The WBBL|10 Team of the Tournament was dominated by new faces, with a sprinkling of some of the all-time greats
Debutants dominate official WBBL|10 Team of the Tournament
The Women's Big Bash League's eight head coaches have named their best XI for Weber WBBL|10 with six players selected in the Team of the Tournament for the first time.
Some of the game's brightest young talents were rewarded, with Sydney Thunder's Georgia Voll and Phoebe Litchfield making their debuts in the side, while Perth Scorchers' Chloe Ainsworth was named for the second straight season.
Ainsworth was one of five players to earn maximum votes, with Ellyse Perry, Lizelle Lee, Sophie Molineux and Alana King also selected by each the league's eight head coaches.
Player |
Club |
Votes |
Ellyse Perry | Sydney Sixers | 8 |
Lizelle Lee* | Hobart Hurricanes | 8 |
Sophie Molineux (c) | Melbourne Renegades | 8 |
Alana King | Perth Scorchers | 8 |
Chloe Ainsworth | Perth Scorchers | 8 |
Samantha Bates | Sydney Thunder | 7 |
Georgia Voll* | Sydney Thunder | 6 |
Beth Mooney | Perth Scorchers | 5 |
Hayley Matthews* | Melbourne Renegades | 5 |
Phoebe Litchfield* | Sydney Thunder | 4 |
Shikha Pandey* | Brisbane Heat | 4 |
12th: Georgia Wareham* | Melbourne Renegades | 2 |
*denotes first time selected in WBBL Team of the Tournament |
Six of the seven top run-scorers for the season made it into the batting line up, headlined by the WBBL|10 BKT Golden Bat winner Perry (424 at 53.00).
She'll be partnered at the top by Lee whose historic back-to-back hundreds were impossible to ignore.
The competition's all-time leading run-scorer Beth Mooney was selected in the team for the ninth time in ten seasons.
The Thunder and Renegades were rewarded for fantastic home-and-away campaigns with three players selected from each club, with Sydney pair Voll and Litchfield joined by veteran spinner Samantha Bates.
Renegades duo Hayley Matthews and Georgia Wareham are newcomers to the side, with Molineux named as skipper for the first time.
BKT Golden Arm winner Alana King is the third Scorcher in the side, while Shikha Pandey is the sole Brisbane Heat representative.
"The tenth Weber WBBL Team of the Tournament fittingly includes a combination of all-time greats, experienced and consistent performers, and new faces from Australia and overseas," said Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia's executive general manager of Big Bash Leagues.
"There are few superlatives appropriate for the feats of Beth Mooney and Ellyse Perry throughout WBBL history, but we are equally pleased to recognise new players for their performances this season."
To help celebrate 10 years of the WBBL, a Team of the Decade will also be named on Thursday. The WBBL|10 Team of The Tournament is:
1. Ellyse Perry (Sydney Sixers)
Matches: 10 | Runs: 424 | SR: 137.22 | 50s: 4 | HS: 86 | Wickets: 6 | Econ: 7.31
Perry started the season on fire, dominating with both the bat and ball. Her top score of 86 was one of the most thrilling innings of WBBL|10, but it was her consistency that earned her the BKT Golden Bat. It's Perry's sixth time making the team.
2. Lizelle Lee (Hobart Hurricanes)*
Matches: 10 | Runs: 376 | SR: 163.48 | 100s: 2 | 50s: 0 | HS: 150
Lee wrote her name into the WBBL history books, recording the highest individual score with 150 against the Perth Scorchers. What was arguably more impressive was the fact she was able to back it up and score 100 in the next game against the Adelaide Strikers.
3. Beth Mooney (wk) (Perth Scorchers)
Matches: 10 | Runs: 386 | SR: 133.1 | 50s: 3 | HS: 97 | Ct: 2 | St: 5
Mooney was her consistent self in WBBL|10, making it the ninth time in 10 years she has made the Team of the Tournament. Mooney's high score of 97 on the MCG was an unforgettable innings, only to be matched by her old protege Georgia Voll later in the game.
4. Georgia Voll (Sydney Thunder)*
Matches: 10 | Runs: 310 | SR: 147.62 | 50s: 2 | HS: 97
Voll's first season at the Sydney Thunder was truly a revelation. Much was made of her 97 at the MCG, but her 92 off 55 balls against the Strikers was just as impressive.
5. Phoebe Litchfield (Sydney Thunder)*
Matches: 10 | Runs: 281 | SR: 135.75 | 50s: 1 | HS: 51
Litchfield's remarkable consistency and leadership were the hallmarks of her great season. She found a way to score 30 or more in most innings and really steadied the Thunder. Leading her side to a second-place finish on the ladder was a credit to the youngest skipper in WBBL history.
6. Hayley Matthews (Melbourne Renegades)*
Matches: 9 | Runs: 255 | SR: 136.36 | 50s: 2 | HS: 85 | Wickets: 12 | Econ: 6.89
Finishing in the top 10 for most wickets and runs was a testament to Matthews' remarkable year. Her 85* against the Strikers helped the Renegades secure their highest successful run chase in WBBL history, getting to the target score of 186 with 17 balls to spare.
7. Sophie Molineux (c) (Melbourne Renegades)
Matches: 6 | Runs: 134 | SR: 157.65 | 50s: 1 | HS: 64 | Wickets: 15 | Econ: 7.12
Molineux might not have played in every game, but her impact was remarkable. In a crucial game against the Strikers, Molineux equalled the record for the third-fastest half-century in WBBL history, coming off just 21 balls. Her 15 wickets in six games put her in equal-fourth place overall this season.
8. Alana King (Perth Scorchers)*
Matches: 10 | Wickets: 20 | Econ: 7.06 | BBI: 5-16
King was a standout across the season, with the high-point being her five-wicket haul against the Brisbane Heat. That 5-16 performance became her best-ever figures in the WBBL. She also was handy with the bat, averaging 17.5 for the Scorchers.
9. Chloe Ainsworth (Perth Scorchers)
Matches: 10 | Wickets: 12 | Econ: 5.87 | BBI: 2-15
It's two Team of the Tournament selections for Ainsworth in just two seasons. The 19-year-old built on her breakout season and became even more economical. Ainsworth was particularly strong in the powerplay overs and consistently took the most crucial wickets. Taking out both Meg Lanning and Isabel Sutherland with absolute seeds to start the season will live on in her highlight reel for years to come.
10. Shikha Pandey (Brisbane Heat)*
Matches: 10 | Wickets: 12 | Econ: 6.69 | BBI: 2-14
Pandey's stats might not reflect on just how unplayable she was at times this season. Her spell moving the ball away against the Perth Scorchers was mesmerising. Pandey also stepped up to take key wickets at the right time, removing Alyssa Healy and Amelia Kerr cheaply when the Heat took on the Sixers.
11. Samantha Bates (Sydney Thunder)
Matches: 10 | Wickets: 19 | Econ: 6.57 | BBI: 4-21
Bates was unstoppable throughout the Thunder's incredible season. She popped up in big games, with her three wickets against the Sixers in the Sydney Smash crucial for the Thunder's success. It was a brilliant race between her and King for the BKT Golden Arm award.
12. Georgia Wareham (Melbourne Renegades)*
Matches: 10 | Wickets: 11 | Econ: 7.56 | BBI: 3-26
Wareham was one of four Renegades players to finish with double-digit wicket hauls this season. But arguably her most memorable moment of WBBl|10 was her match-winning 69 runs against the Hobart Hurricanes late in the year.
WBBL|10 Finals
The Knockout: Sydney Thunder v Hobart Hurricanes | Drummoyne Oval | Wednesday, November 27 at 7.15pm AEDT
The Challenger: Brisbane Heat v TBC | Allan Border Field | Friday, November 29 at 7.15pm AEDT, 6.15pm AEDT
The Final: Melbourne Renegades v TBC | MCG | Sunday, December 1 at 1.20pm AEDT
Grab your tickets or tune in on the Seven Network, 7Plus, Fox Cricket, Kayo or ABC and SEN radio