The Stars will want the narrative of their WBBL|03 season to be what they have achieved, not what they have lost.
WBBL|03 preview: Melbourne Stars
Previous WBBL|03 previews:
Melbourne Stars:
The squad: Kristen Beams (C), Makinley Blows, Hayleigh Brennan, Mignon du Preez (SA), Georgia Elwiss (Eng), Nicole Faltum, Emma Kearney, Alana King, Anna Lanning, Lizelle Lee (SA), Katie Mack, Erin Osborne, Gemma Triscari, Chloe Rafferty, Annabel Sutherland
In: Mignon du Preez, Georgia Elwiss, Lizelle Lee, Erin Osborne (Thunder), Nicole Faltum, Chloe Rafferty, Annabel Sutherland (Renegades)
Out: Meg Lanning (Scorchers), Jess Duffin (Renegades), Hayley Jensen (Renegades), Emma Inglis (Renegades), Morna Neilsen, Natalie Sciver (Scorchers), Lily Bardsley
The inside word with coach David Hemp: “Obviously (we’re) disappointed to lose Meg (Lanning), but that’s happened and we need to move on. In essence, what does it mean? It means we’ve got to find the runs she provided over the two years from someone else. Those top six or seven players do have a responsibility to get runs on the board. We’ve had a frustrating two years. Eight games is the benchmark … year one we missed out on run rate, and year two we needed to save 12 off the last over, and unfortunately we couldn’t do that. It’s come down to the last game two years in succession. I think the disappointing thing for me is not so much those last games, but games prior to that in both years, games we were in winning positions and we actually gave away, rather than the opposition wins. I think that’s an area we need to be a bit smarter, in terms of recognizing when games are there to be lost and paying a little more attention to key moments.”
The talking point: How will the Stars look without Meg Lanning? Their quest to break their finals duck in Rebel WBBL|03 got that much harder in the off-season with news the world’s best batter had signed a three-year deal with Perth Scorchers. There have been some other significant changes at the club, with the Stars turning over seven players – nearly half their list – over the off-season. But the Stars have gone on the front foot with their recruiting, luring back South Africa batter Mignon du Preez, after a summer away, and fellow Protea Lizelle Lee.
The WBBL|02 result: Fifth. It was déjà vu for the Stars last summer as they again found themselves stranded one spot out of finals after going down to Hobart Hurricanes in a final-round thriller. Meg Lanning topped the competition for runs scored, notching up an incredible 502 – the second time in as many WBBL seasons she passed the 500 mark – at 45.63, with a blistering strike rate of 120.09. Close losses to the Hurricanes and Renegades ultimately proved costly for their finals’ hopes.
Image Id: B557DD92B3A44217B6786455475BAFB1 Image Caption: Mignon du Preez in action for the Stars // Getty
The one to watch: Mignon du Preez. The Proteas batter notched up 179 runs at 22.37 from nine matches in her previous WBBL season, and will be looking to do her bit to help fill the void left by Lanning. She had a solid ICC Women’s World Cup campaign midyear, making 229 runs at 57.25 throughout the 50-over tournament. The club is as eager to have her back for her leadership, nous and character – as much as for her playing ability – as it looks become a force to be reckoned with in WBBL|03.
The rising star: Alana King. The 22-year-old leg-spinner has been touted by her coach as a potential match-winner, due to her knack for taking wickets at any stage of the game. With 21 WBBL matches now under her belt, she will be looking to take on this season and make an impact.
The changes: After two fifth-placings, the Stars are hoping a new-look side for WBBL|03 will launch them into finals this summer. They will have to do it without world-class leader Lanning, but Australia leg-spinner Kristen Beams will step up to the captaincy. South Africa batters du Preez – who played for the Stars in the inaugural WBBL season – and Lee will give the side more batting depth, while England allrounder Georgia Elwiss will help out the middle order. Thunder off-spinner and Abode Hotels ACT Meteors captain Erin Osborne joins the mix and will also add her experience to the vast leadership pool in the team.
The fixtures:
December 9 v Sixers – North Sydney Oval
December 12 v Thunder – Lavington Sports Ground, Albury
December 16 v Thunder – Howell Oval, Penrith
December 26 v Scorchers – WACA
December 27 v Scorchers – WACA
January 5 v Strikers, Casey Fields, Cranbourne East
January 6 v Renegades – MCG
January 9 v Strikers – Adelaide Oval
January 12 v Heat – Harrup Park, Mackay
January 13 v Heat – Harrup Park, Mackay
January 20 v Renegades – MCG
January 21 v Sixers – Casey Fields, Cranbourne East
January 27 v Hurricanes – MCG
January 28 v Hurricanes – MCG