WBBL 2020: Top five performers of the season
Women’s Big Bash League 2020-21 concluded with the Sydney Thunder Women clinching their 2nd title and the first since winning the inaugural edition held in 2015-16 season. They edged past Brisbane Heat during a thrilling semi-final and thumped Meg Lanning’s Melbourne Stars in the final. The Stars finished league phase as the table-toppers but were let down by a batting collapse on Saturday. The tournament featured many individual performances including the ones from the teams that make it to knockouts.
Here are the top five performers during the Women’s Big Bash League 2020-21:
5. Meg Lanning:
Meg Lanning fell short of her maiden WBBL title but individually, she had a brilliant tournament. Opening the batting for her new team Melbourne Stars, Lanning amassed 493 runs across 14 innings in the tournament. She ended up as the 2nd leading run-getter of the WBBL 2020 but scored six fifties; the most for any player. Lanning scored runs at a strike rate of 127.72 which is the 2nd best in the tournament for any player who scored 200+ runs.
4. Heather Knight:
Heather Knight with the reverse! ?
LIVE: https://t.co/uHD1wSH6dO #WBBLFinals pic.twitter.com/oj9e8I7qhc
— Rebel Women’s Big Bash League (@WBBL) November 26, 2020
The England skipper Heather Knight was part of the title-winning Sydney Thunder’s line-up. With the bat, Knight scored 446 runs across 15 innings at an average of 40.54 and a strike rate of 124.92. Batting at No.3 or No.4 spot, Knight scored four fifties and in many games, she got off to a quick start to take the pressure away. She was clinical with the ball picking up ten wickets in 13 innings and conceded runs at an economy of only 6.65.
3. Sammy-Jo Johnson:
One of the crucial points behind Sydney Thunder’s success in the tournament was Sammy-Jo Johnson’s spells with the ball. The pacer was sensational with the new ball in many games including the final. Across the 16 innings, Sammy picked up 22 wickets at an average of 14.81 and a strike rate of 13.4 with help of a 4-wicket haul. However, she couldn’t make a mark with the bat scoring only 108 runs in 12 innings with the best score of 40.
2. Beth Mooney:
Beth Mooney is ever consistent with the bat when it comes to WBBL and showed her range in this season as well. Mooney moved from Brisbane Heat to Perth Scorchers ahead of this season. The Scorchers mostly relied on their openers and Mooney did not disappoint them. She finished the tournament as the highest run-getter having scored 551 runs at an average of 55.10 in 14 innings.
1. Sophie Devine:
What sore back? Sophie Devine returned from injury in devastating fashion and sealed it with a six
Scores: https://t.co/GuvSeAx7Dk #WBBL06 pic.twitter.com/EfkkUqD6Kn
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 21, 2020
Sophie Devine missed a couple of matches during the league phase but finished as the 3rd highest run-getter of the tournament. The New Zealand cricketer scored 460 runs across 12 innings at an average of 51.11 with help of a century and three fifties. She smashed as many as 18 sixes and scored runs at a strike rate of 126.37. The injury did not let Devine bowl much in the tournament but she took six wickets in the 23.2 overs with a best of 2/12.
