WBBL preview: Matthews key for Renegades revival

Last season: 4-9 win-loss (1 no result). Finished seventh.

WBBL|09 draft picks: Hayley Matthews (West Indies, pick 3), Harmanpreet Kaur (India, pick 10),

Coach: Simon Helmot

Squad: Tammy Beaumont (England), Sarah Coyte, Josie Dooley, Jess Duffin, Ellie Falconer, Ella Hayward, Harmanpreet Kaur (India), Erica Kershaw, Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Sophie Molineux, Rhiann O'Donnell, Georgia Prestwidge, Georgia Wareham, Courtney Webb

Injury list: Sophie Molineux (ACL), Tayla Vlaeminck (shoulder)

In: Jess Duffin, Tammy Beaumont (direction nomination, previously Thunder)

Out: Shabnim Ismail (drafted by Hurricanes), Carly Leeson

Possible best XI: Hayley Matthews (c), Tammy Beaumont, Courtney Webb, Harmanpreet Kaur, Jess Duffin, Josie Dooley (wk), Georgia Wareham, Ella Hayward, Sarah Coyte, Rhiann O'Donnell, Georgia Prestwidge

Player availability: India are scheduled to host England in early December which could potentially impact Kaur and Beaumont at the back end of the season, but the dates that series are TBC. West Indies have no conflicting commitments. Tayla Vlaeminck will miss the entire series after undergoing shoulder surgery, and Sophie Molineux has also been ruled out as she continues to recover from a torn ACL.

Inside word with Simon Helmot

The Renegades have kept a very stable list and the only players who have come into the squad – Jess Duffin and Tammy Beaumont – have both played for the Renegades previously.

However, the club will need to navigate the season without captain and key allrounder Molineux and fast bowler Vlaeminck.

"The great thing about Tammy, Harmanpreet and Hayley is just their leadership and their experience which gives the team a bit more of an edge, which is something we wanted to improve upon from last season. And then having Jess Duffin in the side also increases our experience profile.

"The biggest setbacks for us are the injuries to Tay and to Soph to we'll just need to reposition the balance of our side and a few players to replace them from a bowling point of view ... we'll just have to be versatile as we have been in the past."

Who will captain: There's no shortage of leadership potential in this group; Harmanpreet Kaur and Hayley Matthews both captain their countries, Tammy Beaumont skippers Welsh Fire in The Hundred, and Jess Duffin and Georgia Wareham are both leaders within the Renegades group. Ultimately the nod has gone to Matthews, who stepped in to lead the side last season after Molineux's injury.

"Hayley captained our team after Soph got injured last year and did a great job, the girls have great respect for her. She's captain of West Indies and is at the height of her powers at the moment, both as a player but also in leadership.

"To have her, with the experience of Jess Duffin, Harmanpreet Kaur and our vice-captain Georgia Wareham, it's a real positive for us. Hayley is really invested in our club, she had a fantastic time last year and she wants to see us become more successful."

Draft strategy: Unsurprisingly, it was Matthews and Kaur the Renegades pounced at the chance to snap up in the draft. Tammy Beaumont was signed by direct nomination.

"It's great to have the services of Hayley Matthews, Harmanpreet Kaur and Tammy Beaumont. That's something that we looked at, wanting to improve our batting depth and strength."

The return of Wolfie: Georgia Wareham will play her first WBBL match since she tore her ACL in WBBL|07 when the Renegades host the Heat on Friday.

"That's probably the most exciting part of the season. Losing Soph is devastating but having Georgia Wareham come back into the side, genuine wicket-taker who can help control the middle overs and not forgetting she's one of the best fields in the competition and can really bolster our middle order with the bat."

Key to improving on last season:

"For us it's about competing and making sure that we can post totals. We've got a batting line-up which is going to be able to do that, post totals and chase down targets.

"We've improved our experience profile – games played are just so important T20 cricket and we've definitely improved in that aspect.

"And if we can maintain or improve our ability to take wickets and bowl well defensively, with some excellent back-up in the field, I think that will help us improve on last season's ending."

Young players to watch: Even the youngest player in the Renegades group – 20-year-old Ella Hayward – has several seasons of experience under her belt, and Helmot is expected to see what the Aussie U19 representative can do.

"Ella Haywood just continues to grow and improve. We're looking to see her make the next step – and that's the same with two girls who have been members of our team for a number of years and are very much part of the fabric of the Melbourne Renegades in Courtney Webb and Josie Dooley. (We want to see them) continuing to grow and become real match influencers."

WBBL|09 Team Guides

Adelaide Strikers | Brisbane Heat | Hobart Hurricanes | Melbourne Renegades | Melbourne Stars | Perth Scorchers | Sydney Sixers | Sydney Thunder

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