England’s cricketers will be unavailable for the later stages of the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) due to scheduling conflicts with their upcoming tour of South Africa. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has made it clear that selected players must prioritise national duty over club commitments.
This decision was made to avoid a repeat of the overlap that occurred earlier this year when the Women’s Premier League (WPL) clashed with England's bilateral series in New Zealand. Several players were forced to choose between playing for their country or continuing with their WPL teams. The ECB has now instructed players to be present in South Africa by specific dates, regardless of any ongoing WBBL matches.
Jonathan Finch, Director of England Women's Cricket, said the players were informed of the ECB's expectations before entering the WBBL draft. Finch explained that players picked for the T20 squad are expected in South Africa by November 17, and those selected for the ODI squad must report by November 27.
The WBBL, which begins on October 27, will have 11 regular-season matches left from November 17 before moving into the knockout stages. Meanwhile, England will play their first T20I against South Africa on November 24, followed by three ODIs starting from December 4 and a Test match commencing on December 15.
Seven England players were selected in this year's WBBL draft, including Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Sophie Ecclestone, and Heather Knight, all retained by their respective teams at the lucrative platinum level. Alice Capsey and Amy Jones secured gold-level contracts, while Hollie Armitage and Georgia Adams were drafted at the bronze level.
The ECB had taken a similar stance during last year's WBBL when Bess Heath and Danielle Gibson missed the final to join England’s squad in India for a T20I series that began four days later.
Next year’s WPL fixtures, announced in January, also created a potential conflict, with the final scheduled just two days before England's first T20I in New Zealand. Although the ECB requested a change to the tour dates, New Zealand Cricket did not alter the schedule.
Captain Heather Knight and bowler Lauren Bell opted out of their WPL contracts to be available for the entire New Zealand series. Nat Sciver-Brunt, Wyatt-Hodge, Capsey, and Ecclestone joined the squad midway through the series after fulfilling their WPL commitments.
With the current Women’s Future Tours Program set to end in 2025, Finch expressed optimism that future scheduling conflicts can be avoided. He accentuated the importance of having indicative dates for tournaments, despite the complexities of broadcast schedules.
Finch explained that ensuring England players have sufficient time to prepare for international tours is crucial, adding that managing workloads and providing time for recovery remains a priority.
Acknowledging the financial opportunities offered by tournaments like the WPL, Finch conceded that it’s challenging to deny players such lucrative opportunities, particularly as they approach the later stages of their careers. He hinted that the ECB would consider individual cases and highlighted efforts to align England Women’s match fees with those of their male counterparts to ease the pressure.
Finch also revealed discussions are ongoing with the England Women’s Player Partnership about introducing multi-year central contracts, which would offer players more job security while protecting ECB resources. He stressed that ensuring player welfare remains a top priority, particularly in scheduling and workload management.