WBBL Draft Shocker: Dunkley Goes No. 1, Ecclestone Heads to Strikers

By Mehr Jan

The Sydney Sixers stunned the cricketing world by selecting England’s top-order batter Sophia Dunkley as the No. 1 pick in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) overseas draft. 

The move allowed world No. 1 T20 bowler Sophie Ecclestone to slide into the hands of the Adelaide Strikers at pick No. 2, a rare twist that caught many off guard.

“We’ve struggled with our top-order for a while,” said Sixers general manager Rachael Haynes. “While Sophie [Ecclestone] has been phenomenal for us, we needed to address our batting depth, and securing Dunkley was key to that.”

Ecclestone, who has spent the past two seasons with the Sixers, was a notable absentee from their roster, despite her consistent performance. 

The shift marks a big win for the Strikers, who also welcome back Tammy Beaumont after a seven-year gap. The England batter previously played 27 matches for the Strikers between 2016 and 2018 and has since turned out for both the Renegades and Thunder.

Surprises, Retentions and Missed Chances

The Melbourne Renegades came into the draft hampered by the loss of pre-signed star Hayley Matthews due to shoulder surgery, while the Hurricanes made headlines of their own, announcing Nat Sciver-Brunt as a pre-signing on draft day.

In the opening round, the Melbourne Stars aggressively pursued top-tier batting talent. Their attempt to secure Jemimah Rodrigues was thwarted by the Heat's retention rights. A similar bid for Danni Wyatt-Hodge was shut down by the Hurricanes. Eventually, the Stars picked up in-form England wicketkeeper Amy Jones after the Perth Scorchers opted not to retain her.

Scorchers’ draft strategy revolved around locking in Sophie Devine as their platinum pick. They made additional moves in later rounds, bringing in England fringe batter Paige Scholfield and South African allrounder Chloe Tryon, who will now play for her fourth WBBL franchise.

Sydney Thunder, meanwhile, might have pulled off the steal of the draft. They added South African speedster Shabnim Ismail in the final round, completing what may be the strongest overseas trio: Heather Knight (retained), Chamari Athapaththu (pre-signed), and now Ismail.

Final Overseas Draft Picks by Team

Adelaide Strikers: Sophie Ecclestone, Laura Wolvaardt, Tammy Beaumont

Brisbane Heat: Jemimah Rodrigues, Chinelle Henry, Nadine de Klerk

Hobart Hurricanes: Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith

Melbourne Renegades: Deandra Dottin, Alice Capsey

Melbourne Stars: Amy Jones, Marizanne Kapp, Dani Gibson

Perth Scorchers: Sophie Devine, Paige Scholfield, Chloe Tryon

Sydney Sixers: Sophia Dunkley, Amelia Kerr, Maddy Villiers

Sydney Thunder: Heather Knight, Chamari Athapaththu, Shabnim Ismail