Stars and Renegades will compete for the Melbourne Mace in the WBBL for the first time this season
Melbourne’s Big Bash rivalry is fiercer than ever despite the uncertainty surrounding the future of both clubs, says the league’s boss Alistair Dobson.
The Renegades and Stars will both play at home on the opening day of the Weber WBBL|12 season in a groundbreaking double-header at Junction Oval, with the Stars clash with reigning champions Hobart Hurricanes to be the competition’s first under newly installed floodlights at the St Kilda venue.
There will again be two Melbourne derbies at Junction Oval – the first in prime time on November 22 and the second on Saturday afternoon, November 28 – both of which will see the Melbourne Mace go up for grabs in the WBBL for the first time.
Dobson, Cricket Australia’s general manager of the Big Bash Leagues, said launching the new season in Melbourne was a vote of confidence in both clubs to still be able to pull strong crowds even after it was announced last month the two teams could be rebranded in future seasons.
Cricket Victoria plans to sell 100 per cent of the Renegades licence when a model to introduce private investment in the Big Bash is ticked off by the five remaining state associations and the players’ union, the Australian Cricketers Association.
CV have paused plans to rebrand the Stars franchise into a ‘Melbourne’ team for the upcoming season after running out of time to make the changes ahead of the summer, with both the Stars and Renegades to take the field in green and red colours respectively in WBBL|12 and KFC BBL|16.
However, the Renegades will now be run independently away from CV’s Junction Oval headquarters until a sale is finalised, but still funded by CV.
Dobson said there was still a lot of work to be done regarding the future direction of both Melbourne clubs but backed Victorian fans to show up this summer.
“Our eyes are firmly focused on this season with those two clubs,” he said.
“From a playing perspective, their lists are in good shape, and the Junction Oval has become an even better venue for WBBL (with floodlights installed). The people working behind the scenes at both clubs are really excited about hosting the opening night.
“As we get into the start of the WBBL, our optimism around those clubs is high, as you can see by scheduling them on day one of the competition to host games – that shows where we feel those clubs will be at come the start of the season.
“From a fan and player perspective, the race for the Melbourne Mace will be alive again this year; the Mace will be played for four times across the WBBL and BBL.
“We were really excited about how that came to life last season. Particularly in the WBBL, those two teams can’t wait to play each other for the Mace.”
Adelaide Oval will be the only top-tier stadium to host a match in WBBL|12 when the Strikers host the Renegades on Friday, November 20.
Dobson said the other clubs had different fixture priorities which was why the ‘stadium series’ hadn’t returned for a second straight season. He said hosting games at the bigger venues in the WBBL would be a “year-by-year and club-by-club” decision.
“Clearly this year the Melbourne teams have focused in on Junction Oval, so that’s taken priority over the MCG,” he said.
“For the Scorchers, the redevelopment of the WACA Ground is something they’re super excited about … and it’s become a bit of a cauldron for them in the WBBL.
“Other clubs have got different priorities from time to time, whereas for the Strikers, playing at Adelaide Oval remains a really high priority for them.
“The Strikers are really connected to that venue on a range of levels, whether it’s through the SACA (South Australian Cricket Association) being part of the operation and management of that stadium, but equally the success they’ve had there – they won a WBBL title there (in 2023).
“I think it means a lot to them to play at that venue and it’s an annual proposition for us.
“The way their fans have shown up to support that team has been really strong and to get them a Friday night (game at Adelaide Oval) was a real focus from a scheduling perspective.”
Sign up to the waitlist at bigbash.com.au for pre-sale tickets access for WBBL|12 from July 30 before tickets go on public sale on August 6.
