Franchise Cricket

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England batter Danni Wyatt-Hodge has been traded to reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru for the 2025 edition of the Women's Premier League.

Having gone unsold for the inaugural season in 2023, Wyatt-Hodge was signed by UP Warriorz for the competition's second season earlier this year but did not play.

The 33-year-old will move to RCB for 30 lakh rupees (£27,400).

Wyatt-Hodge has played 164 T20s for England and was their leading run-scorer in the recent T20 World Cup, where England made a disappointing group-stage exit.

The WPL franchises can have a maximum of six overseas players in their squads, with four allowed to play in an XI.

Last season RCB's overseas players were New Zealand World Cup-winning captain Sophie Devine, superstar all-rounder Ellyse Perry plus her Australia team-mates Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham, England bowler Kate Cross and South Africa all-rounder Nadine de Klerk.

The dates of the 2025 WPL, expected to take place in the spring, are yet to be announced.

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Nicola Carey's half-century set Hobart Hurricanes on their way to a 31-run win over Sydney Thunder in the Women's Big Bash League.

The Australia left-hander made 52 from 38 balls as Hurricanes posted 141-7 after being put in to bat.

England opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge made a run-a-ball 18 before being dismissed by compatriot Georgia Adams, while left-arm spinner Samantha Bates took 3-20 for Thunder.

The visitors overcame a poor start to their chase thanks to Phoebe Litchfield's 51 from 37 balls but collapsed again after she departed and were bowled out for 110.

All-rounder Heather Graham was the pick of the Hurricanes bowlers, taking 3-19.

After Chamari Athapaththu was lbw to Molly Strano from the first ball of the Thunder chase, they slumped to 38-4 when Adams was bowled by Chloe Tryon in the seventh over.

Litchfield kept them in contention as she put on 52 for the fifth wicket with Anika Learoyd but the pair fell in quick succession and Hobart quickly ran through the lower order to go top of the WBBL after the opening round of fixtures.

"It was an interesting game, we got off to a good start with the bat but then fell away a bit in the middle," Graham said.

"But we were able to come out and take a wicket first ball, which is always an amazing feeling, then we were able to peg everyone else back apart from Litch.

"It was a key wicket to get. It was a really good team effort tonight, everyone chipped in."

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Commentaries on the Women's Big Bash League will continue this week across BBC Sounds, BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and the BBC Sport website and app.

Ball-by-ball updates will be provided by ABC Grandstand in Australia.

Here's the schedule for 28 October-3 November:

Monday, 28 October: Hobart Hurricanes v Sydney Thunder (07:00 GMT)

Tuesday, 29 October: Sydney Sixers v Adelaide Strikers (07:00 GMT)

Wednesday, 30 October: Brisbane Heat v Melbourne Renegades (08:00 GMT)

Thursday, 31 October: Sydney Thunder v Hobart Hurricanes (08:00 GMT)

Friday, 1 November: Adelaide Strikers v Sydney Thunder (04:30 GMT) & Sydney Sixers v Melbourne Stars (08:00 GMT)

Saturday, 2 November: Brisbane Heat v Hobart Hurricanes (00:15 GMT), Melbourne Renegades v Perth Scorchers (03:45 GMT) & Melbourne Stars v Hobart Hurricanes (23:00 GMT)

Sunday, 3 November: Melbourne Renegades v Adelaide Strikers (02:30 GMT)

All times are broadcast start times, and subject to change. All commentaries are available to UK users only.

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Caoimhe Bray, 15, became the youngest player to feature in the Women's Big Bash League as she played a key role in Sydney Sixers' win over Melbourne Renegades.

Bray, who turned 15 in September, bowled West Indies star Deandra Dottin for her first WBBL wicket and then hit the winning runs in an unbeaten cameo of 12 from five balls.

Sixers successfully chased 179 to beat Renegades with Ellyse Perry striking 81 from 38 balls, and the legendary all-rounder described Bray as "very special".

"I haven't seen a 15-year-old hit a four over cover like that to win a game before, so that's a first," Perry said after the match.

"She's very special, a legend, and we're very lucky to have her on our team."

Bray takes the title of the WBBL's youngest player from batter Phoebe Litchfield, now a regular for Australia, who made her debut for Sydney Thunder at 16 in 2019 and hit a half-century in just her second match.

The teenager described Perry as her idol and said it was a "dream come true" to play alongside her.

"If you ask all my primary school friends, every school project was about her," Bray said.

"She gave me the cap before the game and I was crying a little bit. It was really exciting - a memory I won't forget."

Bray has also represented Australia in football, playing as a goalkeeper at age-group level - a feat which Perry also achieved, representing her country 18 times.

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Ellyse Perry starred on the opening day of the Women's Big Bash League as Sydney Sixers beat Melbourne Renegades by three wickets.

Perry struck 81 from just 38 balls, including 11 fours and three sixes, as Sixers reached their target of 179 with an over to spare.

The all-rounder was supported by England's Hollie Armitage with 30 from 23 balls at the top of the order while Scotland's Sarah Bryce added an unbeaten 36 from 25.

Perry also took 2-25 as Renegades posted 178-8 with fellow Australian Georgia Wareham top-scoring with 61 from 31 balls. England spinner Sophie Ecclestone chipped in with 2-35.

Elsewhere, defending champions Adelaide Strikers suffered a four-wicket defeat by Brisbane Heat.

The Strikers were restricted to 133-5 from their 20 overs as captain Tahlia McGrath made 51 not out from 41 balls, before Charli Knott's unbeaten 44 from 30 steered Heat over the line with two overs remaining.

Finally, Melbourne Stars slumped to a disappointing defeat as they were bundled out for 109 in 19.2 overs in pursuit of 123 against Perth Scorchers.

Ines McKeon's 50 from 43 balls on her WBBL debut was in vain as Kim Garth's 10 was the Stars' next-highest score. Leg-spinner Alana King taking 3-20 for the Scorchers.

England's Amy Jones earlier made 30 and Australian opener Beth Mooney scored 31 in the Scorchers' 122-8.

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England left-arm spinner Linsey Smith and opening batter Lauren Winfield-Hill have been signed as replacement players for the Women's Big Bash League.

Smith, who was part of England's T20 World Cup squad earlier in October, has signed for Melbourne Renegades for an unspecified amount of time.

Winfield-Hill returns to Brisbane Heat for the opening two games, having played for them in the inaugural campaign in 2015.

She is covering for Jemimah Rodrigues, who is playing for India in a white-ball series against New Zealand.

Smith's availability is likely to depend on whether she is part of England's squad to tour South Africa from 24 November.

Heat and Renegades both play as part of the triple-header that starts the tournament on Sunday, 27 October.

Listen to commentary of Adelaide Strikers v Brisbane Heat on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra from 02:30 GMT on 27 October.

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England captain Heather Knight will join up with her Big Bash side Sydney Thunder this week after her calf injury was deemed a minor issue.

Knight, 33, had to retire hurt during England's defeat by West Indies in the T20 World Cup and was not able to take the field in the run chase as her side exited the tournament.

She says she ruptured a tendon but it "won't keep her out for very long".

The Big Bash begins on Sunday 27 October and Knight will join the Thunder squad later this week.

England said Knight will "continue her return to play under the guidance of both Sydney Thunder and England medical teams".

She is expected to be fit for England's next action - the three format tour of South Africa which begins on 24 November.