The T20 Spring Challenge is the Australian women's domestic Twenty20 cricket competition in Australia. organised by the Cricket Australia. The first edition of the tournament took place in 2024.[1][2]
| Countries | Australia |
|---|---|
| Administrator | Cricket Australia |
| Format | Twenty20 |
| First edition | 2024 |
| Next edition | 2025 |
| Tournament format | 4 Matches per Team, then Knockout Finals |
| Number of teams | 9 |
| Current champion | Hobart Hurricanes |
| Most successful | Hobart Hurricanes (1 title) |
| Most runs | Lizelle Lee (252) |
| Most wickets | Nicola Hancock (10) |
| TV | Seven Network Fox Cricket |
| Website | www |
 Current season | |
The competition began in 2024 and currently features eight Women's Big Bash League teams plus the ACT Meteors competing in a round-robin group stage. The competition runs before the Women's Big Bash League.[3]
History
editIn July 2024, Cricket Australia introduces a new domestic Twenty20 Cricket event, called T20 Spring Challenge. that forms part of the Australia domestic cricket season. The league was aimed to make up for the absence of high-profile matches in Australia every year and to expose talented players from Country.[4]
The 2024 tournament is scheduled to start on 11 October and will conclude on 20 October. It will be the first edition of the tournament.
The new nine-team T20 competition – created to ensure there would be no overall reduction in women's domestic games following the shortening of the WBBL – features teams aligned with the eight Big Bash clubs along with the ACT Meteors.
Each team will play four matches before the top four play off in the semi-finals and final.
A 18 regular season games will be played across seven days, before the semi-finals on Saturday, October 19 and the final on Sunday, October 20. All finals games will be held at Cricket NSW's Cricket Central homebase in Silverwater.
The tournament will coincide with Australia's 2024 ICC Women's T20 World Cup campaign in Bangladesh, meaning the majority of CA contracted players will not be available.
However that, alongside the absence of overseas players, will create opportunities for others to take on key roles, and for fringe WBBL squad members to impress before WBBL 10 kicks off on October 27.[5]
Organisation
editThe league's structure is based on the structure of the WBBL.
Initially there are nine teams, with sides playing against each other in a double round robin format, and the four teams finishing with the most points entering the knockout-stage of the competition.
The first season of the league took place from 11 October to 20 October 2024, and featured 21 matches, all held at and in Sydney and Adelaide. Tickets were made available free to women during the first season.
Teams
edit
Venues
edit Australia
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide | Sydney | |||
| Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide | North Sydney Oval, Sydney | Cricket Central, Sydney | Allan Border Oval, Mosman, Sydney | |
Tournament seasons and results
editFinals
edit| Season | Winner | Winning margin | Runner-up | Final venue | Player of the season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hobart Hurricanes | Hobart Hurricanes won by 5 wickets Scorecard |
Brisbane Heat | Cricket Central, Sydney |
Records and statistics
editA summary of the most notable statistical records associated with the tournament is provided below:
| Batting Records | ||
|---|---|---|
| Most runs | Lizelle Lee | 252 |
| Highest score | Madeline Penna | 113 |
| Highest partnership | Anika Learoyd & Tahlia Wilson | 137 |
| Most fours | Lizelle Lee | 36 |
| Most sixes | Laura Harris, Lizelle Lee | 9 |
| Most fifties | Lizelle Lee, Tahlia Wilson | 2 |
| Most hundreds | Laura Harris, Lizelle Lee, Madeline Penna | 1 |
| Bowling Records | ||
| Most wickets | Nicola Hancock | 10 |
| Best bowling figures | Amanda-Jade Wellington | 4/18 |
| Fielding | ||
| Most dismissals (wicket-keeper) | Georgia Redmayne | 7 |
| Most catches (fielder) | Laura Harris | 6 |
| Team records | ||
| Highest total | Sydney Thunder | 183/3 |
| Lowest total | ACT Metors | 93/10 |
- Source: ESPNcricinfo
Broadcasting
editIn July 2024, Fox Sports, announced it had acquired the global media rights for TV and digital broadcasts for the tournament. The initial season of the league is broadcasting in Australia on the Fox Sports TV channel and the Kayo Sports app.[1]
The first season of the competition was broadcast in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports, in India by Fancode, in the United States and Canada by Willow TV and in South Africa by SuperSports, in New Zealand it is aired by Sky Sport NZ.
| Region | Country/Sub-region | Television Broadcaster | Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asia | Afghanistan | Ariana Television | — |
| Bangladesh | |||
| India | Fancode | ||
| Hong Kong | Astro Cricket | — | |
| Malaysia | |||
| Pakistan | PTV Sports Ten Sports |
||
| Singapore | StarHub | — | |
| Sri Lanka | |||
| Europe | Netherlands | — | |
| Ireland | Sky Sports | ||
| United Kingdom | |||
| Americas | Canada | Willow | — |
| United States | |||
| Caribbean | ESPN Caribbean | ||
| Oceania | Australia | Fox Sports | Foxtel Kayo Sports |
| New Zealand | Sky Sport NZ | — | |
| Papua New Guinea | TVWan | ||
| Africa | Middle East and North Africa | ||
| African Union | Super Sport | — |
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Schedule locked in for new T20 Challenge, 2024-25 WNCL". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ^ "ACT to join WBBL teams in new women's T20 comp". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ^ "Everything you need to know about the T20 Spring Challenge". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ "All You Need to Know about the Inaugural Women's T20 Spring Challenge". female cricket. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ "Inaugural Women's T20 Spring Challenge Squad". Adelaide strikers. Retrieved 13 October 2024.