Melbourne Stars, in a massive fillip to their prospects in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), have retained the services of three of their brightest local hopes in Kim Garth, Meg Lanning, and captain Annabel Sutherland, in what comes before the start of WBBL 12. The three players are veterans in international cricket, and their retention has been before the start of the window, which opened on Tuesday.
The major boost of this retention strategy is the captain of the side, 24-year-old all-rounder Annabel Sutherland, who best represents the attack-oriented approach of the Stars. In 110 WBBL appearances, Sutherland has scored 1506 runs with a strike rate of 106, including four fifty plus scores and a top of 72. No less menacing is the bowling of the 24-year-old, who has 100 wickets with an incredible economy rate of 7.28. To top it all, she achieved the feat of 4/20. This makes Sutherland a crucial cog in the Stars’ attack.
To partner her is Kim Garth, a 29-year-old Irish Australian all-rounder. Kim in her eighth WBBL season showed consistency in WBBL 11, she stood out as she claimed 14 wickets at an average of 16.50. In 95 WBBL games overall, she’s contributed 525 with a strike rate of 100 and 93 wickets under her belt, with her best performance of 4/3 in a spell that tore through the opposing team’s defenses as a right-handed batter and medium fast bowler.
The batting order is led by Meg Lanning, who is a right-handed opening batter and one of the most successful captains of the Australian side. In WBBL last season, Lanning received the Golden Bat for her outstanding performance, leading with 430 runs in the home and away season. Lanning has an outstanding record, boasting of 3,646 runs in 109 WBBL matches, with an average of 40 and a strike rate of 122, with two hundred and 34 fifties, including the highest score of 135.
These recruits are fresh from a strong run in the WBBL 11, in which the Stars won five out of 10 matches to claim fourth position on the ladder. Although the side finished just out of finals contention, there was considerable promise in the combination of youth and experience, with Sutherland’s leadership jelled this toughness.
Now looking to WBBL 12, this trio to retain makes the Stars a serious prospect to contend. The match winning qualities of Sutherland’s all-rounder skill, Garth’s wicket taking acumen, and the run machine in Lanning might just qualify them seriously in the playoffs. Melbourne Stars have retained their core and are looking forward to a bright season next year in WBBL 12.
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