Sophies' illustration helps inspire Day to new heights

Sophie Day once hosted an art show at the CitiPower Centre named The Art of Cricket.

Given the outstanding Weber WBBL|09 the left-arm spinner is enjoying, she might need to consider a follow-up called The Art of Taking Wickets.

Day has claimed 27 wickets in 13 matches, more than any other player has previously taken in the regular season, and more than the 26 she took across her first three WBBL campaigns combined.

And while the Stars cannot make the finals, she has one more chance against the Renegades, at the MCG on Saturday to match, or break, the all-time record for most wickets in a single tournament – the 28 claimed by former Sydney Sixer Sarah Aley in WBBL|02.

The next highest wicket-taker in WBBL|09 is Stars teammate Annabel Sutherland with 23 scalps, and it is incredibly unlikely that Day will not end the regular season as the official BKT Golden Arm.

The left-armer is also the first player to take four four-wicket hauls in a single WBBL season.

She credits the work put in through the winter with Victoria spin coach Craig Howard for not only her improvement but newly gained ability to excel in any scenario.

Day has also taken inspiration from closely studying two other Sophies – fellow left-arm spinners Ecclestone and Molineux – the latter who Day trains alongside at Victoria.

"I worked a lot with Craig Howard in the preseason, just trying to work out different ways I could bowl in different areas of the game, which was something that I really wanted to do," Day said.

"The people I looked up to were Soph Molineux, Jess Jonassen and Sophie Ecclestone and they were all bowling during those different areas – in the Power Surge, the Powerplay, and that was something I really wanted to upskill.

"(Molineux's) someone I really look up to – she's someone I want to try and become – and she's helped me massively."

For the 25-year-old, who was somewhat of a late bloomer compared to many of her Big Bash counterparts, this season has been a remarkable rise in what is her fourth WBBL campaign.

In early 2020, Day was a club cricketer who was bowling to the world's best batters – but as a net bowler, during the T20 World Cup.

She had only taken up cricket during her final years of high school after quitting hockey, playing alongside her father at Warrandyte Cricket Club.

As her potential became clear she made the leap into Premier Cricket with Plenty Valley, where her skills attracted the attention of Victorian scouts.

She won opportunities with the Victorian futures squad, before signing on as a net bowler for the 2020 T20 World Cup, which gave her a taste of bowling to the likes of Sophie Devine, Smriti Mandhana and Alyssa Healy.

Day earned her first Victorian contract in 2020, alongside her first Stars deal, debuting in both domestic competitions during the 2020-21 summer aged 22.

When Day isn't training or playing, she indulges in her other great love: art.

The spinner undertook a Fine Arts degree at the Victorian College of the Arts, and frequently combines her two loves, creating pieces inspired by cricket.

Weber WBBL|09 Standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Total points PTS
1 Adelaide Strikers Women STR	14	11	3	0	0	1.154	0	22
2 Perth Scorchers Women SCO	14	8	6	0	0	0.784	0	16
3 Brisbane Heat Women HEA	14	8	6	0	0	0.203	0	16
4 Sydney Thunder Women THU	14	7	6	0	1	0.298	0	15
5 Sydney Sixers Women SIX	14	7	7	0	0	-0.253	0	14
6 Hobart Hurricanes Women HUR	14	6	7	0	1	-0.597	0	13
7 Melbourne Stars Women STA	14	6	8	0	0	-0.779	0	12
8 Melbourne Renegades Women REN	14	2	12	0	0	-0.978	0	4

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

PTS: Total points