Some of Australia’s biggest names are hoping to land a major payday as India’s Women’s Premier League holds the auction for its second season.
And it was the Aussies who were the early focus of the auction, with young gun Phoebe Litchfield the first player nominated. She quickly sparked a bidding war starting at 30 lakh ($A54,000), but eventually joining Gujarat at 1 crore ($A182,000).
Georgia Wareham then went for her base price of 40 lakh ($A72,000) to Royal Challengers Bangalore before Annabel Sutherland was bidded up from her base price of 40 lakh to a whopping 2 crore ($A364,000) – with Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians most interested before she joined Delhi.
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Chamari Athapaththu, who starred in the WBBL for Sydney Thunder, did not receive a bid at 30 lakh.
Meg Lanning was one of nine Australians to be retained pre-draft as a host of other stars, including Litchfield and Sutherland, put themselves forward for a potential six-figure payday.
Lanning announced her immediate retirement from international cricket last month but said she would play on for Victoria and the Melbourne Stars, where she is contracted for another two WBBL campaigns.
The 31-year-old, who captained Delhi in the inaugural WPL season, is set to rejoin the side along with Brisbane Heat pair Jess Jonassen and Laura Harris.
Six of the 15 Australians who played in last year’s tournament were released by their franchises ahead of the auction, including Sutherland, Wareham and Kim Garth.
Only nine international player spots remain up for grabs, with 17 Australian players nominated for the auction among a pool of 165.
In the inaugural draft Ash Gardner pocketed 3.2 crore (currently A$582,000) in the second-highest price of the night.
Garth, the former Irish quick who was named player of the series when Australia thrashed the West Indies in three T20 games in October, nominated for the highest price bracket of 50 lakh ($A90,000) along with only one other player – West Indian star Deandra Dottin.
Litchfield, 20, landed a six-figure payday after displaying her versatility with a series of explosive innings at No.6 against the West Indies, while Melbourne Stars left-arm spinner Sophie Day nominated for the lowest base price (about $18,000) and could be scooped up after she was the leading WBBL wicket-taker.
Fellow spinners Alana King and Amanda-Jade Wellington have also nominated and could attract clubs.
Ash Gardner and Beth Mooney were retained by the Gujarat Giants, while Ellyse Perry will continue at Royal Challengers Bangalore.
WBBL-winning captain Tahlia McGrath, Alyssa Healy and Grace Harris will all reunite with the Uttar Pradesh Warriorz.
AUSSIE WPL AUCTION RESULTS
Phoebe Litchfield sold to Gujarat Giants for 1 crore ($A182,000)
Naomi Stalenberg unsold
Georgia Wareham sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore for 40 lakh ($A72,000)
Annabel Sutherland sold to Delhi Capitals for 2 crore ($A364,000)
Kim Garth unsold at 50 lakh ($A90,000)
Amanda-Jade Wellington unsold at 30 lakh ($A55,000)
Alana King unsold at 30 lakh ($A55,000)
AUSTRALIANS AVAILABLE IN THE WPL AUCTION
Base price 50 lakh (A$90,000): Kim Garth
Base price 40 lakh (A$72,000): Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham
Base price 30 lakh (A$54,000): Phoebe Litchfield, Naomi Stalenberg, Alana King, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Erin Burns, Nicola Carey, Sophie Molineux, Lauren Cheatle
Base price 10 lakh (A$18,000): Tess Flintoff, Nicola Hancock, Millicent Illingworth, Georgia Prestwidge, Sophie Day, Courtney Webb
AUSTRALIANS RETAINED FOR WPL 2024
Gujarat Giants: Ashleigh Gardner (A$577,000), Beth Mooney (A$361,000) [Released: Kim Garth, Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland]
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Ellyse Perry (A$306,000) [Released: Megan Schutt, Erin Burns]
UP Warriorz: Tahlia McGrath (A$252,000), Grace Harris (A$135,000), Alyssa Healy (A$126,000)
Delhi Capitals: Meg Lanning (A$199,000), Jess Jonassen (A$90,000), Laura Harris (A$81,000)
Mumbai Indians: Nil [Released: Heather Graham]
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