WBBL winning duo on eve of big life changes
A lot has changed since Nicola Carey and Elyse Villani lifted the WBBL trophy last year. The Hobart Hurricanes champions are expecting a baby and are building a house together in Tasmania.
Fri, 11 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 117, AAW 4/121
Mon, 14 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, ZIM 235, AUS 8/294
Mon, 14 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 7/148, AAW 2/178
Wed, 16 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 161, AAW 5/168
Thu, 17 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, ZIM 272, AUS 6/356
Thu, 17 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, INU 6/182, AUU 7/175
Thu, 17 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, WAU 9/238, SAM 0/58
Fri, 18 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, QUE 7/335, VIC 7/339
Sat, 19 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, ZIM 8/271, AUS 9/272
Sat, 19 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 6/239, AAW 235
Sat, 19 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, WAU 115, TAS 1/117
Sun, 20 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, INU 7/341, AUU 239
Mon, 21 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, QUE 358, NSW 6/359
Tue, 22 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 6/338, AAW 8/341
Tue, 22 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, INU 4/255, AUU 254
Tue, 22 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SAM 7/383, TAS 8/376
Wed, 23 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SAF 8/297, AUS 230
Thu, 24 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 6/364, AAW 9/362
Thu, 24 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, INA 334 & 199, AUA 171 & 200
Thu, 24 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, VIC 212, NSW 257
Sat, 26 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SAF 9/365, AUS 333
Mon, 28 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, INU 494, AUU 217 & 229
Mon, 28 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SYW 4/168, QUW 167
Mon, 28 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, VIW 8/293, SAS 7/290
Mon, 28 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, WAW 6/236, TAW 232
Tue, 29 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SAF 4/145, AUS 9/322
Wed, 30 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 364 & 257, AAW 176 & 164
Wed, 30 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SYW 174, QUW 4/285
Wed, 30 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, WAW 7/273, TAW 7/299
Thu, 1 Oct, 2:00 pm, Final score, VIW -, SAS -
Thu, 1 Oct, 11:00 pm, Final score, INA 167 & 9/310, AUA 358 & 4/173d
Tue, 6 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, INA 149, AUA 274
Tue, 6 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, QUW 9/266, BAW 7/196
Wed, 7 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, INU 315 & 0/11, AUU 174 & 151
Fri, 9 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW 3/168, BAW 166
Fri, 9 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, INA 206, AUA 275
Sat, 10 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, VIC 244 & 224, SAM 508
Sun, 11 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW 1/222, BAW 6/220
Sun, 11 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, INA 275, AUA 226
Sun, 11 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, NSW 9/500d, TAS 245 & 5/402
Sun, 11 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, WAU 175 & 8/201, QUE 307 & 68
Mon, 12 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, VIC 241, SAM 311
Mon, 12 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, HHW 7/127, ACM 100
Mon, 12 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SSW 3/136, BHW 90
Mon, 12 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, MRW 7/138, PSW 4/139
Mon, 12 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, STW 3/79, MSW 78
Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SAF 284 & 206, AUS 390 & 6/314d
Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, NSW 158, TAS 203
Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, WAU 246, QUE 261
Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SSW 3/78, ACM 7/77
Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, ASW 4/183, PSW 8/182
Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, STW -, BHW -
Wed, 14 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW 2/175, BAW 172
Wed, 14 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, MRW 4/180, MSW 6/179
Wed, 14 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, ASW 5/165, HHW 8/136
Fri, 16 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, BHW 4/86, ACM 83
Sat, 17 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SAM 7/397, QUE 271
Sat, 17 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, HHW 5/136, PSW 8/166
Sat, 17 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, STW 5/122, MRW 9/121
Sat, 17 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, ACM 4/129, MSW 6/132
Sat, 17 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SSW 9/105, ASW 6/143
Sun, 18 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW 8/165, NZW 2/162
Sun, 18 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, MRW 2/132, HHW 8/129
Sun, 18 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, BHW 129, ASW 6/139
Sun, 18 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, STW 2/93, PSW 92
Sun, 18 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SSW 8/155, MSW 5/158
Sun, 18 Oct, 7:15 pm, Live score, AUW -, BAW -
Tue, 20 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW 7/167, NZW 8/127
Tue, 20 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, ASW 6/116, PSW 5/118
Tue, 20 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, STW 9/152, SSW 6/153
Tue, 20 Oct, 7:15 pm, Live score, AUW -, BAW -
Wed, 21 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SAM 203 & 145, QUE 238 & 4/114
Wed, 21 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, PSW 7/134, SSW 8/149
Thu, 22 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SAF 9/425d, AUS 99 & 295 f/o
Thu, 22 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW -, NZW 2/11
Thu, 22 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, TAS 241 & 236, VIC 207 & 266
Thu, 22 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, WAU 339 & 9/244, NSW 6/440d & 5/262d
Thu, 22 Oct, 7:15 pm, Live score, AUW -, BAW -
Sat, 24 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, TAS 137, VIC 7/304
Sat, 24 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, WAU 293, NSW 8/371
Thu, 29 Oct, 12:00 am, Live score, SAF 329, AUS 4/330
Thu, 29 Oct, 12:00 am, Live score, MRW -, STW -
Thu, 29 Oct, 12:00 am, Live score, MSW -, HHW -
Thu, 29 Oct, 12:00 am, Live score, SAM -, WAU 4/374
Fri, 30 Oct, 10:30 am, Game not started, TAS versus NSW
Fri, 30 Oct, 11:45 am, Game not started, AU6 versus ONG
Fri, 30 Oct, 7:05 pm, Game not started, EN6 versus AU6
Fri, 30 Oct, 7:10 pm, Game not started, BHW versus SSW
Sat, 31 Oct, 11:00 am, Game not started, QUE versus VIC
Sat, 31 Oct, 3:40 pm, Game not started, ASW versus MSW
Sat, 31 Oct, 7:10 pm, Game not started, PSW versus MRW
Sun, 1 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, STW versus BHW
Sun, 1 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, SSW versus HHW
Mon, 2 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, MSW versus PSW
Wed, 4 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, HHW versus MRW
Thu, 5 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, ASW versus BHW
Thu, 5 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, STW versus PSW
Fri, 6 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, MSW versus SSW
Sat, 7 Nov, 2:30 pm, Game not started, WAU versus ENG
Sat, 7 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, MRW versus ASW
Sat, 7 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, BHW versus HHW
Sun, 8 Nov, 1:40 pm, Game not started, SSW versus STW
Sun, 8 Nov, 5:10 pm, Game not started, PSW versus MSW
Tue, 10 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, HHW versus ASW
Wed, 11 Nov, 10:30 am, Game not started, NSW versus SAM
Wed, 11 Nov, 10:30 am, Game not started, VIC versus WAU
Wed, 11 Nov, 11:30 am, Game not started, QUE versus TAS
Wed, 11 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, PSW versus STW
Thu, 12 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, MSW versus BHW
Thu, 12 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, MRW versus SSW
Fri, 13 Nov, 2:30 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG
Sat, 14 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, HHW versus BHW
Sat, 14 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, PSW versus ASW
Sun, 15 Nov, 11:00 am, Game not started, SSW versus MRW
Sun, 15 Nov, 2:30 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG
Mon, 16 Nov, 10:00 am, Game not started, NSW versus SAM
Mon, 16 Nov, 11:00 am, Game not started, QUE versus TAS
Mon, 16 Nov, 2:00 pm, Game not started, VIC versus WAU
Mon, 16 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, STW versus MSW
Tue, 17 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, ASW versus SSW
Wed, 18 Nov, 2:30 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG
Thu, 19 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, HHW versus PSW
Thu, 19 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, BHW versus STW
Fri, 20 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, ASW versus MRW
Sat, 21 Nov, 12:00 pm, Game not started, HHW versus STW
Sat, 21 Nov, 3:30 pm, Game not started, SSW versus PSW
Sat, 21 Nov, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG
Sun, 22 Nov, 10:30 am, Game not started, NSW versus QUE
Sun, 22 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, BHW versus ASW
Sun, 22 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, MSW versus MRW
Mon, 23 Nov, 1:30 pm, Game not started, WAU versus TAS
Tue, 24 Nov, 11:00 am, Game not started, SAM versus VIC
Tue, 24 Nov, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG
Wed, 25 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, MRW versus BHW
Thu, 26 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, STW versus ASW
Thu, 26 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, SSW versus MSW
Fri, 27 Nov, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG
Fri, 27 Nov, 9:10 pm, Game not started, PSW versus HHW
Sat, 28 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, MRW versus MSW
Sat, 28 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, STW versus SSW
Sun, 29 Nov, 12:00 pm, Game not started, BHW versus PSW
Sun, 29 Nov, 3:30 pm, Game not started, ASW versus HHW
Sun, 29 Nov, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG
Tue, 1 Dec, 7:10 pm, Game not started, versus
Wed, 2 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG
Thu, 3 Dec, 10:30 am, Game not started, NSW versus WAU
Thu, 3 Dec, 10:30 am, Game not started, VIC versus QUE
Thu, 3 Dec, 11:00 am, Game not started, SAM versus TAS
Thu, 3 Dec, 7:10 pm, Game not started, versus
Sat, 5 Dec, 7:10 pm, Game not started, versus
Wed, 9 Dec, 1:20 pm, Game not started, AUS versus NZL
Sat, 12 Dec, 8:10 pm, Game not started, MER versus PER
Mon, 14 Dec, 11:00 am, Game not started, SAS versus WAW
Tue, 15 Dec, 10:00 am, Game not started, ACM versus SYW
Tue, 15 Dec, 3:00 pm, Game not started, SLW versus AUW
Tue, 15 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, BRI versus SYS
Wed, 16 Dec, 11:00 am, Game not started, SAS versus WAW
Wed, 16 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, SYT versus ADE
Thu, 17 Dec, 10:00 am, Game not started, ACM versus SYW
Thu, 17 Dec, 11:30 am, Game not started, AUS versus NZL
Thu, 17 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, HOB versus BRI
Fri, 18 Dec, 3:00 pm, Game not started, SLW versus AUW
Fri, 18 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, MES versus ADE
Sat, 19 Dec, 10:30 am, Game not started, TAW versus VIW
Sat, 19 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, SYT versus SYS
Sun, 20 Dec, 3:00 pm, Game not started, SLW versus AUW
Sun, 20 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, PER versus HOB
Mon, 21 Dec, 10:30 am, Game not started, TAW versus VIW
Mon, 21 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, MES versus BRI
Tue, 22 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, SYS versus MER
Wed, 23 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, ADE versus SYT
Thu, 24 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, MER versus HOB
Sat, 26 Dec, 10:30 am, Game not started, AUS versus NZL
Sat, 26 Dec, 6:05 pm, Game not started, SYS versus BRI
Sat, 26 Dec, 9:15 pm, Game not started, PER versus MES
Sun, 27 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, SYT versus MER
Mon, 28 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, BRI versus ADE
A lot has changed since Nicola Carey hit the winning runs for the Hobart Hurricanes in last year's WBBL final.
Cricket-wise, her partner Elyse Villani retired and handed over the captaincy.
Life-wise, they're building a house together and are expecting their first child.
"Now that you've pointed it out, I am a bit overwhelmed," Carey joked.
"Poor thing, Elyse has to carry the baby and do all the admin for the house. We're both very much looking forward to having a little one.
"People keep asking me if I'm excited, but I don't think I know fully what's coming."
The desire to start a family influenced Villani's decision to call time on her WBBL career.
The 37-year-old played in every season since the competition started in 2015 and skippered three different clubs during that time.
"Elyse would've played cricket forever, but I don't think her body would've allowed it," Carey said.
"It definitely did play a part, but it's not a guaranteed thing that you'll fall pregnant either."
Following successful IVF treatment, Villani is due to give birth to a boy in November.
It was a fairly straightforward process, and Carey said she was grateful knowing how tricky fertility could be for some people.
And they are adjusting to the new chapter in their lives, as the Hurricanes open their season against the Sydney Sixers tonight.
In February, all-rounder Carey played her first match for Australia in four years.
There has been a lot of interstate travel since and overseas tours to the Caribbean and the UK.
"Elyse came over to England for about seven weeks because I was there for the T20 World Cup and The Hundred, and she was calling it a baby moon," Carey laughed.
"She knows a lot of the players obviously, so it was a huge social get-together and cruisy for her.
"While I was stressed playing terrible cricket she was living her best life."
"No-one misses pre-season do they. Maybe when we start playing again here for Tassie, she'll miss it a bit more."
The couple is aligned when it comes to baby names.
"We've got a few names picked out but we haven't nailed one down yet," Carey said.
"Every male that we walk past seems to have an opinion though.
"Our CEO at [Cricket Tasmania] Dominic Baker is like, 'Dom's a good name,' and I'm thinking, that's not even top 100 for us, but thank you for your input."
The Hurricanes' victory last December at Bellerive Oval was a dream come true: playing in front of their home fans, claiming a maiden title and sending off Villani in style.
Although Carey was the batter that sealed the result with a boundary, she concedes she had "the easy part" thanks to a record-breaking innings from teammate Lizelle Lee.
The South African opener was the star of the night, as the team chased down 138 runs.
Blasting 77 off 34 balls, Lee equalled the highest individual score in a WBBL finals match.
The women were inspired after watching their male counterparts lift the BBL trophy in January that same year.
It also followed the achievements of a core group of players in the 50-over Women's National Cricket League (WNCL), clinching three consecutive titles from 2022 to 2024.
The result capped off a wonderful career for Villani, who had previously played in three losing WBBL finals.
She caught the team by surprise, deciding to retire on the spot and go out on a high.
"I sort of knew it was Elyse's last season," Carey said.
"What I didn't know was that she was going to announce it right then and there.
"She was panicking because she told the TV broadcast in an interview first and was then like, 'Oh no, now I need to tell the girls.'
"To finally win one in your last season adds to that fairytale narrative.
"We had a great group and really good people, which made it enjoyable, so to cap it off with that win was really special."
Despite originally hailing from NSW and Victoria, the couple has now been living in the Apple Isle for a long time and is passionate about ensuring the next generation of the state's talent is set up for sustainable success.
"It's been a nice period of cricket in Tasmania," Carey said.
"A lot of us aren't from there originally, but they've taken us in and welcomed us.
"Because it's so small, everyone lives five minutes away, so you spend a lot more time together than you would in the bigger cities, where you're more spread out.
"It's got a real family feel, so it's nice to be able to give back."
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