WBBL 2021 - 5 Best Bowling Performances

The seventh season of the Women’s Big Bash League wrapped up with the Perth Scorchers winning their maiden WBBL title. This was their third attempt in the finals, with the Sydney Sixers playing spoilsport in 2016 and 2017. The Scorchers, powered by Marizanne Kapp and Sophie Devine, ensured this was the year their wait ended.

The half-month tournament showcased the best talent in women’s cricket from around the world. We were blessed with some magical batting, masterful bowling spells, and incredible fielding. In this article, we will look at the five best bowling spells from this season of the WBBL.

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#5 Amanda-Jade Wellington – 4-1-8-5 (Adelaide Strikers vs Brisbane Heat)

Talk about coming clutch in an eliminator. Amanda-Jade Wellington, who ended up as the leading wicket taker of the tournament (23), produced her best performance in the Eliminator match vs Brisbane Heat. Wellington was impeccable with her sharp spin and the batters didn’t have a clue as to what hit them.

Her spell of 5-8 was the best ever bowling performance in WBBL history. Wellington also reached 100 WBBL wickets in the process, becoming the fifth bowler to do so. Her performance with the ball was crucial in Adelaide Strikers’ journey to the Finals.

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#4 Marizanne Kapp – 4-0-10-4 (Perth Scorchers vs Hobart Hurricanes)

All-Rounder Extraordinaire - Marizane Kapp

The best all-rounder going around in women’s cricket, Marizanne Kapp was unplayable against the Hobart Hurricanes. Taking the new ball with Taneale Peschel, Kapp snuffed out the entire Hurricanes’ top order, and they were reduced to to 13-5 in six overs. Kapp’s three-over spell in the powerplay produced figures of 4-9.

The player-of-the-match in the WBBL Finals was crucial throughout Perth Scorcher’s journey to the title. She ended the season with 14 wickets and 106 runs—a tremendous all-round performance.

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#3 Ellie Falconer – 4-0-29-4 (Melbourne Renegades vs Brisbane Heat)

A clutch performance in the highest scoring WBBL match of all-time

The Melbourne Renegades vs the Brisbane Heat saw the highest aggregate runs in a single match in WBBL history. Ellie Falconer proved to be the difference as she produced a spell of genius that helped the Renegades get over the line.

The Melbourne Renegades racked up 207/4 in their 20 overs with 50s from Jemimah Rodrigues, Eve Jones and Harmanpreet Kaur. Brisbane Heat were in the chase for most of the 20 overs, only for Falconer to derail them on three separate occasions.

She picked up one wicket in the powerplay, followed by two in the 14th over and one in the 19th. While every other bowler was being hit with ease, Falconer brought the game back in the Renegades’ favor every single time.

Harmpreet Kaur may have grabbed the headlines in this match but it was Falconer who sealed the deal for the Renegades.

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#2 Belinda Vakarewa – 4-0-8-3 (Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Thunder)

In a match of small margins (a four-run victory in this case), Belinda Vakarewa came up trumps. Batting first, the Hobart Hurricanes set a target of 148 for the Sydney Thunder. Vakarewa’s medium pacers nipped out Smriti Mandhana and Tahlia Wilson early on in the chase. Sydney were always going to struggle in the chase after losing two huge wickets in the powerplay.

A spell for the ages

They resurrected their innings through handy 30s from Deepti Sharma and Anika Learoyd. That was until Vakarewa came back in the 15th over to send Learoyd back into the pavilion. An incredible spell from an incredible prospect handed the Hurricanes a four-run win in the WBBL Group stage.

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#1 Kim Garth – 4-3-11-3 (Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder)

Bowling three maidens in an ODI can be quite an achievement. But bowling them in a T20 match? That’s gold dust. And doing so in the powerplay when the batting team is chasing just 109 to win? That’s a diamond mine.

This is exactly what Kim Garth did during her spell for the Melbourne Stars against the Sydney Thunder. In what was going to be a tricky total to defend, Garth gave the Stars the best possible start.

Her first over was a double-wicket maiden, followed by a maiden and then another wicket-maiden. Her spell at the end of the powerplay read 3-3-0-3, as the Sydney Thunder were teetering at 13/4 at the sixth over mark. There was no coming back from there, as Sydney could muster just 96 in their 20 overs. Kim Garth won the player-of-the-match award for her incredible spell.