Top Performers in Women’s Cricket – October 2019
October turned out to be a very exciting month for women’s cricket. With two T20I matches rained off in the India-South Africa series, the organizers were quick to arrange an additional match which served is an important preparatory match ahead of the Women’s World T20 in Australia next year. Consequently, South Africa played India in 3 T20Is and 3 ODIs in October in addition to the lone T20I played in September. India ended up winning 2 of the T20Is with South Africa winning the last one making it 3-1 in India’s favor. India won all the ODIs to whitewash them in the ODI series 3-0.
The other ongoing tour was Sri Lanka’s tour of Australia. Having lost the 2 T20Is played in September, the teams faced each other in the third T20I match of the series in October along with the 3 ODI matches to follow. Sri Lanka ended up losing the third T20I match along with the 3 ODIs that followed, ending the tour conceding a whitewash to Australia across both formats.
Bangladesh also toured Pakistan during the month. They played 3 T20Is in October in which they were beaten with very narrow margins. They are also scheduled to play 2 ODIs in November.
October also marked the start of the fifth season of the top domestic tournament for women in Australia, the Women’s Big Bash League. The season will continue through November to conclude with the playoffs in December.
The top performers during the month of October are as follows:
Lizelle Lee (South Africa):
South Africa’s opener Lizelle Lee scored 84 runs off only 47 balls in the final T20I against India and helped her side to their first and only win on their tour. She smashed as many as 15 boundaries and one six taking her side to 175/3 in 20 overs as they won the game comprehensively by 105 runs. She also scored 40 runs off 54 deliveries in the second ODI against India.
Nadine de Klerk (South Africa):
The South African all-rounder shone with the ball and picked up as many as 6 wickets against India in the T20Is played during the month. She picked up 2 wickets in the fourth T20I and 3 wickets in the final T20I of the series. She took 8 wickets in all matches combined and was the top wicket-taker in the T20I series. She also picked up a wicket in the first ODI between the two sides.
Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa):
The dashing South African batter Laura Wolvaadt impressed with the bat during the ODI series against India. In the first match, she scored 39 off 62 balls but more than made it up by scoring 69 off 98 deliveries in the second. She was the top run-getter and the only player to score more than 100 runs in the ODI series.
Priya Punia (India):
With India’s first-choice opener Smriti Mandhana injured, Priya Punia got the opportunity to make her ODI debut and she grabbed the chance with both hands. She ensured an easy win in the first ODI as she scored an unbeaten 75 off 124 balls. She went on to become the third-highest run-getter during the series, scoring 95 runs in her 3 matches.
Match Winning Knock in her debut ODI Match – She is Priya Punia! 🇮🇳🙌
India lead the series 1-0
South Africa Women: 164/10
India Women: 165/2 (41.4/50 overs, target 165)#IndvSA #INDWvSAW pic.twitter.com/AgAPl1upeM— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) October 9, 2019
Marizanne Kapp (South Africa & Sydney Sixers):
South African all-rounder Marizanne Kapp had an excellent return in the ODI series against India. She scored 94 runs in the series including a half-century in the first ODI and top-scoring for her side with 29 runs in the third. She also picked up 4 wickets with the ball taking 3 of those wickets for 20 runs in the final game. She won the Player of the Series for her performance in the ODI series. Representing Sydney Sixers in the Women’s Big Bash League, she also completed a hat-trick against Melbourne Stars becoming the fifth player to record such a feat in WBBL.
Ekta Bisht (India):
The veteran Indian spinner Ekta Bisht picked up 7 wickets in the recently concluded ODI series against South Africa and was instrumental in the series whitewash for her country. She picked up the most wickets in the series from both sides. She picked up 2 wickets in each of the 2 ODIs and a three-for in the third ODI while remaining very economical and drying up the opposition’s runs.
Poonam Yadav (India):
Bisht’s compatriot Poonam Yadav also had a great series against South Africa. She picked up 5 wickets in the 3 T20Is during the month including a three-for in the fourth T20I. In addition to this, she also picked up 4 wickets in the ODI series taking 2 wickets each in the first and second ODIs, taking her overall tally of the month to 9 wickets.
Alyssa Healy (Australia):
Continuing her good run, Australian opener Alyssa Healy had a glorious series against the Sri Lankans. In the third T20I match of the series, she made the highest score in women’s T20Is by scoring an unbeaten 148 runs off just 61 balls smashing 19 fours and 7 sixes. She reached her century off only 46 balls becoming the second-fastest centurion in Women’s T20I. She also scored 69 runs off 62 balls in the second ODI and another century (118) off 132 deliveries in the third ODI helping Australia win their matches easily.
Rachel Haynes (Australia):
Along with Alyssa Healy, Australia’s Rachel Haynes dominated the series against Sri Lanka by scoring 237 runs hitting a century and two half-centuries in the 3 matches, thereby topping the run charts of the series. She scored a half-century in 76 balls in the first ODI and followed it up with an impressive 118 runs off 132 deliveries in the second. She also scored 63 off 74 balls in the third ODI. Earlier, she had scored 41 runs off 37 balls in the third T20I against Sri Lanka. Their explosive partnership ensured that the services of the middle order was not required as Australia beat Sri Lanka throughout the series comprehensively.
Javeria Khan (Pakistan):
Pakistan’s opening batter had a very productive series with the bat against Bangladesh in the T20I series. She was the top run-getter for the series scoring 111 runs in the 3 matches including 2 half-centuries – 52 off 44 deliveries in the second T20I and 54 off 48 balls in the third. Her opening burst allowed her side to post substantial targets which Bangladesh could not chase down.
Jahanara Alam (Bangladesh):
Bangladesh’s Jahanara Alam shone with the ball during her side’s tour of Bangladesh. She led the wickets tally in the T20I series picking up 9 wickets at an average of just over 6 runs in the 3 T20Is against Pakistan. She picked up 4 wickets for just 17 runs in the first T20I, 2 wickets for 27 runs in the second and another 3 wickets for 12 runs in the final T20I.
In addition to Marizanne Kapp’s excellent effort to claim a hat-trick in WBBL, Sydney Thunder’s Phoebe Litchfield, aged 16, became the youngest player to score a half-century in WBBL. She scored 52 runs off 48 deliveries against Brisbane Heat.
November promises to be another exciting month for Women’s cricket with India touring the West Indies for 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is in the build-up to the next Women’s World T20 in Australia. Bangladesh also round-up their tour of Pakistan by playing 2 ODIs. We will also know the top four teams from the WBBL by the end of November who will compete in the playoffs to become the champions of WBBL 2019.
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