Lizelle Lee has had a stellar week, achieving back-to-back hundreds in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) in just four days.
Her explosive performances have catapulted the Hobart Hurricanes to the top of the table and, alongside her remarkable achievements on the pitch, Lee celebrated a personal milestone, officially becoming a permanent Australian resident.
Lee’s week began with an extraordinary 150* off 75 balls at the Sydney Cricket Ground against the Perth Scorchers, marking the highest individual score in WBBL history. She followed this by smashing another 103 off 59 balls against the Adelaide Strikers on Wednesday, solidifying her role as one of the league’s most powerful hitters.
Earlier this week, Lee and her wife, Tanja, received their Australian permanent residency, having embraced Tasmania as their new home following Lee’s international retirement. This milestone allows Lee, currently on a two-year contract with the Hurricanes, to qualify as a local player in the WBBL from the next season. For now, her eyes remain on one prize: helping her team reach the final for the second time since 2016-17 and securing their first-ever trophy.
“I’m just happy to have contributed to another win,” Lee remarked post-match on Wednesday. “I’ve just stuck to my basics, the team and staff have been really supportive of me playing my own game, and that’s what has led to success at the moment.”
The start of Lee’s WBBL season wasn’t easy. After a promising domestic T20 run, she struggled initially in WBBL|10, scoring only 7, 18, 38, 4, and 4 in her first five innings. Lee later revealed that her form had been so challenging that she found herself in tears but praised her coach Jude Coleman and captain Elyse Villani for their unwavering support.
“I honestly wish I had this (team environment) when I was playing my international career, because the support and everything we get in the Tasmania set up is so (good),” she shared.
In 2022, Lee made the unexpected decision to retire mid-series during South Africa’s tour of England, exiting after the one-off Test match and missing the white-ball segment of the tour. Her decision followed pressure from Cricket South Africa (CSA), which demanded she return home for additional fitness assessments, warning they might revoke her No Objection Certificate (NOC) needed to compete in leagues worldwide.
With her international duties behind her, Lee has since embraced opportunities to play in global tournaments, joining the Manchester Originals in The Hundred 2022 and signing with the Hobart Hurricanes in Australia’s WBBL. Reflecting on her career, Lee admits that weight management has been a challenge but feels she lacked the necessary support from CSA to address it effectively.
Nonetheless, in WBBL|10, the Hurricanes have implemented a fresh strategy, with Nicola Carey promoted to No.3 and Villani at No.4. This has created a balanced line-up, allowing Lee to dominate at the top of the order. Carey, in particular, has played a vital role, contributing 199 runs from 7 innings, and giving Lee solid support.
Currently leading the points table with four wins out of seven, the Hurricanes look strong as they prepare to face the bottom-placed Adelaide Strikers on November 16th.
(Quotes sourced from cricket.com.au)
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