Australian all-rounder and Melbourne Stars skipper Annabel Sutherland stood on the brink of history in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) 11, becoming the first Melbourne Stars bowler to claim 100 wickets for the club. The 24-year-old, who was just one scalp shy of the landmark, has been a cornerstone of the Stars outfit for nearly a decade and continued to lead from the front in the ongoing WBBL 11, held from 9 November to 13 December 2025.
She entered the 100-wicket club when she picked up the wicket of an ominous Freya Kemp (35 off 19 balls) in the 18th over of the innings to provide the much-needed 5th breakthrough for her side. She returned with match figures (4-0-27-1) in her spell with the ball after the Perth Scorchers skipper Sophie Devine won the toss and opted to bat first in the knockout clash at the W.A.C.A., Perth. Melbourne Stars eventually lost the game by 28 runs, chasing a total of 174.
Under Sutherland’s captaincy, Melbourne Stars secured a spot in the knockout stages after being comfortably placed fourth on the points table with 11 points from ten games, comprising five wins, four losses and a washed-out game against the Adelaide Strikers in their campaign in the league stages. With 11 wickets in ten innings this season at an average of 22.90 and an economy rate of 8.17, Sutherland has yet again proved vital with the ball.
Annabel Sutherland’s WBBL story began on 27 December 2016 when, as a teenager, she debuted for Melbourne Renegades against the Sydney Thunder in Sydney. Though her initial stint with the Renegades was brief, featuring in four matches, scoring 13 runs in two innings, it provided her first taste of elite domestic cricket. Two years later, in January 2018, Sutherland’s WBBL journey took a defining turn as she joined Melbourne Stars and debuted for them on 9 January 2018 against Adelaide Strikers at the Adelaide Oval.
That very debut turned out to be a statement of her potential. Defending a total of 133, she produced a sensational spell of 4-0-20-4, her best career figures in the league to date. Despite the Stars losing that encounter by one wicket, Sutherland’s performance announced her arrival as a big-stage performer.
Since joining Melbourne Stars, Sutherland has been the backbone of the side’s bowling lineup. In 101 innings for the Stars, she has scalped 100 wickets at an average of 23.13 and an economy rate of 7.28 across 110 matches. Her consistency is highlighted by three four-wicket hauls, alongside a growing maturity that has transformed her from an emerging prospect to one of Australia’s most dependable all-rounders.
Appointed as Melbourne Stars captain on 24 October 2024, Sutherland’s leadership has coincided with a revitalized team ethos. Her ability to balance responsibility and performance has inspired the Stars’ strong WBBL 11 campaign, where they progressed to the knockout game after a top four finish in the league stages.
The next challenge for Sutherland and her team would be to build on their impressive outing in the 11th edition of the tournament, in the upcoming edition, after their campaign was terminated in the knockout game in the ongoing season.
As Annabel Sutherland bagged the 100-wicket mark, her achievement symbolizes not just persistence and skill but also loyalty to a franchise she has represented with immense pride. For Melbourne Stars and their fans, witnessing their captain etch her name into club history was a fitting reward in a season filled with promise, ending in a heartbreaking defeat against Perth Scorchers on 9th December 2025.
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