Melbourne Renegades change captain but retain competitive squad after narrow semi-final defeat

WOMEN'S BIG BASH LEAGUE PREVIEW - MELBOURNE RENEGADES: Talented young spinners and England batting pair could prove a potent combination for the Renegades

Coach: Tim Coyle

Captain: Jess Duffin

Overseas players: Tammy Beaumont, Danielle Wyatt (both England), Lea Tahuhu (New Zealand)

Australia national team players: Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham, Jess Duffin, Tayla Vlaeminck

Last season: Fourth

How did they do last season? A creditable fourth place meant a place in the finals, and only an exceptional performance from Ellyse Perry stopped them getting to the final.

Key players

Sophie Molineux: Amassed 354 runs last time around, just behind leading batsman Dani Wyatt, and claimed 16 wickets, just behind Molly Strano. The left-arm off-spinner, just 21, has a big future in the Australian set-up. 

Lea Tahuhu: One of the fastest bowlers in the league with a damaging short ball, the New Zealander took 14 wickets at an average of 21.35 last year. She is married to former captain Amy Satterthwaite, who has just stepped down from the role but will take on a coaching role during her pregnancy, has just been made vice-captain.

Jess Duffin: Standing in for Satterthwaite as captain, Duffin has made 117 appearances for Australia across all formats and was named player of the final in Australia’s T20 World Cup win in 2012 and 50-over World Cup win in 2015.

^{Lea Tahuhu is one of the quickest bowlers in the women's game}

Strengths

Strong individuals in both disciplines, a good habit of winning tight games at home and eventually only a top-class Ellyse Perry innings away from the final. In Wyatt and Beaumont, they possess two of the women's game's most destructive batting options.

Weaknesses

They only lost six games before the finals last season, but four of them were by five wickets or more and another was by 48 runs, indicating a tendency to have serious off-days.

They also gave away more than 12 extras on three occasions last season.

England involvement

Former Adelaide Strikers batsman Tammy Beaumont and Wyatt will look to cover for Satterthwaite’s absence at the top of the order. Wyatt made the most runs last season and will want a similar return, but Beaumont will appear for the first time in the WBBL.

Squad: Tammy Beaumont, Makinley Blows, Maitlan Brown, Josie Dooley, Jess Duffin, Erica Kershaw, Claire Koski, Carly Leeson, Sophie Molineux, Courtney Neale, Molly Strano, Lea Tahuhu, Georgia Wareham, Courtney Webb, Danni Wyatt

TEAM-BY-TEAM PREVIEWS

Adelaide Strikers

Brisbane Heat

Hobart Hurricanes

Melbourne Renegades

Melbourne Stars

Perth Scorchers

Sydney Sixers

Sydney Thunder