Big Bash League 2019-20: Top 5 run scorers from the tournament

The ninth edition of the KFC Big Bash League lived up to the expectations of the cricketing community. The most recently concluded BBL season was been a riveting one for Australian cricket, especially for the top quality cricket that was on display throughout the season.

The Sydney Sixers claimed the title for the second time, defeating table-toppers Melbourne Stars in the final. Notably, defending champions Melbourne Renegades had a disastrous campaign as they managed to win only three games, finishing at the bottom of the table at the end of the round-robin group stage.

The Australian cricketing extravaganza witnessed some of the top batsmen of the world in action. Veteran AB de Villiers provided loads of entertainment with his ability to play shots all around the wicket. Young English batsman Tom Banton made a huge statement with his aggressive batting and finished with a strike rate of 177, the highest among all batsmen this season.

Making a return from national duty, Matthew Wade lit up the competition with a sparkling array of shots while Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne made their presence felt with some notable performances. All-rounder Glenn Maxwell scored 398 runs and took 10 wickets, playing a big role in guiding his side to the final.

With plenty of runs scored in the competition, some standout batters impressed everyone with their batting prowess and in this article, we take a look at five batsmen who scored the most runs in the Big Bash League 2019-20 season.

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#5 Shaun Marsh (Melbourne Renegades)

Shaun Marsh

Shaun Marsh shocked Australian cricket fans when he signed a three-year deal with the Melbourne Renegades, ending the exclusive link between Western Australia Cricket and the Marsh family.

Also see – PSL table

Having been overlooked for the Australian squad, Marsh was available for the whole tournament and was one of the only bright spots in the Renegades' campaign. Marsh scored 449 runs in 12 matches, averaging 37.41 and with three half-centuries to his name.

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#4 Jonathan Wells (Adelaide Strikers)

Jonathan Wells

The Adelaide Strikers batsman is arguably the most underrated player in the BBL. Being the lone middle-order batsman in the top run-getters' list speaks volumes about his sheer brilliance in the recently concluded season. Batting at a crucial No.5 position, he often played dual roles of finishing as well as anchoring the innings for his team.

The 31-year-old accumulated 478 runs in 14 innings with a staggering average of 68.29. Scoring four half-centuries and finishing unbeaten seven times, he bagged three man of the match awards and was a key factor in propelling the Strikers to the knockout stages of BBL 09. Wells finished as the Strikers' leading run-scorer for the second consecutive season.

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#3 Joshua Philippe (Sydney Sixers)

Josh Philippe

Joshua Philippe emerged as a prospective star when he played for the Sixers in BBL 08. Promoted to the top of the order for the entire season this time around, Philippe made the most of the chances that were handed out to him by the side.

The promising Western Australia batsman scored 487 runs in 16 innings, providing a brisk start to his team in most games at an impressive strike rate close to 130. He was adjudged as the man of the match in the summit clash of this season for his splendid knock of 52 which helped the Sixers to post a commanding total and eventually helped them clinch the title.

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#2 Alex Hales (Sydney Thunder)

Alex Hales

Sydney Thunder bolstered their batting unit for BBL 09 by signing one of the most exciting openers in the shortest format, Alex Hales. Earlier this year, he dominated England's Vitality T20 Blast when he scored 418 runs. With a vast experience of 60 T20Is under his belt, Hales was certainly going to be an impact player for the Thunder.

The hard-hitting Englishman sustained his form in the Big Bash as he amounted 576 runs in 17 innings with a blistering strike rate of 147. A 37-ball 60 against Hobart in the Eliminator, was followed by a 35-ball 59 against Adelaide, proving his worth at the top of the order for the Thunder.

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#1 Marcus Stoinis (Melbourne Stars)

Marcus Stoinis

Marcus Stoinis was in scintillating form with the bat this season. He amassed 705 runs in 17 innings with an impressive average of 54.23, comprising six half-centuries. In the league match against the Sydney Sixers, Stoinis played a monumental knock of 147 runs off just 79 balls, which is the highest score by a batsman in the history of Big Bash League.

Courtesy of his 705 runs from BBL 09, Stoinis broke the record for the most runs in a single edition of the Big Bash League, a record that was held by D'Arcy Short, who scored 637 runs for the Hobart Hurricanes in BBL 08. On the back of his top show throughout the season, Stoinis was named as the player of the tournament.