Team of the Tournament – Top XI players who excelled in WBBL this season

Team of the Tournament – Top XI players who excelled in WBBL this season

The league matches of this year’s Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) are over. As the tournament moves into the semifinal stage, here we have WBBL XI of the season.

Revealed by the official WBBL handle, the team of the tournament comprises of 11 players from six teams, 3 out of which are overseas cricketers. Sophie Devine was selected as the Player of the Tournament after her brilliant form led Adelaide Strikers to the top 4 of the table.

Captained by Melbourne Renegades’ Jess Duffin, the team of the tournament has a realistic balance between batters and bowlers. Brisbane Heat’s Beth Mooney dons the wicket keeping gloves. Sophie Devine, Danni Wyatt, and Marizanne Kapp are the 3 overseas players to be selected by the panel. Brisbane Heat mentor Ashley Noffke was declared as the coach of this team.

Here have a look at the WBBL season 5 Team of the Tournament-

1. Sophie Devine – Adelaide Strikers

Sophie Devine was the crux of the Strikers’ success, having featured in all of their matches. The New Zealander emerged as the highest run-scorer this season accumulating 699 runs at an average of 77.66! She played many match-winning knocks for her team and also hit 28 sixes along the way. Devine was lethal with the ball as well. Along with Megan Schutt, she was part of the frontline bowling attack of the Strikers. She bagged 16 wickets at an average of 20.25 and an economy of 6.35.

2. Beth Mooney – Brisbane Heat 

Beth Mooney has been incredibly consistent for Brisbane Heat this season. She scored for them in almost every match and pulled her team out of difficult situations. She made a total of 672 runs averaging 74.66. As a wicketkeeper, she took 6 catches and effected 2 stumpings. Her consistency and higher average over Alyssa Healy led to her selection as an effective keeper-bat for the official team.

3. Danni Wyatt – Melbourne Renegades

Danni Wyatt is the number 3 batter of the team. She has a higher strike rate and takes responsibility which is needed from a number 3 batter. Danielle Wyatt’s performances impacted her team in a great way, taking the Renegades to the semifinals. Danni who is a key player for her national team England made 468 runs averaging 39 in WBBL this season. Her good strike rate of 131.83 is a plus for any team playing in a T20 tournament.

4. Meg Lanning – Perth Scorchers

Meg Lanning and Perth Scorchers didn’t have the best of the season’ starts, as they lost 3 out of their initial 5 games, but the Australian captain was quick to recover. She finished the tournament on a high, hitting 4 fifties and one century as she took Scorchers to the 3rd position in the table. Lanning scored 530 runs this season, averaging 44.16.

5. Ellyse Perry – Sydney Sixers

Ellyse Perry makes to this list having played only 9 matches out of the stipulated 14. Her brilliant run with the bat as well as the ball made her one of the favorite players of WBBL this season. Sixers were playing well in the first half of the tournament, having won 4 of their initial 5 matches. She hit an unbeaten 81 in the inaugural match and had an important role in the Sixers’ victories. A shoulder injury led her to miss the final matches for her team. Perry took 4 wickets and made 469 runs throughout the tournament averaging 93.8!

6. Jess Duffin – Melbourne Renegades (c)

The Melbourne Renegades captain Jess Duffin has been one of the top players of the season. She led Renegades magnificently, winning matches in tough situations. Her leadership this WBBL has led to her being selected as the captain of the Team of the Tournament. Duffin made 500 runs in 13 matches which came at a strike rate of 140+. She also has a healthy average of 71.42.

7. Jess Jonassen – Brisbane Heat

Jess Jonassen has been a key performer for Brisbane Heat this season. The 5th WBBL has been perhaps her best season so far, both with the bat and ball. Along with bowling, Jonassen took more responsibility with the bat for her team. She took 4 wickets in a match thrice and scalped 19 wickets in total with an economy of 6.82. With the bat she made 348 runs striking at a rate of 131.81 and averaging 38.66.

8. Marizanne Kapp – Sydney Sixers

Marizanne Kapp was selected as the regular pace bowler for the team. The South African pacer has been one of the core players for Sydney Sixers. Kapp took 15 wickets in total at an economy of 6.01. Kapp has also scored two half-centuries this season and is handy with the bat lower in the order, which gives the team an additional batting depth.

 

9. Molly Strano – Melbourne Renegades

Molly Strano has been an effective spinner for Melbourne Renegades this year. She has been taking wickets frequently and breaking crucial partnerships. Strano who bowls off-spin has been reliable for her team, except for a few times when she has gone for runs. Molly has taken 20 wickets in total, having taken 3 wickets in a must-win match for the Renegades against Sydney Thunder.

10. Megan Schutt – Adelaide Strikers

Megan Schutt doesn’t have the most wickets to her name, but she has the best economy as a bowler. She comes handy when bowling in partnerships, as she did with Sophie Devine for Adelaide Strikers. It felt as if the batters weren’t targeting her and thus were being dismissed by the bowler at the opposite end. In matches, Megan chipped in a wicket or two for the Strikers and gave less runs as compared to other bowlers. Schutt took 13 wickets in total at an economy of 5.67.

11. Belinda Vakarewa – Hobart Hurricanes

Belinda Vakarewa has been the lone player from Hobart Hurricanes to be selected in the WBBL XI. Hurricanes finished the league 7th on the table, having won only 4 matches out of 14. But this didn’t sideline Vakarewa’s bowling efforts this season. She topped the wicket-taking chart as she took 20 wickets in 13 matches. The pace bowler has been a great positive for the Hurricanes this WBBL. She has a stunning bowling average of 15.8 and an economy which is just a little more than 6.