WBBL: Everything you need to know as Women's Big Bash returns

Perth Scorchers are the defending champions of the Women's Big Bash

2022 Women's Big Bash
Dates: 13 October to 27 November
Coverage: Live commentary on selected matches on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds and via the BBC Sport website and app

The Women's Big Bash League is back.

As we come towards the end of another bumper year of cricket, the world's leading players are in Australia for the longest-running Twenty20 franchise competition in the women's game.

Defending champions Perth Scorchers must wait until Sunday to start their campaign, but the tournament gets under way on Thursday with Brisbane Heat taking on Sydney Sixers in Mackay from 09:40 BST.

The eight teams will play each other twice in a group stage that runs until 20 November, with the final scheduled for 27 November.

Here's everything you need to know about the WBBL.

What's new for 2022?

After two Covid-affected years, the WBBL is finally able to play matches across the country, meaning the Scorchers can play in front of a home crowd as they attempt to defend their title.

This year will also see the Decision Review System (DRS) in use for the first time in both the men's and women's Big Bash, although it will be limited to the 24 games in the WBBL being broadcast on Australian television.

In those games, each team will have one review per innings. In the tournament's other 35 matches, though, decisions will remain with the on-field umpires - and the third umpire for run-outs and stumpings.

Additionally, the WBBL will feature the 'power surge' for the first time. The innovation, which sees the traditional six-over powerplay reduced to four overs with a two-over surge later in the innings, was brought into the men's BBL in 2020.

The batting team will call the surge in the final 10 overs of the innings and only two fielders are permitted outside the circle for those two overs.

Any England involvement?

Plenty. There is always a healthy contingent of English players at the WBBL and this year is no different.

Sophie Ecclestone, the number one-ranked bowler in ODI and T20 cricket, has joined Sydney Sixers and will compete in the WBBL for the first time.

She will be led by a familiar face with England legend Charlotte Edwards taking over as head coach of the two-time winners.

Sydney is also the destination for England opener Tammy Beaumont and keeper Amy Jones. However, they will be plying their trade for the Sixers' city rivals, Sydney Thunder.

Melbourne Stars have snapped up one of the games most exciting young talents in Alice Capsey. After making her England debut this summer, the 18-year-old all-rounder will get her first experience of the WBBL playing alongside Oval Invincibles team-mate Lauren Winfield-Hill.

Winfield-Hill had a good summer domestically and will want to continue that form as she tries to earn an England recall. Former Surrey keeper Jon Batty coached her in The Hundred and is also at the helm for the Stars this year.

England batter Danni Wyatt is part of the Brisbane Heat squad but will be a late arrival as she manages her workload.

Issy Wong was due to play for Hobart Hurricanes but withdrew from the tournament because of a back injury.

What else do I need to know?

There are also big names from India, New Zealand, South Africa and West Indies on show alongside the countless world-class Australians.

Fresh from a dominant performance in India's ODI series win in England, Harmanpreet Kaur will be hoping to help Melbourne Renegades to their first WBBL title and will have fiery South Africa pace bowler Shabnim Ismail to help in that cause.

Harmanpreet Kaur will play for Melbourne Renegades once again

Deandra Dottin has starred for West Indies over the years and, following her recent international retirement, is ready to wreak havoc for the Adelaide Strikers - her third WBBL side.

Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine, Marizanne Kapp, Hayley Matthews, Laura Wolvaardt… the list of overseas players for the tournament really does read like a who's who of women's international cricket.

One name missing from the list of domestic players is Meg Lanning. The Australia and Melbourne Stars captain is continuing her indefinite break from cricket for personal reasons.

However, for those that are taking part, the WBBL represents the perfect opportunity to impress and find form before February's T20 World Cup in South Africa, and put themselves at the head of the queue for a potentially lucrative contract at the inaugural Women's IPL in March.

Who could win?

The Scorchers edged out the Strikers in last year's final and the Western Australians look a strong outfit once again.

Kapp is back to lead the pace attack - and provide some useful middle-order runs - while batters Beth Mooney and skipper Devine will be helped out by new recruit Maddy Green. Add in the high-class leg-spin of Alana King and the Scorchers have every reason to believe they can defend their crown.

As for the Strikers, they have a squad capable of going one better this time around.

Captain and talismanic all-rounder Tahlia McGrath leads a strong homegrown core that also includes Darcie Brown, Megan Schutt and Amanda-Jane Wellington, while the class and experience of overseas stars Dottin and Wolvaardt rounds out a talented and well-balanced squad.

In the first three years of the WBBL, the Sixers were the dominant side. They won back-to-back titles with runners-up finishes either side, but have failed to make the knockouts in the three years since and ended up bottom of the table last year.