After the completion of the Ashes, the last edition of Kia Super League begins from August 6 before the Hundred-ball rule replaces it in next summer.
Women’s Cricket Super League (WCSL) as known as Kia Super League (KSL) started in 2016 and always tried to be the bridge between the domestic and the international circuit. After a poor show in the Ashes, England Cricket are currently under the scanner and this tournament will play a big role to regain confidence.
The tournament which will continue to play for nearly one month will be played in a round-robin format where each of the six teams will face others twice in both home and away. The games will take place in fifteen different grounds which included the grounds like Trent Bridge, The Oval, Old Trafford and Headingley etc.
Not only England players but the players across the globe take part in the Kia Super League. The team which will finish first on the points table will seal their berth in the final whereas the second and third teams will play the semi-final to reach the final.
Six teams will be featured in the KSL, namely: Surrey Stars, Western Storm, Lancashire Thunder, Loughborough Lightning, Yorkshire Diamonds and Southern Vipers.
Now, what makes them different from each other?
Certainly, the quality of the players.
Although the teams have nearly similar quality of players, KSL 2019 will be important for them. Even, India players are not far behind.
While India T20I captain and vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana respectively have been featured in the tournament last year, youngsters Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma are all set to showcase their talent this year.
Surrey Stars:
Defending champion Surrey Stars are one of the strongest teams in the Women’s Cricket Super League. Although they didn’t have a great season in 2016, they did well in the next two years. While in 2017 they lost to Western Storm, they won the title in 2018 by defeating Loughborough Lightning.
With the likes of Natalie Sciver, Laura Marsh, Sarah Taylor, Bryony Smith, Mady Villiers, Marizanne Kapp, Lizelee Lee, Dane van Niekerk etc., the team can pose a great threat to others.
Squad:
Natalie Sciver (C), Laura Marsh, Sarah Taylor, Bryony Smith, Mady Villiers, Amy Gordon, Aylish Cranstone, Lizelee Lee, Grace Gibbs, Eva Grey, Rhianna Southby, Marizanne Kapp, Dane van Niekerk, Hannah Jones, Gwenan Davies
Loughborough Lightning:
The team reached the final last year after finishing at the top of the points table with 33 points where they lost to Surrey Stars by 66 runs.
However, they have a couple of important players like Amy Jones, Hayley Matthews, Kirstie Gordon, Jenny Gunn, Kathryn Bryce, Mignon du Preez, Chamari Atapattu. With their presence, it is expected that Loughborough Lightning will repeat their performance in the Kia Super League 2019 season as well.
Squad:
Georgia Elwiss (C), Amy Jones, Jenny Gunn, Kirstie Gordon, Abbey Freeborn, Lucy Higham, Tara Norris, Alice Monaghan, Kathryn Bryce, Georgia Adams, Sarah Glenn, Jo Gardner, Mignon du Preez, Hayley Matthews, Chamari Atapattu.
Yorkshire Diamonds:
They have made two new additions in the squad which will certainly prove beneficial for them. They are none other than Alyssa Healy and Jemimah Rodrigues.
Both are able to provide flying start to the team. Alongside them, Leigh Kasperek will replace Chloe Tryon. With these new signings will surely boost up their decreasing performance graph.
Squad:
Lauren Winfield (C), Katherine Brunt, Alice Davidson-Richards, Linsey Smith, Katie George, Cordelia Griffith, Hollie Armitage, Katie Levick, Georgia Davis, Helen Fenby, Beth Langston, Bess Heath, Alyssa Healy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Leigh Kasperek.
Southern Vipers:
One of the best teams in the whole tournament of Kia Super League is Southern Vipers. The winner of the 2016 season failed to make it to the cut in the last season. The team has a couple of experienced players like Tammy Beaumont (C), Danielle Wyatt, Tash Farrant, Suzie Bates, Stafanie Taylor, Amanda Wellington etc.
It will be interesting to see how the team performs under the new captain, Tammy Beaumont, who replaced Suzie Bates in this season.
Squad:
Tammy Beaumont (C), Danielle Wyatt, Tash Farrant, Suzie Bates, Stafanie Taylor, Amanda Wellington, Fi Morris, Lauren Bell, Carla Rudd, Charlie Dean, Maia Bouchier, Thea Brookes, Paige Scholfield, Marie Kelly, Issy Wong.
Western Storm:
The winner of 2017 season, Western Storm has a couple of players who can be a game-changer on their own. They are India opener Smriti Mandhana, England captain Heather Knight, Anya Shrubsole, Fran Wilson etc.
Mandhana was the highest run-scorer in the last season with a whopping 421 runs from 9 innings with a strike rate of 174.69 and an average of 60.14. No other players have reached near to her in the whole tournament.
On the other hand, another India player, Deepti Sharma has been included in the squad. With the quality players like these, Western Storm has a great chance to win the title in the final edition of the Kia Super League.
Squad:
Heather Knight (C), Smriti Mandhana, Anya Shrubsole, Fran Wilson, Freya Davies, Rachel Priest, Deepti Sharma, Sonia Odedra, Dani Gibson, Ellie Mitchell, Alex Griffiths, Claire Nicholas, Sophie Luff, Naomi Dattani, Amara Carr.
Lancashire Thunder:
The team which has the likes of India T20I captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Alex Hartley, Sophie Ecclestone, Natalie Brown, Sune Luus, Tahlia McGrath, has got a new leader in Kate Cross after the experienced campaigner Danielle Hazell’s retirement.
Although they had placed at the bottom of the points table in the first two seasons, Lancashire Thunder have nearly missed a semi-final berth in the last year. They are expected to do well in the Women’s Cricket Super League 2019 season.
Squad:
Kate Cross (C), Sophie Ecclestone, Alex Hartley, Natalie Brown, Alice Dyson, Sophia Dunkley, Georgia Boyce, Emma Lamb, Ria Fackrell, Danielle Collins, Eve Jones, Ellie Threlkeld, Harmanpreet Kaur, Sune Luus, Tahlia McGrath.
Women’s Cricket Super League Schedule:
Tuesday, August 6:
Lancashire Thunder vs Southern Vipers
Loughborough Lightning vs Western Storm
Yorkshire Diamonds vs Surrey Stars
Thursday, August 8:
Loughborough Lightning vs Southern Vipers
Surrey Stars vs Lancashire Thunder
Saturday, August 10:
Western Storm vs Lancashire Thunder
Sunday, August 11:
Yorkshire Diamonds vs Loughborough Lightning
Southern Vipers vs Western Storm
Monday, August 12:
Surrey Stars vs Southern Vipers
Tuesday, August 13:
Lancashire Thunder vs Yorkshire Diamonds
Western Storm vs Loughborough Lightning
Thursday, August 15:
Surrey Stars vs Loughborough Lightning
Southern Vipers vs Lancashire Thunder
Yorkshire Diamonds vs Western Storm
Sunday, August 18:
Lancashire Thunder vs Western Storm
Southern Vipers vs Surrey Stars
Loughborough Lightning vs Yorkshire Diamonds
Tuesday, August 20:
Surrey Stars vs Yorkshire Diamonds
Western Storm vs Southern Vipers
Lancashire Thunder vs Loughborough Lightning
Wednesday, August 21:
Southern Vipers vs Yorkshire Diamonds
Western Storm vs Surrey Stars
Friday, August 23:
Yorkshire Diamonds vs Lancashire Thunder
Loughborough Lightning vs Surrey Stars
Sunday, August 25:
Loughborough Lightning vs Lancashire Thunder
Yorkshire Diamonds vs Southern Vipers
Surrey Stars vs Western Storm
Wednesday, August 28:
Lancashire Thunder vs Surrey Stars
Western Storm vs Yorkshire Diamonds
Southern Vipers vs Loughborough Lightning
Sunday, September 1:
TBC vs TBC – 1st Semi-Final
1st vs Semi-final winner – Final
