WBBL bucking that second season syndrome as record numbers tune in
Alison Mitchell reports on the second edition of women’s cricket biggest domestic event and identifies successes both on and off the field
It feels bigger, brighter and more confident already. If the Women’s Big Bash was in adolescence in season one, the most high-profile and well-followed domestic women’s cricket competition in the world looks as if it will come of age in season two.
Like a graduate stepping out for a prom, WBBL02 stood tall and proud on its opening weekend; six matches over two days in a carnival of cricket at the North Sydney Oval, strategically positioned in the Australian calendar so as not to clash with any men’s cricket, and beamed live nationwide prime time on mainstream free-to-air television.
There was some towering hitting to match the hype as well, not least from the high-class international players taking part. Hayley Matthews, the West Indian teenage star of the World T20 in India earlier this year, played an explosive knock for Hobart Hurricanes, while compatriot Deandra Dottin brought up a fifty with a crashing drive through wide mid-off on the way to a swashbuckling unbeaten 60, as Brisbane Heat beat Sydney Sixers on Sunday afternoon.
Dottin creamed Australia’s best known all rounder Ellyse Perry high over the midwicket for six, which had the commentator purring “that is HUUUUGE!” Melbourne Stars home product Emma Inglis also sent a six sailing 80 metres onto the roof of one of the stands. Along the way, calamitous run outs were coupled with brilliant moments in the field, not least a direct hit to effect a run out from the deep cover boundary by Adelaide Strikers’ Bridget Patterson. The video clip of her throw has now gone around the world.
The three TV matches were slickly presented by Network Ten and shown in the UK on BT Sport. They were treated exactly as the men’s Big Bash with the same number of cameras and same technology, together with commentators and former Southern Stars players Mel Jones and Lisa Sthalekar making up a lively commentary box with the likes of Adam Gilchrist and Jason Gillespie.
Fancy some Saturday afternoon sporting TV? It was pretty much women’s Big Bash from 1.30pm until the floodlit game finished around 9.30pm. In the UK, Saturday evening audiences would have been tuning into X-Factor and Strictly
Come Dancing. In Australia they tuned into women’s cricket. The population numbers aren’t quite the same, but the Melbourne Stars v Sydney Thunder match, which started at 6.15pm on Saturday night, had an average audience of 432,000, peaking at 637,000 according to Network Ten. When you consider that the much-lauded, record-setting, peak audience for the first WBBL game shown on Ten’s main channel last season peaked at 439,000, the progress is evident in the numbers. Put it on and people will watch.
The only slightly disappointing thing was the footfall. The inaugural game last year was an untelevised yet colourful event at Junction Oval in St Kilda, staged with a fanfare that seems small fry compared to now. 1,500 were estimated to have gone through the gate that Saturday afternoon. Over the course of last weekend’s two-day festival, 6,000 visited North Sydney – numbers administrators had hoped would be higher.
Entry was free and there was plenty to keep children entertained alongside the games, but the North Sydney Oval is a suburban ground and unlikely to attract many walk-ups. Size of ground is important, but location is still critical at this stage of the WBBL’s growth.
In a decisive display of commitment and confidence, though, Cricket Australia are live-streaming every non-televised match this season, meaning there is fully produced video coverage, along with commentary, of every game. With eight out of 12 planned televised matches left on Ten, it is hoped that enough visibility has been achieved for people to seek out the other women’s matches via either the WBBL’s Facebook page or CA’s own website and app.
A mention of social media brings me to a creative Facebook project that I’m convinced has the legs to develop into cult viewing for women cricketers and their fans. Bring up your facebook page and type ‘WBBL Pitch Perfect’ into the search window and you’ll see that Ten commentator Mel
The only slightly disappointing thing was the footfall. Over the course of the two-day festival 6,000 visited North Sydney
Jones has teamed up with comedienne, cricket fan and occasional cricketer Bobby Macumber to create their own women’s cricket show. It is being broadcast via Facebook Live.
The show is in its infancy and looks homemade because, well, it is. But because it is a social media project and there is nothing like it anywhere else, it is already starting to draw in a specialist audience. It made for light-hearted yet informative viewing as Jones and Macumber ran their eye over the runners and riders of the WBBL in their opening episode.
As well as being witty, Macumber can play the piano and she sings astonishingly well. She caught my attention during last season’s WBBL when she wrote, sang and posted on
YouTube a comedic ditty in tribute to her favourite team, Melbourne Renegades.
The Renegades had not had a wonderful season but showed a remarkable penchant for winning matches whenever they were on television. “There were some other games,” Macumber reminds us, shrugging to the camera with a breezy smile. “But, you know… they’re irrelevant.” The chorus had a catchy refrain of: “You…. Suck unless you’re on TV.”
Macumber and Jones aren’t being paid. At the moment it is a labour of love, although a sponsor wouldn’t go amiss if numbers grow, as Macumber and the third member of the team Erini Gianakopoulos (otherwise known as Reens and usually behind the camera) will have to travel across the country on occasion to produce their weekly endeavour.
WBBL franchises have been supportive, however, with teams allowing players to join the often selfdeprecating Macumber in recording a series of ‘Bobby’s Covers’ whereby WBBL players feature as backing singers to a Macumber re-hash.
The first recording saw a trio of Melbourne Stars players coaxed by Macumber into singing a revamped version of the Shoop Shoop Song. Songs are filmed in team rooms, hotel rooms, or even Reens’ own apartment after she provided homemade pasta bolognese.
The show knows it is a very basic production and it thrives on that. In the meantime we can all take comfort from the fact that the players are better cricketers than they are vocalists.