It just isn't cricket

[Levin]

Some really low scores in the women's matches at the Oval. Invincibles bowled out for 97 chasing 118/9.

[ursus arctos]

How weird does the wombat on the pitch look in person?

[Levin]

It lacks definition. It needs to be more cartoonish to stand out from a distance. It's just blob in a t-shirt. Edit: he is used sparingly though.

How about that, this new upcoming artist just happens to be Terrence Trent D'Arby's daughter. What are the chances.

It's a good score

[Levin]

Well. That was quite the final 6 balls.

[ursus arctos]

Quite

[ursus arctos]

Strong start for SuperChargers in the women's final

[longeared]

"Don't stick octopuses to your head" Top life hack from Hartley on the BBC just now.

[E10 Rifle]

Ah well, nice to see Shrubsole go out with a trophy anyway.

This has been pretty much the only cricket I've watched on telly in August (being in Ireland for two weeks is only part of the reason), an absurd state of affairs really.

[Etienne]

Draft just finished (for the women, which is the one that counts)

Birmingham pick Amy Jones and Richa Ghosh with 2 of their top 3 picks. Presumably Jones will keep. They will likely also field Seren Smale and possibly Ailsa Lister, so three or four keepers. Real Sri Lanka men's team from 4 years ago vibes. All 3 overseas players from RCB

Devine (o)
Kallis
Perry (o)
Ghosh (o)
A Jones +
Seren Smale
Lister
Wong
Baker
Arlott
Levick

London Spirit go with 3 Aussies (not sure if Lanning or Knight will captain them). Spin bowling very good, seam bowling less so

Lanning (o)
G Harris (o)
Knight
Gibson
Redmayne + (o)
Griffith
Dean
Norris
Glenn
Munro
Gray

Manchester Originals go heavy on openers, with no less than 4 international openers, Mooney, Wolvaardt, Lamb and Eve Jones. Pretty exciting bowling attack, with 2 top class spinners, and 3 promising fast bowlers.

Mooney + (o)
Wolvaardt (o)
Lamb
E Jones
Molineux (o)
Morris
Heap
Ecclestone
K Bryce
Flier
Gaur

Northern Superchargers

They've decided to ignore the WPL and bring in 3 overseas players who underwhelmed there as their most expensive players. Their English players don't look that great either, I have only named 8 as I don't recognise any of the rest of the squad.

Litchfield (o)
Davidson-Richards
Sutherland (o)
L Smith
Heath +
Wareham (o)
Armitage
Cross

Oval Invincibles
Loyal move to pay 30k for Tash Farrant who is good, but has barely played for 2 years, I think they probably could have got her for less and got an extra batter. Very good overseas players though and Winfield-Hill, Capsey and Villiers are good basis to work from.
Winfield-Hill
Athapaththu (o)
Capsey
Kapp (o)
MacDonald-Gay
Wellington (o)
Scholfield
Farrant
Villiers
Sophia Smale

Southern Brave
Absolutely great business to get Cheatle for 14k, proving the benefit of a strategy where they try and get as much top England talent (Wyatt, Bell, Bouchier and Kemp) and rely on being able to get overseas players for less - apart from top band Mandhana. Kemp still won't be able to bowl I think, which leaves the bowling a bit lacking in depth, especially in spin,
Mandhana (o)
Wyatt
Bouchier
Tryon (o)
Kemp
Adams
Dattani
Cheatle (o)
Bell

Trent Rockets

40k seems on the high side for Grace Scrivens for all her potential. Decent bowling, but the batting is very dependent on NSB.

B Smith
Scrivens
Sciver-Brunt
Gardner (o)
Graham (o)
King (o)
George
Gordon
Potts

Welsh Fire

Excellent recruitment from the Fire, who look like real contenders.

Matthews (o)
Beaumont
Dunkley
S Bryce
Elwiss
Jonassen (o)
Windsor
Davies
Ismail (o)


Prediction

1 Invincibles
2 Fire
3 Originals
4 Brave
5 Spirit
6 Phoenix
7 Rockets
8 Superchargers