflected well on the skipper’s judgement and his bowlers’ skills but it was also the result of the decision to prohibit the follow-on being enforced in any match where there was play on the first day. The rationale behind this change, which lasted only two seasons, was that it would encourage “brighter cricket” by placing an onus on skippers to set challenging targets. Ingleby-Mackenzie needed no such stimulus; his much quoted mantra was “entertain or perish” and no game in the 1961 epitomised either his principles or his extraordinary lifestyle better than the match against Gloucestershire at Portsmouth.The game began on a Saturday and the opening sessions were relatively uneventful. True, Shackleton took five wickets as Gloucestershire were dismissed for 176 but he was to equal or better such a haul on 10 other occasions in the championship season and his colleagues almost expected it of a cricketer whose qualities were perfectly captured by John Arlott: “In the dressing rooms, simply “Shack” is enough. To the first-class cricketer, the name means shrewdly varied and utterly accurate medium-pace bowling beating down as unremittingly as February rain.”Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie leads Hampshire celebrations after they secured their first Championship title•Playfair Cricket MonthlySundays were very much a day off for county cricketers in the years before the introduction of the John Player League. Benefit matches required the attendance of some but Shackleton, who bowled 1471.3 overs in that year’s championship, probably appreciated the rest. Typically, however, Ingleby-Mackenzie preferred his own brand of relaxation and his early autobiography , published only a year later, gives an unforgettable account of his activities that weekend in June 1961:I soon forgot my cricketing responsibilities that evening when I drove off to Lewes for one of my rare appearances at a Deb Dance. I stayed at the hospitable home of Mr. and Mrs, Cosmo Crawley, and arrived late for dinner. I found myself sitting next to Susan Verney, daughter of Lord and Lady Willoughby de Broke whose interest in racing exceeded that of cricket, I was glad to discover. I did not get much sleep that night as I was scheduled to appear next day, Sunday, at the magnificent home to Lord Caenarvon at Highclere, near Newbury, to play for the Eton Ramblers against Lord Porchester’s XI…Owing to my excessively late night, I had no time to sleep and therefore, for a change, I was one of the few people who arrived on time. The star performer among the later comers was that of Keith Miller, who arrived an hour late, shook hands with Porchy, and rushed off to be sick. He recovered so well after a lunch of champagne cocktails that he was able to score a century against us, but this was not enough to save his side.This game preceded another great party at Highclere and by the time I returned to Portsmouth next morning I was in a frail condition. Ingleby-Mackenzie admits he was “not in the least upset” when Monday’s play was lost to rain but the following morning he turned his mind to winning a match in which only ten wickets had fallen. The best way of doing so would be to declare Hampshire’s first innings in arrears and hope the Gloucestershire skipper, Arthur Milton, would respond in a similarly attacking spirit. The professionals in his team, on the other hand, saw their task as one of overhauling Gloucestershire’s 176 and settling for two points for a first-innings lead and two more for a faster scoring-rate when that lead was achieved. The opposition to Ingleby-Mackenzie’s strategy in the home dressing room was therefore vehement but Milton agreed with his counterpart’s gentle suggestion that one team had to win the game at Portsmouth to keep the pressure on Yorkshire, who had won seven of their first eight games.

Ingleby-Mackenzie’s total included a match-winning 132 not out against Essex at Cowes. That innings was played after a weekend in which Hampshire’s captain had attempted to break the world drinking record and had also fallen in the Solent.

After 70 minutes’ play on the third morning and with Hampshire 96 for no wicket the openers, Marshall and Jimmy Gray, saw their skipper declaring. “For several moments nobody seemed to take any notice, and I had the feeling that our batsmen were deliberately ignoring my signals.” wrote Ingleby-Mackenzie, an interpretation which Marshall corroborated eight years later in . “Neither of us could believe it when we saw Colin waving from the pavilion. I was furious at his apparent madness but there was nothing I could do.”Ingleby-Mackenzie was now in Milton’s hands. Outright collusion was forbidden, which is not to say it didn’t occur, but the captains had agreed a positive result should be achieved if possible. Gloucestershire managed 118 for 8 declared off 47 overs, Shackleton taking 4 for 27, and challenged Hampshire to score 199 in 137 minutes on a slow wicket. Typically, of course, Ingleby-Mackenzie led the charge, He and Horton scored 51 apiece but the home side had declined to 162 for 8 when Shackleton joined White, There were twenty minutes left in the game and no set number of overs. White, a strong man with an uncomplicated approach to such matters, whacked an unbeaten 33 and victory was secured with two minutes to spare. Bryan Timms, who was deputising for Hampshire’s excellent wicketkeeper, Leo Harrison, in that game, recalls a livid Marshall and Gray showering and going for a pint before the game was won. It is interesting to ponder the repercussions had Ingleby-Mackenzie’s strategy not paid off.There was, of course, far more to Hampshire’s title win in 1961 than three good batsmen, two fine seamers and a skipper with the daring to make his own luck. Peter Sainsbury was one of three spinners who each took over 40 wickets that summer and he also chipped in with 1459 runs. Danny Livingstone also scored over a thousand runs, as did Ingleby-Mackenzie, whose total included a match-winning 132 not out against Essex at Cowes. That innings was played after a weekend in which Hampshire’s captain had attempted to break the world drinking record and had also fallen in the Solent.And so one is drawn back to two cricketers whose lifestyles could not have been more different yet who retained the greatest respect for each other: Ingleby-Mackenzie burned the candle at both ends and in the middle when he could. Now and then he was joined by Marshall and Harrison. Shackleton, on the other hand, remains the epitome of the conscientious, post-war professional, his image perfectly captured by Patrick Eagar on the cover of David Matthews’ biography.In that photograph Shackleton is coming into his delivery stride. The left arm is about to be raised in the conventional fashion but it is the right that commands the eye. The forearm is thick, the wrist cocked and the fingers grip the ball down the seam. If Shackleton’s expression is any guide he has not finally decided which type of ball he will deliver. He holds the batsman in his hawk-like gaze, which is a little remarkable when one realises that he has good sight only in the right eye. His boots are heavy-soled and protect his ankles. The shirt and flannels are white as communion cloth. There is not a speck of sponsorship in sight. Every hair is in place; you might believe he has a comb back at his mark.Shackleton’s disciplines would help him take 2857 first-class wickets, six of which were claimed on September 1, 1961 when the championship was sealed with victory over Derbyshire at Dean Park. He stands eighth in the all-time list having reached the bowler’s century in each of the twenty seasons from 1949 to 1968. No other bowler has matched that precise level of consistency.Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie is still recalled so fondly at Hampshire that the East Stand at the Ageas Bowl is named after him. Derek Shackleton is remembered by all who saw him play cricket and in that brief film of him bowling at Bournemouth in 1962. His normal run-up was 12 normal paces long but, as this evidence reveals, that converted into nine long, easy strides. “He didn’t leave any foot marks,” said his team mate, Neville Rogers. “It was as though he bowled in slippers.”The slow-motion film of Shack lasts 21 seconds. You could watch it for hours.

Meet the teenage Warwickshire player who might end up as one of the fastest bowlers in the women’s game

Valkerie Baynes21-Mar-2020Issy Wong doesn’t just make solving a Rubik’s Cube in a matter of seconds easy, she makes it like the simplest thing in the world too.When a spectator at last year’s Kia Super League Finals Day was spotted with a Cube – that 3-D puzzle that ranks alongside Pac-Man and Space Invaders as the quintessential icon of a 1980s childhood well spent – someone in the Southern Vipers’ dugout dropped their team-mate right in the spotlight: “You should see Wongy, she can do it in 30 seconds.”So there she was, a teenager who had barely played a handful of games for the Vipers, on live TV, reeling her way through a complex puzzle as her team cheered her on. For the record, she solved it in 33 seconds, smashing her previous personal best of 35.

Just 33 seconds!

17-year old Isabelle Wong was speedsolving the Rubik's Cube during #KSLFinalsDay

: @ECB_cricket pic.twitter.com/SQKIJSxtgb

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) September 2, 2019

“I think we can call that performing on the big stage,” Wong says with a laugh. “I was the most nervous I’ve ever been, I was shaking like a leaf in the wind.”Asked how she does it, she responds with the most astute of analogies.”With most things, if you know what you’re looking for, it becomes a lot clearer, so there’s certain patterns, certain things you can look for, and once you see that, that’s almost like a trigger for the next pattern of moves,” she says. “Like in cricket, if you see a half-volley outside your off stump, you know the next step is a cover drive. It’s almost the same thing but on a much smaller scale.”Wong is not just quick with a puzzle in her hand. Put a cricket ball in it and she is seriously rapid too. She hovers around the 70mph mark at the age of just 17, and has her sights set on going much faster.”It’s obviously a long way off at the moment, but the 80-clicks mark has never been hit by a girl yet, so it’s certainly an ambition of mine over the next few years,” she says. “Hopefully I can keep getting stronger, keep getting quicker. I just want to keep going, and that’s in the back of my mind.”Clever, ambitious and precociously talented, Wong has created quite the buzz among some high-profile peers, and the excitable chatter accompanying her emergence on the elite scene has been recognised with a call-up to play for Birmingham Phoenix in the Women’s Hundred.Tony Marsh/CricpixThere, presuming the tournament goes ahead despite the current uncertainty over what impact the Covid-19 pandemic will have on the English season, Wong will be captained by New Zealand captain Sophie Devine.”Issy Wong is a name that really stands out for me,” Devine says. “I’ve heard a lot of her name thrown around the last year or two. Any bowler that can bowl at some decent clicks is certainly going to catch your eye over a lot of people.”Word of mouth is that she hits the deck hard and hurries batters up, which I think is a really exciting thing in the women’s game.”We’re seeing a lot more of it now – bowlers bowling with real pace. And she’s certainly going to offer something slightly different for us in having that extra pace. She’s obviously a pretty smart cricketer as well, so there’s lots to work with there.”Born in London to English parents – her father has Chinese heritage – Wong acknowledges the cricketing traditions of her mother’s native Yorkshire, but her only real connection with the sport lies with her grandfather “who played a bit when he was younger”.”When I was in trouble and it was a bit awkward, I always used to say, ‘So Grandad, how’s the cricket going?’ to change the topic,” she says. “But apart from that no one in my family really played.”The Wongs moved to Warwickshire when Issy was five, and she started playing the game at an after-school club. One of the coaches suggested she join her local club, which she did around the age of seven and from there she joined Warwickshire.Progressing through the county’s youth pathway, she was part of the Warwickshire women’s side that lifted the county T20 trophy last year, and then she was named in the England Women’s Academy squad.Now in her final year at Shrewsbury School, where she became the first girl to play for the 1st XI in 2019, Wong plans to delay going to university so that she can focus entirely on cricket for a few years “and see where that could take me”.Paul Greetham, Warwickshire’s high-performance manager, describes Wong as a “major success story” of the county age-group system.”From a very early age she had this obvious desire to bowl quicker than anybody else, particularly, and as her batting’s developed, she’s learnt she can hit the ball quite a long way as well, so she’s always had a bit of X-factor about her, and always shown a high level of ambition without coming across as arrogant or cocky,” Greetham says.Tony Marsh/Cricpix”I can remember as a 12- or 13-year-old she was stating that she wanted to be the fastest women’s bowler ever. She’s always had that about her.”The other thing that I think sort of set her apart is that she always seemed very comfortable playing amongst boys, and she wasn’t just satisfied with playing alongside them, she wanted to beat them. I’ve always admired that about her.”A smooth run-up and energetic attack on the crease, combined with a good technical bowling action, lend Wong the speed that has so many people talking about her, but Greetham believes desire plays a big part too.”Not everybody’s got that,” he says. “She still is a developing athlete. I genuinely think she can get close to 80 miles an hour at some point, and I don’t think there has been a female seamer that has reached those heights. She’s got that ambition to do it. “Bowling aside, at this early stage of her career there is still the prospect of Wong developing into an allrounder given the enjoyment she derives from hitting the ball a long way and her lack of inhibition when it comes to hitting in the air.”My batting is, um, hit and miss, I’d say,” Wong says. “When it comes off, it’s, I think the word is ‘entertaining’. I’m certainly more of a bowler, but looking to keep developing my batting and hopefully develop into an allrounder as I get older.”Greetham believes her batting can reach a high level. “I think she’s better than a lower-order batter,” he says. “I think she could develop into definitely a middle-order batter, there’s no two ways about that. She’s got enough about her and she loves batting as well.”Should the English season get underway in some form or other, and the inaugural Hundred goes ahead as planned, Wong will have the opportunity to expand her cricketing education among some of the best in the business.”It will be a big step for her in terms of who she’ll be playing with or against,” Greetham says. “Any 18-year-old would be relatively inexperienced, but the thing that she won’t be is daunted. She’ll just see it as another game of cricket and one that she wants to have an impact upon.”It seems Issy Wong is making something of an impact on the game as a whole already.

A few sponsorship deals could be renegotiated this IPL

Shashank Kishore and Nagraj Gollapudi08-Aug-2020Why is Vivo’s exit as title sponsor a big deal?
In 2017, Vivo won the bid for IPL title rights paying INR 2199 crore (approx. US $341 million at the time) for a five-year period, which is nearly INR 440 crore (approx. $68 million) a year. The title sponsorship forms a key part in the IPL’s revenue sharing agreement with the franchises, majority of which is covered by the media rights income. The biggest challenge for the BCCI is to find a replacement sponsor for Vivo with the tournament starting on September 19, which could cough up enough money to cover up for the massive hole the Chinese company’s exit has left in the IPL finances.The Covid-19 pandemic has severely affected the Indian economy and the BCCI already suffered the consequences of that even before Vivo. Nike, the Indian team’s kit sponsor, had maintained a 14-year relationship with the BCCI, but could not negotiate an extension owing to the weakening economy.How does it affect the franchises?
It has a direct impact. The IPL shares 50% of the title sponsorship money with the eight franchises. It is understood each franchise earns over INR 20 crore (approx. $2.7 million) from the title sponsorship. That is a big chunk for franchises in a season where they already will lose out on gate money considering the tournament is being played outside India and behind closed doors.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhy are the franchises not protesting?
Mainly because of the revenue-sharing model which got enhanced by the media rights package, which the IPL sold for a record sum of INR 16,347.5 crore (US$ 2.55 billion) to Star India in 2017. The deal, which extends until the 2022 IPL, is the biggest media rights deal in cricket and directly doubled the franchises’ income to the tune of INR 150 crore (approx. $23.4 million). Each franchise, as a result, was estimated to have a profit of about INR 50 crore (approx. $7.8 million) per season due to the media-rights deal.What is the revenue-sharing agreement?
A revenue-sharing agreement was central to the original contracts signed between the BCCI and IPL franchise owners for the first 10 years. The franchises were assured a percentage share of the income from central rights, after deduction of franchise fees. Between 2008 and 2012, franchises got 80% of the income from central rights and from 2013 to 2017 it was reduced to 60%.From the 2018 season onwards, under the new rights deals, franchises started to receive 50% share of the central-rights income, which amounts to about INR 1750 crore (approx. $273 million) which is split across the eight franchises – that is, about INR 218 crore (approx. $34 million) per team. Of this, 45% is the standard franchise share while the remaining 5% is variable based on where each franchise finishes at the end of the season.Also, since the 2018 season, the old franchise fee has been redefined. Previously the owners paid 10% of the amount they had originally paid to procure the franchise in 2008 as an annual fee. From 2018, the BCCI will charge a 20% levy on the franchise’s overall revenue.What about other sponsorships?
Kit and jersey sponsorship also earn franchises a huge sum. One of the franchises earned INR 33 crore (approx. $4.4 million) last season only from their principal sponsor. Some sponsors have entered into renegotiations with their respective teams over the contractual amount, and a similar amount “isn’t feasible this time” under current market scenario. Teams also have sponsors behind their jerseys, on their kits and helmets, which earn them a small chunk. In all, this is estimated to be around INR 45-50 crore ($6-6.7 million) per season. Renegotiation of these deals could mean a lesser earning from apparel and kit sponsorship.Teams also set up kiosks at venues and hotels for sale of merchandise and tickets. With the 2020 IPL to be played behind closed doors, potential for sale is hugely negated. A number of franchises have renegotiated deals with their jersey manufacturer to cut inventory costs.Who will bear the travel costs in the 2020 IPL?
From a safety perspective, franchises have to charter flights to the UAE. Normally, franchises enter into an agreement with hospitality partners to guarantee them a fixed number of room nights during the season. One of the franchises confirmed this amount to be around INR 4000 per room per day. The cost of booking an entire hotel or a section of the hotel in the UAE – keeping in mind the biosecure requirements – could “double at the very least,” according to a franchise representative. It is estimated that franchises could spend around INR 10-12 crore (approx. $1.3-1.6 million)on travel and stay for a 40-member contingent this time, which is estimated to be a 50-60% jump from what they usually spend when the IPL is held in India.

Also, should the Kolkata Knight Riders have opened with Rahul Tripathi?

Deivarayan Muthu12-Oct-2020Why did Russell bowl in the powerplay?
Andre Russell has been the Kolkata Knight Riders’ designated death bowler this IPL, but with them leaving out Sunil Narine, who has been put on the warning list because of an alleged suspect action, they needed Russell to front up in the powerplay, middle overs, and death as well. Also, with the Knight Riders picking batsman Tom Banton over offspin-bowling allrounder Chris Green and fast bowler Lockie Ferguson, they had only five genuine bowling options and part-timer Nitish Rana, who didn’t bowl at all.Russell, who had injured his knee in the CPL and possibly aggravated it while tumbling near the boundary against the Kings XI Punjab on Saturday, ran up gingerly on Monday and aborted. However, he then ran in harder and rushed Aaron Finch with a short ball on his fifth delivery. The next ball was also similarly short and Russell drew a spliced pull, but Kamlesh Nagarkoti dropped a regulation catch at short fine leg to give Finch a life on 19. Finch added 28 to his tally before he was bowled by Prasidh Krishna.Should the Knight Riders have opened with Tripathi?
In the Knight Riders’ match against Delhi Capitals at Sharjah, Rahul Tripathi showed his attacking enterprise with 36 off 16 from No. 8, and in the next game he returned to the top, a position where he thrived with Rising Pune Supergiant. He maximised the powerplay against the Super Kings, his 81 off 51 balls setting up a ten-run victory. However, after managing only 4 off 10 balls in his next innings at the top against the Rajasthan Royals, Tripathi was shuffled to the lower-middle order again, this time to accommodate IPL debutant Banton at the top.Rahul Tripathi goes over the leg side•BCCIBanton didn’t show enough attacking intent. He faced five dots out of 12 balls he faced and was castled for 8. Shubman Gill, the other opener, was brisk but not brisk enough in a tall chase of 195. Tripathi batted at No. 7 and by the time he came in, the game was up for the Knight Riders.In hindsight, the Knight Riders could have given Tripathi another shot at opening the batting and taking on the short boundaries despite Banton having opened in 36 of his 40 T20 innings. That would have also allowed Banton to ease into the IPL by sandwiching between Eoin Morgan and Andre Russell in the middle order.Why did Sundar bowl just one over in the powerplay
Washington Sundar had taken down both Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis on Saturday, and with the Sharjah pitch also getting slower, quite a few may have expected him to bowl earlier than the sixth over. Probably, Virat Kohli held him back to match him up with left-handers Rana and Eoin Morgan. After inside-edging a slog sweep onto his pad, Rana aimed another slog sweep off Sundar in the next over, but the spinner went much fuller and quickened his pace to knock over his middle stump.Sundar then kept Morgan to 5 off 4 balls before he found extra bounce and drew a top edge to short third man. The Knight Riders were reduced to 64 for 5 and there was no way back for them.How did the spinners do so well in Sharjah?
Varun Chakaravarthy, Sundar and Yuzvendra Chahal had combined figures of 12-0-57-3. The success of the spinners was partly down to the tiring pitches and the absence of grass. Even the likes of Russell, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, and Krishna found grip when they took pace off and bowled cutters into the pitch. This wasn’t quite the Sharjah pitch where teams had rattled off 200-plus totals for fun at the start of the season.Kohli had opted to bat, reasoning that this pitch will become more slower in the second half. It sure did, with Sundar and Chahal finding more turn and some uneven bounce. The Knight Riders’ rapidly rising asking rate also worked in the favour of both Sundar and Chahal. Isuru Udana’s slower offcuters, too, were difficult to put away.

“At the same age, he’s ahead of where I was as a batter” – McCullum on Seifert

Deivarayan Muthu23-Nov-2020Before his first innings as a T20I opener – a match-winning 43-ball 84 against India in Wellington last year – Tim Seifert searched for videos of Brendon McCullum on YouTube. After displaying shades of McCullum in that innings, Seifert said his hero reached out to him, congratulating him on that innings. This year, Seifert has had a chance to spend four months with McCullum, tuning up his keeping and batting skills in the CPL and the IPL.After being part of the Trinbago Knight Riders juggernaut that enjoyed an unbeaten run to the CPL title under coach McCullum, Seifert had less than 24 hours to spend at home, during which he “dropped the knee” to his girlfriend Morgan Croasedale and won her approval.Then, he dashed out to the UAE to link up with the other Knight Riders franchise, Kolkata, also coached by McCullum, as a replacement player. Seifert didn’t get a game in the IPL; nevertheless it has been an incredible few months for him.”I found out that KKR were interested in me to go to the IPL with about three days left in my New Zealand isolation,” Seifert said during a virtual media conference. “Then, I got out [of managed isolation after CPL] on a Wednesday about midday, and the next day at 5 o’clock I was flying out to Dubai. It was about 20 hours at home. I dropped the knee to my girlfriend which was quite exciting, then it was straight on the plane to the IPL.”ALSO READ: Tim Seifert likes to go bam bamSeifert continues to work with McCullum, who is acting as a guest coach for New Zealand’s IPL contingent that is under Managed Isolation Quarantine (MIQ) in Christchurch. Seifert even said that his relationship with McCullum has “grown as a mate thing”.”Before this [four months], we’ve had some real good conversations over the phone and the odd session here and there,” Seifert said. “But to be able to have four months with him – it has been outstanding from not just his ways of how he played the game but for myself as well to ask him about my game. Also, it’s a lot easier working with someone when they’re there than over the phone. He has been doing a bit of shadow-keeping, he’s been behind me and so he’s getting the same views that I’ve been getting.”

“At the same age, he’s ahead of where I was as a batter at the same time.”McCullum on Seifert

As for McCullum, he delivered a glowing appraisal of Seifert, saying he had improved his game so much that he could push for a spot in other formats as well in the future. Seifert is New Zealand’s first-choice T20I keeper, but has played just three ODIs so far, and is yet to make his Test debut.”His game is very similar to mine. At the same age, he’s ahead of where I was as a batter at the same time, and in a wicketkeeping point of view, he’s really improved in a short space of time that he was with Trinidad in the CPL and Kolkata in the IPL,” McCullum gushed. “He continues to impress and I think he’s in for a breakout season for the Black Caps.”Yes, I do [see Seifert as a long-term player]. He’s a special talent,” McCullum added. “To see how quickly someone can improve and develop skills and his attitude and how much he wants in this game is something to behold. If he gets the opportunity, and can take it early on, he can put some pressure on the incumbents in other forms of the game as well. But first and foremost, he’s going to get the opportunity in T20s and I think he has had a little bit of success in international cricket and I think his best days are certainly in front of him.”Seifert’s batting position has been a talking point in the recent past. As a big-hitter, he prefers batting at the top of the order and in the powerplay – his 40-ball hundred, a Super Smash record, came right at the top. However, with Martin Guptill and Colin Munro going strong as an opening pair, Seifert has opened in only five of the 29 T20Is he has played.But with Munro now set to head across the Tasman Sea for a BBL stint with Perth Scorchers, Seifert could move back to the opening slot in the upcoming T20I series against West Indies.”I haven’t had those [batting position] discussions with Steady [coach Gary Stead] yet. But, for me personally, I do enjoy batting up at the top,” Seifert said. “I think that’s where I can probably execute my skills the best and try and get the team off to a good start. But, at the same time I’ve batted a lot in the middle order in the franchise cricket for TKR and obviously in my domestic and international career. To be honest, wherever I bat, I’m happy, but if I had to choose, I probably want to stay at the top.”Seifert could face some competition from Glenn Phillips, who is back in the New Zealand mix after being the top-scorer for Jamaica Tallawahs in CPL 2019 as well as CPL 2020. Earlier this year, there was a toss-up between Seifert and Phillips in the CPL knockouts and it could continue in New Zealand’s home season.”It’s always good having those guys around, but I think I have to go out there and do my job and whatever I can do for the team,” Seifert said. “Hopefully, that helps win every game and win the series. It’s great as a team to have people there with you and help your game move forward and help each other. I think it’s great for Glenn. He’s back in the side, and he’s got runs, and that’s all that matters.”Seifert also reckoned that his stint with Kieron Pollard at TKR could help him provide clues for the New Zealand attack to counter the West Indies captain.”Before going to the CPL, how to bowl to Polly, I wouldn’t have known at all,” Seifert said. “But, spending those couple of months with Polly in the CPL and him being captain…being able to sit down with him and actually talk about his career, I could easily go into the Black Caps environment and give my two cents on how we should bowl to Polly – rightly or wrongly. I think it gives you a great insight of these guys and how they actually do things because they do open up to you because you’re in the same team and they want franchise teams to go well. It’s a great opportunity to learn from those guys, but it is also nice to get told what they think.”

The WBBL begins this weekend in Sydney. Here’s how the eight teams shape up after a hectic lead in

Andrew McGlashan and Dan Brettig22-Oct-2020

Adelaide Strikers

Captain: Suzie BatesCoach: Luke WilliamsWBBL history: 2015-16: 7th, 2016-17: 8th, 2017-18: Semi-final, 2018-19, 6th and 2019-20: Runners-upSquad: Darcie Brown, Suzie Bates (NZ), Sarah Coyte, Ellie Falconer, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Katie Mack, Tegan McPharlin, Tahlia McGrath, Annie O’Neil, Bridget Patterson, Madeline Penna, Alex Price, Megan Schutt, Stafanie Taylor (WI), Laura Wolvaardt (SA)In Madeline Penna (Stars), Laura Wolvaardt
Out Sophie Devine (Scorchers), Tabatha SavillePre-seasonHow will last season’s runners-up cope with losing the talismanic Sophie Devine? They have brought in Laura Wolvaardt, the South Africa batter who is one of the most exciting young players in the game, but Devine’s 2019-20 haul of 769 runs and 19 wickets will require the squad to dig deep. They will hope to see far more of West Indian Stafanie Taylor than last season.Player to watchBridget Patterson had a very solid tournament last season with 319 runs – putting her fourth behind the Strikers’ big three of Devine, Suzie Bates and Tahlia McGrath – and that form was enough to earn her an Australia A call-up to face India. She is the type of player – now secured on a three-year deal – that will need to kick her game on again to help fill the void left by Devine’s exit.

Brisbane Heat

Captain: Jess JonassenCoach: Ashley NoffkeWBBL history: 2015-16: 6th, 2016-17: 3rd, 2017-18: 5th, 2018-19: Champions and 2019-20: ChampionsSquad: Maddy Green (NZ), Nicola Hancock, Grace Harris, Laura Harris, Mikayla Hinkley, Jess Jonassen, Amelia Kerr (NZ), Delissa Kimmince, Nadine de Klerk (SA), Charli Knott, Lilly Mills, Georgia Prestwidge, Georgia Redmayne, Courtney Sippel, Georgia VollIn Nichola Hancock (Stars), Nadine de Klerk, Georgia Redmayne, Georgia Voll
Out Haidee Birkett, Sammy-Jo Johnson (Thunder), Beth Mooney (Scorchers), Kirby Short (retired)Pre-seasonThere has been significant change for the defending champions as they prepare to attempt the hat-trick. Captain Kirby Short has retired with Jonassen promoted to lead the side, while Beth Mooney made one of the high-profile switches by moving to the Perth Scorchers and Sammy-Jo Johnson has gone to the Sydney Thunder. Whether the Heat can replace Mooney’s runs will be key – a task that will fall in part to Georgia Redmayne who has joined from the Scorchers.Player to watchGrace Harris is entertaining in whatever she does, whether it’s with bat, ball or with microphone. However, last season’s return of 212 runs at 17.66 and six wickets at 49.66 was perhaps a little below expectation. With the loss of such a key figure in Mooney, Harris will be one of the senior players who will need to take up the slack with the bat. With two ferocious WBBL hundreds to her name – her second coming off just 42 balls – and an overall strike-rate of 137.40, it will be interesting to see where she is used in the batting order.Nicola Carey hits powerfully through the off side•Getty Images

Hobart Hurricanes

Captain: Corinne HallCoach: Salliann BriggsWBBL history: 2015-16: 2nd, 2016-17: 4th, 2017-18: 8th, 2018-19: 8th and 2019-20: 7thSquad: Nicola Carey, Maisy Gibson (injured), Corinne Hall, Brooke Hepburn, Erica Kershaw, Hayley Matthews (WI), Sasha Moloney, Rachel Priest (NZ), Chloe Rafferty, Amy Smith, Naomi Stalenberg, Emma Thompson, Chloe Tryon (SA), Tayla Vlaeminck (injured), Belinda Vakarewa; Replacements Hayley Jensen (NZ), Chloe Abel, Nell Bryson Smith, Emily SmithIn Erica Kershaw (Renegades), Rachel Priest (Thunder), Chloe Rafferty, Amy Smith, Naomi Stalenberg (Thunder), Emma Thompson
Out Stephanie Daffara, Erin Fazackerly (Renegades), Katelyn Fryett, Heather Knight, Meg Phillips, Emily SmithPre-seasonThe Hurricanes’ story has been one of steadily diminishing returns after starting out as competition finalists and then returning to the semi-finals the following year. Last season saw more inconsistency, with the distraction provided by the wicketkeeper Emily Smith’s minor integrity infraction and the extremely harsh ban that Cricket Australia chose to hand down in response. Smith is only on the fringes of the squad this time around as a replacement player, with the gloves taken by New Zealand’s combative Rachel Priest. Perhaps the biggest obstacle to the Hurricanes this time around will be the fact that Tayla Vlaeminck has already been ruled out of the entire tournament. That came due to her long and challenging recovery path from a foot fracture which had ended her T20 World Cup campaign before it began. Australia had to change their tournament plans considerably without Vlaeminck – and the Hurricanes need to do likewise.Player to watchNicola Carey is one of the national team’s more underrated contributors, offering parsimony with the ball and intelligent middle-order batting when required. She is not competing with anywhere near as many box office names at the Hurricanes and showed last season that the responsibility suited her, offering up numerous performances with both bat and ball that suggested she could step up similarly for Australia if ever required to offer something more than cameos.

Melbourne Renegades

Captain: Amy SatterthwaiteCoach: Lachlan StevensWBBL history: 2015-16: 8th, 2016-17: 7th, 2017-18: 6th, 2018-19: 4th and 2019-20: 4thSquad: Makinley Blows, Maitlan Brown, Josie Dooley, Jess Duffin (unavailable), Erin Fazackerley, Ella Hayward, Lizelle Lee (SA), Carly Leeson, Sophie Molineux, Courtney Neale, Amy Satterthwaite (NZ), Molly Strano, Lea Tahuhu (NZ), Georgia Wareham, Courtney WebbIn Erin Fazackerly (Hobart Hurricanes), Ella Hayward, Lizelle Lee
Out Tammy Beaumont, Erica Kershaw, Claire Koski, Danni WyattPre-seasonThe return of Amy Satterthwaite as captain looms as a major source of encouragement for the club as they seek to graduate from a pair of semi-final appearances to become the first Melbourne team to take out the title. Lizelle Lee’s arrival from South Africa will provide plenty of big hitting and still greater experience to the batting line-up – which will be missing Jess Duffin following her pregnancy – while in Molly Strano, Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham, the Renegades boast all but one member of the Australian team’s enviable spin bowling quartet. There remain doubts over Lea Tahuhu’s fitness though.Player to watchSatterthwaite‘s quality was on display as she acquitted herself best of all New Zealand’s players in their recent drubbing by Australia over twin T20 and ODI series in Brisbane. Her resumption as the leader of a Renegades combination that was able to maintain their league position without her in the 2019 tournament makes the club undoubtedly one of the chief obstacles for any WBBL trophy aspirants this time around.Meg Lanning will resume the captaincy of the Melbourne Stars•Getty Images

Melbourne Stars

Captain: Meg LanningCoach: Trent WoodhillWBBL history: 2015-16: 5th, 2016-17: 5th, 2017-18: 7th, 2018-19: 7th and 2019-20: 8thSquad: Katherine Brunt (Eng), Lucy Cripps, Sophie Day, Bhavi Devchand, Nicole Faltum, Holly Ferling, Tess Flintoff, Georgia Gall, Alana King, Meg Lanning, Erin Osborne, Mignon du Preez, Nat Sciver (Eng), Annabel Sutherland, Elyse VillaniIn Katherine Brunt, Sophie Day, Bhavi Devchand (Scorchers), Georgia Gall, Meg Lanning (Scorchers), Nat Sciver
Out Kristen Beams (retired), Nicola Hancock (Heat), Emma Inglis, Lizelle Lee (Renegades), Madeline Penna (Strikers), Angela Reakes (Sixers)Pre-seasonWere the Melbourne Stars’ men’s team to have maintained the sort of wretched record their women’s equivalent have managed over the WBBL’s first five seasons, little short of a Royal Commission would have been called. It remains a source of enormous frustration though that the Stars have not been able to prosper, and the return of Meg Lanning from a stint with the Perth Scorchers will undoubtedly help. Lanning performed well as the Stars began their existence as a mid-table team finishing just out of the semi-finals, and it will now be a question of whether the Stars and their new coach Trent Woodhill have been able to assemble an effective group to operate around her. The arrival of two seasoned England internationals in Katherine Brunt and Nat Sciver bode well for these plans, offering Lanning a pair of highly dependable operators with the ball and the bat, respectively. More will be expected of Annabel Sutherland, with Elyse Villani given the chance to score a little more freely without the responsibilities of captaincy.Player to watchIt’s hard to look past Lanning as key to the Stars improving their fortunes, after two impressive seasons with the Scorchers saw a strong combination with Villani in particular before she moved to the Stars the season before Lanning chose to follow. There is a sense at the Stars that the club is finally committing the kinds of resources and attention to the WBBL that it should have done long ago, and Lanning’s return is a measure of that resolve.

Perth Scorchers

Captain Sophie DevineCoach Shelley NitschkeWBBL history 2015-16: 4th, 2016-17: Runners-up, 2017-18: Runners-up, 2018-19: 5th and 2019-20: Semi-finalSquad Megan Banting, Jemma Barsby, Samantha Betts, Nicole Bolton, Mathilda Carmichael, Piepa Cleary, Sophie Devine (NZ), Sarah Glenn (Eng), Heather Graham, Amy Jones (Eng) Emma King, Beth Mooney, Taneale Peschel, Chloe Piparo, Georgia WyllieIn Megan Banting, Sophie Devine (Strikers), Sarah Glenn, Beth Mooney (Brisbane Heat), Georgia Wyllie
Out Kim Garth, Kath Hempenstall, Meg Lanning (Stars), Georgia Redmayne (Heat), Nat Sciver (Stars)Pre-seasonIt would be hard to argue that anyone did better business than the Perth Scorchers as they brought in both Devine and Beth Mooney, while also signing England legspinner Sarah Glenn who has impressed this year. They have lost Meg Lanning but with Amy Jones and Nicole Bolton also in the batting line-up, they will be confident of getting runs on the board.Player to watchYou would think the batting would look after itself, but what about the Scorchers bowling? Heather Graham was their leading wicket-taker last season with 15 and shapes as being a key component of the attack again if they want to go deep into the tournament. She had a brief taste with Australia last season but was not part of the expanded squad recently against New Zealand. She scored an unbeaten half-century against India A in the series before Christmas and took 3 for 40 to help Western Australia win the WNCL.Sammy-Jo Johnson, Sarah Aley and Hannah Darlington at Sydney Olympic Park•Cricket Australia

Sydney Sixers

Captain Ellyse PerryCoach Ben SawyerWBBL history 2015-16: Runners up, 2016-17: Champions, 2017-18: Champions, 2018-19: Runners up and 2019-20: 5thSquad Sarah Aley, Erin Burns, Stella Campbell, Lauren Cheatle, Maddy Darke, Ashleigh Gardner, Lisa Griffith, Alyssa Healy, Jodie Hicks, Emma Hughes, Marizanne Kapp (SA), Ellyse Perry, Angela Reakes, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Dane van Niekerk (SA)In> Angela Reakes (Stars), Lisa Griffith (Thunder)
Out Alisha Bates, Lauren Smith (Thunder)Pre-seasonThe Sixers were one of the quieter teams during a hectic contracting period as they look to respond the surprising fifth-place finish last season, the first time they ended outside of the top two. Pace-bowling allrounder Lisa Griffith has jumped across down from the Thunder with Lauren Smith heading the other way, while Angela Reakes returns to her original club after a spell with the Stars which included missing the whole of last season due to an Achilles injury. There will be plenty of attention on the recovery of Ellyse Perry from the hamstring injury which has sidelined her since the T20 World Cup after she suffered a setback while training with the Australia squad in Brisbane.Player to watchIf Perry is available she will form an enviable opening pairing with Alyssa Healy, but it feels as though Ash Gardner is taking her game to a new level and could be set for a big tournament. She struck the ball very cleanly against New Zealand, especially in the well-constructed 61 in the opening T20I when Australia were in trouble, as she allies her strength and timing with the nous of building an innings – even in the short format. Coupled with her more-than-handy offspin and dynamic fielding, she is the ideal T20 all-round package.

Sydney Thunder

Captain Rachael HaynesCoach Trevor GriffinWBBL history 2015-16: Champions, 2016-17: 6th, 2017-18: Semi-final, 2018-19: Semi-final and 2019-20: 6thSquad Sam Bates, Tammy Beaumont (Eng), Hannah Darlington, Rachael Haynes, Saskia Horley, Shabnim Ismail (SA) Sammy-Jo Johnson, Anika Learoyd, Phoebe Litchfield, Heather Knight (Eng), Kate Peterson, Olivia Porter (injured), Lauren Smith, Rachel Trenaman, Tahlia WilsonIn Tammy Beaumont, Sammy-Jo Johnson (Heat), Heather Knight, Anika Learoyd, Olivia Porter, Lauren Smith (Sixers)
Out Alex Blackwell (retired), Nida Dar, Rene Farrell (retired), Lisa Griffith (Sixers), Rachel Priest (Hurricanes), Naomi Stalenberg (Hurricanes)Pre-seasonAfter a disappointing sixth place last season, allrounder Sammy-Jo Johnson was a significant signing as she moved from the defending champions Brisbane Heat. England pair Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont should provide a strong top order – which will have a new look this year after the retirement of Alex Blackwell and loss of Rachel Priest – alongside captain Rachael Haynes and the hugely talented Phoebe Litchfield.Player to watchNineteen-year-old Hannah Darlington was the Thunder’s leading wicket-taker last year with 16 at 21.31, which earned her the young player of the tournament title. She then headed across the Tasman and was the leading wicket-taker for Otago in their Super Smash campaign with 13 wickets in 11 matches. She will form a potentially potent seam attack alongside Shabnim Ismail and Johnson.