Latest news with #WBBL
Daily Mail
13-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Aussie cricket star reveals how she deals with the knowledge 'she could end up in a wheelchair'
Aussie cricket star Jemma Barsby has opened up on how she is 'cracking on with life,' despite being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) when she was 19. The inspirational South Australia women's cricket captain adds that her diagnosis has helped her become a more resilient person and revealed to The Advertiser how she continues to play, despite experiencing symptoms related to the autoimmune disorder. MS affects one in 1,000 Australians and is more common in women than men. The illness is caused after the protective layer surrounding a person's nerves is damaged, preventing signals moving from one's brain to their body. Symptoms include a loss of control over one's muscles, fatigue and issues with vision. Barsby, a two-time WBBL champion with the Strikers, explained how she found out she had MS, thinking initially that she had a shoulder injury. Instead, her team's doctor informed her she had the autoimmune disorder - a condition that she did not know much about at the time. She returned home and began to Google the illness. 'Of course, I did the Dr Google as soon as I got home and that probably wasn't the smartest because the first thing that comes up is: 'You're going to be in a wheelchair',' Barsby told The Advisor. She returned to training and admitted her 'eyes were puffy' after having been in tears upon reading the results of her Google search. The cricket star kept the news of her diagnosis quiet, as her team-mates asked her if she was doing OK. 'Your world just gets thrown up in the air,' Barsby said. 'You're like, What if this happens? What if that happens? What does tomorrow look like? It was definitely a rough couple of months.' Following that, Barsby, who is now 29, would undergo frequent MRI scans to ascertain the extent of her illness. She would, though, continue to play cricket at the top level. But alongside performing on the cricket field, she now has to manage multiple symptoms, for example, when temperatures rise, Barsby experiences blurred vision or pins and needles in her hands, legs and back. Barsby (left) is an MS Research ambassador, and admits when she looks back at her career, she'll remember being announced as the SA captain as one of her finest moments Barsby, who is the daughter of Queensland great Trevor Barsby, can bowl with both hands and has showcased a sensational ability to switch-hit while batting Staying cool is key, so she revealed that she drinks a lot of slushies to help regulate her body temperature. 'The diagnosis definitely shaped the person I am. It has made me resilient and I know it is important to be in the moment,' she explained. 'I had to say to myself: 'I can still live my life, so let's just crack on the best I can".' Barsby is now also taking medication to alleviate the symptoms and spends a lot of time 'listening to her body' in order to ensure she can be on top of her game at all times. The MS Research Ambassador also added that when she looks back at her glittering career, she will remember being handed the captaincy for South Australia as one of the most special moments on her cricketing journey. 'It's pretty surreal, to be honest, to say that I am captain in the state of South Australia,' she explained. 'It wasn't an aspiration of mine and I remember (the then) SA women's coach, Luke Williams, having to convince me to do it. I just didn't think I was capable.' Barsby, who is the daughter of Queensland great Trevor Barsby, can bowl with both hands and has showcased a sensational ability to switch-hit while batting. During her stellar career, she's struck 1,417 runs in List A matches, taking 147 wickets.
The Advertiser
11-07-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
SCG, MCG off the menu in WBBL fixture change up
Cricket Australia has moved away from its big-stadium experiment for east-coast WBBL games, with no matches at the MCG or SCG in this summer's schedule. Squeezed by ICC events at one end and the men's BBL at the other, the tournament will be played through a five-week window again this summer. Brisbane will host the Melbourne Renegades in the November 9 opener, one week after the 50-over women's World Cup final in India. The final will then be played on December 13, the night before the men's competition kicks off in Perth. The result means officials have again been forced to squeeze in 15 mid-week matches, with that number a slight reduction on last year's 17. But the biggest change in the schedule is the lack of matches in big stadiums on the east coast. Cricket Australia had invested heavily in marketing the events in recent years, only for crowds in the 5000s for the two double-headers at the MCG in the past two seasons. The SCG fared slightly better, with 7118 through the gates for a double-header in 2023-24 before another double-header was played there last season. Officials have opted against playing at either of the venues this year while prioritising North Sydney Oval, Drummoyne and Junction Oval in Melbourne. The Gabba is also unavailable for the Brisbane Heat due to the lead up to the Ashes Test, while the Strikers will feature in a late-season double-header at Adelaide Oval after success there. "Each season when we look at the schedule we look at the balance of the venues and the right opportunities to promote those games," BBL boss Alistair Dobson said. "We enjoy playing in bigger stadiums for the past couple of seasons and look forward to being back at the Adelaide Oval again this year. "The other games, largely due to scheduling reasons and the need to optimise those games in the big stadiums, we haven't found the right spots for them this year. "But that's not to say it won't be in the future as the world's best cricket in the world's best stadiums is still part of our thinking going forward." Officials did have the option of playing the final as a double-header with men's BBL tournament opener, but decided against it. Such a move would have left the risk of the highest qualifier not being able to host the WBBL's showpiece event, while also meaning it would not have been a prime-time fixture for TV audiences. "The WBBL is the world's best cricket league and one of the world's best cricket leagues and one of the most watched and popular sports leagues in Australia," Dobson said. "We think that warrants having it in its own standalone and it's own prime-time audiences in the cricket calendar." Cricket Australia has moved away from its big-stadium experiment for east-coast WBBL games, with no matches at the MCG or SCG in this summer's schedule. Squeezed by ICC events at one end and the men's BBL at the other, the tournament will be played through a five-week window again this summer. Brisbane will host the Melbourne Renegades in the November 9 opener, one week after the 50-over women's World Cup final in India. The final will then be played on December 13, the night before the men's competition kicks off in Perth. The result means officials have again been forced to squeeze in 15 mid-week matches, with that number a slight reduction on last year's 17. But the biggest change in the schedule is the lack of matches in big stadiums on the east coast. Cricket Australia had invested heavily in marketing the events in recent years, only for crowds in the 5000s for the two double-headers at the MCG in the past two seasons. The SCG fared slightly better, with 7118 through the gates for a double-header in 2023-24 before another double-header was played there last season. Officials have opted against playing at either of the venues this year while prioritising North Sydney Oval, Drummoyne and Junction Oval in Melbourne. The Gabba is also unavailable for the Brisbane Heat due to the lead up to the Ashes Test, while the Strikers will feature in a late-season double-header at Adelaide Oval after success there. "Each season when we look at the schedule we look at the balance of the venues and the right opportunities to promote those games," BBL boss Alistair Dobson said. "We enjoy playing in bigger stadiums for the past couple of seasons and look forward to being back at the Adelaide Oval again this year. "The other games, largely due to scheduling reasons and the need to optimise those games in the big stadiums, we haven't found the right spots for them this year. "But that's not to say it won't be in the future as the world's best cricket in the world's best stadiums is still part of our thinking going forward." Officials did have the option of playing the final as a double-header with men's BBL tournament opener, but decided against it. Such a move would have left the risk of the highest qualifier not being able to host the WBBL's showpiece event, while also meaning it would not have been a prime-time fixture for TV audiences. "The WBBL is the world's best cricket league and one of the world's best cricket leagues and one of the most watched and popular sports leagues in Australia," Dobson said. "We think that warrants having it in its own standalone and it's own prime-time audiences in the cricket calendar." Cricket Australia has moved away from its big-stadium experiment for east-coast WBBL games, with no matches at the MCG or SCG in this summer's schedule. Squeezed by ICC events at one end and the men's BBL at the other, the tournament will be played through a five-week window again this summer. Brisbane will host the Melbourne Renegades in the November 9 opener, one week after the 50-over women's World Cup final in India. The final will then be played on December 13, the night before the men's competition kicks off in Perth. The result means officials have again been forced to squeeze in 15 mid-week matches, with that number a slight reduction on last year's 17. But the biggest change in the schedule is the lack of matches in big stadiums on the east coast. Cricket Australia had invested heavily in marketing the events in recent years, only for crowds in the 5000s for the two double-headers at the MCG in the past two seasons. The SCG fared slightly better, with 7118 through the gates for a double-header in 2023-24 before another double-header was played there last season. Officials have opted against playing at either of the venues this year while prioritising North Sydney Oval, Drummoyne and Junction Oval in Melbourne. The Gabba is also unavailable for the Brisbane Heat due to the lead up to the Ashes Test, while the Strikers will feature in a late-season double-header at Adelaide Oval after success there. "Each season when we look at the schedule we look at the balance of the venues and the right opportunities to promote those games," BBL boss Alistair Dobson said. "We enjoy playing in bigger stadiums for the past couple of seasons and look forward to being back at the Adelaide Oval again this year. "The other games, largely due to scheduling reasons and the need to optimise those games in the big stadiums, we haven't found the right spots for them this year. "But that's not to say it won't be in the future as the world's best cricket in the world's best stadiums is still part of our thinking going forward." Officials did have the option of playing the final as a double-header with men's BBL tournament opener, but decided against it. Such a move would have left the risk of the highest qualifier not being able to host the WBBL's showpiece event, while also meaning it would not have been a prime-time fixture for TV audiences. "The WBBL is the world's best cricket league and one of the world's best cricket leagues and one of the most watched and popular sports leagues in Australia," Dobson said. "We think that warrants having it in its own standalone and it's own prime-time audiences in the cricket calendar."
India Gazette
11-07-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
Women's Big Bash League 11 schedule announced; Melbourne Renegades, Brisbane Heat to play opening fixture
New Delhi [India], July 11 (ANI): Melbourne Renegades and Brisbane Heat are set to kick off the Women Big Bash League (WBBL) 11 season with a rematch of last year's final, as the tournament gets underway with a blockbuster triple header across Brisbane and Perth, according to Cricket Australia website. Cricket Australia on Friday unveiled the 43-game, 35-day schedule for WBBL|11, which is set to begin from November 9 and culminate with the final scheduled on December 13. The season is starting a fortnight later than usual this summer due to the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup in India later this year, which culminates on November 2. Last season's runners-up, Brisbane, will be out for revenge when they host the reigning champions at Allan Border Field on the opening day of the tournament. A showdown between fellow WBBL|10 finalists Hobart Hurricanes and Sydney Thunder will follow at the same venue, before the action will head west where the Scorchers will host Sydney Sixers at the redeveloped WACA Ground to cap off the day one triple-header. Melbourne Stars will then host the Adelaide Strikers the following day at the CitiPower Centre, as all eight clubs begin their seasons in the opening two days. There will be no change to the structure of the finals series, which differs from the BBL. The team that finishes on top of the table at the end of the regular season will still host the final on Saturday, December 13. The sides finishing third and fourth will meet in the Knockout on December 9, to be hosted by the third-ranked side. The winner of that game will then travel to play the second-ranked qualifier in The Challenger on December 11 for a spot in the final. 'We're delighted with this action-packed schedule, which starts with a blockbuster triple-header and features the marquee matches our fans have come to love,' Cricket Australia's General Manager, Big Bash Leagues, Alistair Dobson, said. 'With the WBBL season ending as the BBL starts, the Big Bash Leagues are cemented as the heartbeat of summer, with cricket to feature almost every night from November 9 through until Sunday, January 25,' Dobson added. (ANI)
The Australian
11-07-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
Major stadiums remain priority for WBBL despite Ashes fixture shake-up
Cricket officials are committed to continuing the WBBL stadium series in coming years despite taking the MCG and SCG off this summer's fixture that features just two matches at Australia's biggest arenas. The timing of the women's Twenty20 World Cup in India has forced the WBBL season to start later than usual. The season will now kick off on November 9 – a week after the World Cup final – with an eye-catching triple-header across two different venues. The later start has ruled out Optus Stadium, the Gabba, SCG and MCG because those venues will either be in use or being prepped for the Ashes. But Adelaide Oval will still host two matches in the back half of the season on November 28. The iconic MCG, which hosted the WBBL final, will not welcome a WBBL game this season. Picture: Ian Currie SEE FULL WBBL|11 FIXTURE HERE Despite the clash of venues, the WBBL fixture will leverage the interest of the Ashes with the timing of games during Test matches. A match will be played on the first morning of the Ashes in Hobart and will begin at 10am to capitalise on the time zone difference to Perth. There will then be a match starting at 8.50pm at the WACA on the same night to capture the supporters leaving the Test yearning for more action. BBL general manager Alistair Dobson was confident the Ashes-aligned fixture would draw sustained interest and backed the stadium series to return in future seasons. 'Each season when we look at the season, we always look for the balance of the right venues and opportunities to promote those games,' Dobson said. 'We enjoy playing in those bigger stadiums for the past couple of seasons and looking forward to being back at the Adelaide Oval this year. 'The other games, largely due to scheduling reasons and needing to optimise those games in those big stadiums, we haven't found the right slot for them as closely this year. WBBL fixture starts at its latest date and will include a jam-packed four week schedule. 'Playing all the Sixers games at North Sydney Oval and the Stars games will be back at CitiPower Centre and the Gabba is out of action due to the Test match. 'We haven't been able to find the right slot this year, but that's not to say we won't be back there in the future because the world's best cricket league in the world's best stadiums is still part of our thinking going forward.' The WBBL final will be played the night before the BBL season begins. It's the closest the two seasons have been and – according to Dobson – will ever be. 'The WBBL is the world's best cricket league for women and one of the most watched and popular sports leagues in Australia,' he said. 'We think that warrants having it in its own stand-alone window to able to leverage prime-time audiences in its own place in the cricket calendar.' Tyler Lewis Sports reporter Tyler Lewis is a sports reporter based in Melbourne's south east. @tmlew_ Tyler Lewis
Perth Now
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
SCG, MCG off the menu in WBBL fixture change up
Cricket Australia has moved away from its big-stadium experiment for east-coast WBBL games, with no matches at the MCG or SCG in this summer's schedule. Squeezed by ICC events at one end and the men's BBL at the other, the tournament will be played through a five-week window again this summer. Brisbane will host the Melbourne Renegades in the November 9 opener, one week after the 50-over women's World Cup final in India. The final will then be played on December 13, the night before the men's competition kicks off in Perth. The result means officials have again been forced to squeeze in 15 mid-week matches, with that number a slight reduction on last year's 17. But the biggest change in the schedule is the lack of matches in big stadiums on the east coast. Cricket Australia had invested heavily in marketing the events in recent years, only for crowds in the 5000s for the two double-headers at the MCG in the past two seasons. The SCG fared slightly better, with 7118 through the gates for a double-header in 2023-24 before another double-header was played there last season. Officials have opted against playing at either of the venues this year while prioritising North Sydney Oval, Drummoyne and Junction Oval in Melbourne. The Gabba is also unavailable for the Brisbane Heat due to the lead up to the Ashes Test, while the Strikers will feature in a late-season double-header at Adelaide Oval after success there. "Each season when we look at the schedule we look at the balance of the venues and the right opportunities to promote those games," BBL boss Alistair Dobson said. "We enjoy playing in bigger stadiums for the past couple of seasons and look forward to being back at the Adelaide Oval again this year. "The other games, largely due to scheduling reasons and the need to optimise those games in the big stadiums, we haven't found the right spots for them this year. "But that's not to say it won't be in the future as the world's best cricket in the world's best stadiums is still part of our thinking going forward." Officials did have the option of playing the final as a double-header with men's BBL tournament opener, but decided against it. Such a move would have left the risk of the highest qualifier not being able to host the WBBL's showpiece event, while also meaning it would not have been a prime-time fixture for TV audiences. "The WBBL is the world's best cricket league and one of the world's best cricket leagues and one of the most watched and popular sports leagues in Australia," Dobson said. "We think that warrants having it in its own standalone and it's own prime-time audiences in the cricket calendar."
