Melbourne Stars are the only WBBL club that has never won the title. They reached the final once, in 2020/21, and lost to Sydney Thunder. Last season they finished fourth and lost the Knockout to Perth Scorchers by 28 runs. This guide lays out the case for backing them and the case against.
The Case For
- Meg Lanning (9.5 Cr) won last season's Golden Bat with 430 runs at 53.75, including 135 from 74 balls against the Sixers.
- Last season's highest team total, 219 for 4, was the Stars against the Sixers at North Sydney Oval on 20 November 2025.
- England's Dani Gibson (8 Cr) and Amy Jones (9 Cr) both returned, and Charlie Dean (9 Cr) is a third English signing.
- Annabel Sutherland (9.5 Cr) is the captain, and Kim Garth (8.5 Cr) is the experienced all-rounder.
- Sophie Day (7 Cr) led the WBBL|09 wicket chart with 27 wickets and took 16 last season.
The Case Against
- Only 9 of 15 spots are filled, the fewest in the league.
- Marizanne Kapp withdrew from WBBL|12 with a year left on her contract to focus on South Africa duty.
- There is a new head coach, Richard Pyrah, from Yorkshire, taking over from Andy Christie.
- The Stars hold the record for the lowest WBBL total, 29 all out against Adelaide Strikers on 21 October 2023.
In WBBL Season Fantasy you pick 11 players inside a 100 Cr budget, with at most 8 from one franchise and a minimum of 1 keeper, 3 batters, 1 all-rounder and 3 bowlers. You get 150 transfers across the whole tournament.
Who I Would Look At
Lanning is the obvious top pick, because a batter who averaged 53.75 last year for a team that finished fourth is rarely expensive for long. Jones at 9 Cr is a keeper and a good middle-order option: she made 234 runs from 11 matches at a strike rate of 125.8 last season. Gibson, 170 runs at a strike rate of 139.34, is a fair-priced all-rounder. Day at 7 Cr gives you a front-line spinner for less than most of the others in the pool.
Club History
Trivia
- Lanning won Player of the Tournament in the very first WBBL season and also topped the run chart in WBBL|01 and WBBL|02.
- Kapp's withdrawal opened a list spot and the Stars can still sign one more international.
- Stars and Renegades share Junction Oval, which hosts both clubs' Melbourne games.
- The Stars open at Junction Oval against Hobart Hurricanes on 29 October.
All 10 League Fixtures
Prices and fixtures from CricketDream, 7 October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have Melbourne Stars ever won the WBBL?
No. They are the only franchise without a title. They lost the 2020/21 final to Sydney Thunder.
Who are the Melbourne Stars overseas players for WBBL 2026?
England's Dani Gibson, Amy Jones and Charlie Dean.
Who is the Melbourne Stars captain?
Annabel Sutherland, according to Cricinfo.
Who is the Stars head coach?
Richard Pyrah, Yorkshire's women's coach, who took over from Andy Christie.
Why did Marizanne Kapp leave the Stars?
She withdrew to focus on South Africa commitments, including a Test against India from 9 December.
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