The 2022–23 Melbourne Renegades Women's season was the eighth in the team's history. Coached by Simon Helmot and captained by Sophie Molineux, the Renegades finished the regular season of WBBL|08 in seventh position and failed to qualify for the finals.
Squad
Each 2022–23 squad was made up of 15 active players. Teams could sign up to five 'marquee players', with a maximum of three of those from overseas. Marquees are classed as any overseas player, or a local player who holds a Cricket Australia national contract at the start of the WBBL|08 signing period.
Personnel changes made ahead of the season included:[1]
Australian marquee Tayla Vlaeminck returned to the Renegades, departing the Hobart Hurricanes. Due to injury, Vlaeminck and fellow Australian marquee Georgia Wareham were unavailable for the tournament.
Barbadian marquee Hayley Matthews signed with the Renegades, having previously played for the Hobart Hurricanes.
South African marquee Shabnim Ismail returned to the Renegades for the first time since WBBL|01, having also previously played for the Sydney Thunder.
English marquee Eve Jones did not initially return to the Renegades, but later signed as a replacement player.[2]
Changes made during the season included:
Sri Lankan marquee Chamari Athapaththu returned to the Renegades, having played for the side between WBBL|03 and WBBL|05, replacing the injured Harmanpreet Kaur.[3]
Melbourne Renegades won by 4 wickets (with 1 ball remaining) Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay Umpires: David Taylor and Nathan James Player of the match: Sophie Molineux (Melbourne Renegades)
Melbourne Renegades won the toss and elected to field.
Melbourne Stars won by 6 wickets (with 15 balls remaining) Eastern Oval, Ballarat Umpires: Lisa McCabe and Mattis van Eck Player of the match: Annabel Sutherland (Melbourne Stars)
Melbourne Stars won the toss and elected to field.
Hobart Hurricanes won by 4 wickets (with 11 balls remaining) Blundstone Arena, Hobart Umpires: Muhammad Qureshi and Troy Penman Player of the match: Maisy Gibson (Hobart Hurricanes)
Hobart Hurricanes won the toss and elected to field.
Hobart Hurricanes won by 8 wickets (with 56 balls remaining) Blundstone Arena, Hobart Umpires: Greg Beechey and Jeremiah Matibiri Player of the match: Molly Strano (Hobart Hurricanes)
Hobart Hurricanes won the toss and elected to field.
Perth Scorchers won by 104 runs CitiPower Centre, Melbourne Umpires: Mattis van Eck and Stephen Dionysius Player of the match: Beth Mooney (Perth Scorchers)
Melbourne Renegades won the toss and elected to field.
Melbourne Stars won by 5 wickets (with 0 balls remaining) CitiPower Centre, Melbourne Umpires: Chris Grant and David Taylor Player of the match: Annabel Sutherland (Melbourne Stars)
Melbourne Stars won the toss and elected to field.
In the 15th meeting between the two Melbourne teams—the first to take place in their home city since 30 November 2019—the Renegades lost three early wickets before Josie Dooley and Courtney Webb formed a 50-run partnership from 39 balls. Sarah Coyte hit two sixes off the bowling of Kim Garth in the 20th over, helping to set a target of 149 for victory.
The Stars began the run chase sluggishly, and failed to capitalise on several controversial umpiring decisions in their favour. Alice Capsey survived a close stumping chance but was ultimately dismissed for just eleven, while the Decision Review System overturned an LBW call for Garth who would nevertheless fall to the bowling of Coyte in the following over. Earlier in the innings, Coyte became the eighth player in WBBL history to claim 100 career wickets.[12][13]
Annabel Sutherland breathed life into the contest as the Stars scored 22 runs from the 14th over against the previously economical Ella Hayward. The Renegades created several opportunities to effectively close out the match but put down key catching chances, which included an error in the field by Shabnim Ismail off her own bowling.
Needing an unlikely 23 runs from six balls to win, Sutherland promptly launched two sixes to dramatically shift the game's momentum. While delivering the third ball of the final over, Renegades captain Sophie Molineux suffered a knee injury which forced her from the field. Georgia Prestwidge was subsequently given the task of finishing the over, having not bowled throughout the innings up to that point. Sutherland proceeded to hit another six, and Stars captain Nicole Faltum then scored one run off the last delivery of the match to clinch her team's sixth win against their crosstown rivals.[14]
Melbourne Renegades won by 8 wickets (with 34 balls remaining) Manuka Oval, Canberra Umpires: Andrew Crozier and Dinusha Bandara Player of the match: Georgia Prestwidge (Melbourne Renegades)
Melbourne Renegades won the toss and elected to field.
Melbourne Renegades won by 6 wickets (with 3 balls remaining) (DLS method) Ted Summerton Reserve, Moe Umpires: Daryl Brigham and Lisa McCabe Player of the match: Erica Kershaw (Melbourne Renegades)
Melbourne Renegades won the toss and elected to field.
Match reduced to 8 overs per side due to rain. Melbourne Renegades were set a revised target of 57 for victory.
