THE ninth Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) season us almost upon us, with the competition set to kick off next week.

In the lead up to the opening day, Rookie Me Central will countdown by previewing each of the teams set to be contesting the tournament this season.

To begin the second half of this preview series, today’s team to be previewed is the Melbourne Stars.

One thing that has often eluded the green side of Melbourne is finals. The Stars did make the final three seasons ago, but apart from that deep finals runs have been few and far between.

This was the same again last season, as with only one more win than their crosstown rivals to their name, the Stars ultimately finished in sixth.

But, with a combination of youth, experience and plenty of talent among their inclusions this season, perhaps things will finally turn around for the Stars in WBBL09.

However, they have also had one of the largest list turnovers in the competition heading into this season, with five new faces set to don the dark green in 2023.

They have two new internationals this season to join returning international Alice Capsey.

Well, one is a returning face as Maia Bouchier is coming back for her second stint at the Stars.

There will be a trio of English internationals at the Stars this season, with big hitting top order batter Sophia Dunkley the other new international face for the Stars this season.

Two of the Stars’ new faces are young stars from Victorian Premier Cricket, with Milly Illingworth and Jasmine Nevins both earning their first WBBL contracts after consistent summers at Premier Cricket level over a number of years.

Then there is Meg Lanning, who after taking WBBL08 off is back this season and will give the Stars a huge boost to what is otherwise a pretty young line up.

These five replace Lucy Cripps, Jemimah Rodrigues, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Hasrat Gill and Una Raymond-Hoey, who are all not returning to the competition this season.

Melbourne Stars WBBL09 Squad

Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Sophie Day, Sophia Dunkley, Nicole Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Kim Garth, Olivia Henry, Milly Illingworth, Meg Lanning, Rhys McKenna, Jas Nevins, Sasha Moloney, Sophie Reid, Annabel Sutherland