2018–19 Sydney Thunder WBBL season
The 2018–19 Sydney Thunder Women's season was the fourth in the team's history. Coached by Joanne Broadbent and captained by Alex Blackwell, they finished second in the regular season of WBBL|04 and qualified for the playoffs. In an "incredible"[1] semi-final, notable for a catch taken by Haidee Birkett on the last ball of the game to dismiss Nicola Carey, the Thunder suffered a four-run defeat at the hands of the Brisbane Heat and were consequently eliminated from the tournament. It was thus the second-straight year in which they lost a knockout game to a lower-ranked opponent.
| 2018–19 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Sydney Thunder 2018–19 cap logo | |||
| Coach | Joanne Broadbent | ||
| Captain(s) | Alex Blackwell | ||
| Home ground | Spotless Stadium | ||
| League | WBBL | ||
| Record | 9–4 (2nd) | ||
| Finals | Semi-finalists | ||
| Leading Run Scorer | Rachael Haynes – 376 | ||
| Leading Wicket Taker | Stafanie Taylor – 19 | ||
| Player of the Season | Rachel Priest | ||
| |||
Squad
Each 2018–19 squad featured 15 active players, with an allowance of up to five marquee signings including a maximum of three from overseas. Under a new rule, Australian marquees were classed as players who held a national women's team contract at the time of signing on for their WBBL|04 team.[2]
The Thunder made just one change to their squad from the previous season, adding Saskia Horley as their only new inclusion.[3] Indian marquee Harmanpreet Kaur returned for her third campaign with the Thunder, but she was unavailable to play the first match and the semi-final due to national team commitments.[4][5] In November 2019, the recurring issue of conflicting schedules with overseas players prompted newly appointed Cricket Australia board member Mel Jones to call for greater cooperation between nations to give the league a clearer window.[6]
The table below lists the Thunder players and their key stats (including runs scored, batting strike rate, wickets taken, economy rate, catches and stumpings) for the season.[7][8][9]
| No. | Name | Nat. | Birth date | Batting Style | Bowling Style | G | R | SR | W | E | C | S | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batters | |||||||||||||
| 2 | Alex Blackwell | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} |
31 August 1983 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | 15 | 301 | 122.35 | – | – | 2 | – | Captain, Australian marquee |
| 15 | Rachael Haynes | |
26 December 1986 | Left-handed | Left-arm medium | 13 | 376 | 114.63 | – | – | 1 | – | Australian marquee |
| 45 | Harmanpreet Kaur |  |
8 March 1989 | Right-handed | Right-arm off spin | 13 | 310 | 126.53 | 3 | 8.66 | 7 | – | Overseas marquee |
| 10 | Naomi Stalenberg | |
18 April 1994 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | 15 | 244 | 91.04 | – | – | 5 | – | |
| All-rounders | |||||||||||||
| 73 | Nicola Carey | |
10 September 1993 | Left-handed | Right-arm medium | 15 | 104 | 131.64 | 15 | 7.34 | 8 | – | |
| 23 | Saskia Horley | |
23 February 2000 | Right-handed | Left-arm orthodox | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 24 | Stafanie Taylor |  |
11 June 1991 | Right-handed | Right-arm off spin | 15 | 212 | 108.71 | 19 | 6.91 | 7 | – | Overseas marquee |
| 8 | Rachel Trenaman | |
18 April 2001 | Right-handed | Right-arm leg spin | 5 | 12 | 133.33 | 3 | 6.22 | 0 | – | |
| Wicket-keeper | |||||||||||||
| 3 | Rachel Priest |  |
13 July 1985 | Right-handed | – | 15 | 338 | 134.12 | – | – | 4 | 6 | Overseas marquee |
| Bowlers | |||||||||||||
| 34 | Samantha Bates | |
7 August 1992 | Right-handed | Left-arm orthodox | 15 | – | – | 9 | 6.31 | 3 | – | |
| 25 | Hannah Darlington | |
25 January 2002 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 88 | Rene Farrell | |
13 January 1987 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | 10 | 33 | 157.14 | 14 | 7.20 | 0 | – | |
| 13 | Maisy Gibson | |
14 September 1996 | Left-handed | Right-arm leg spin | 12 | 5 | 71.42 | 12 | 7.30 | 5 | – | |
| 54 | Lisa Griffith | |
28 August 1992 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium fast | 12 | – | – | 9 | 6.90 | 0 | – | |
| 47 | Belinda Vakarewa | |
22 January 1998 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium fast | 10 | – | – | 3 | 6.91 | 2 | – | |
Ladder
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | NR | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sydney Sixers (RU) | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 0.509 |
| 2 | Sydney Thunder | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 19 | 0.479 |
| 3 | Brisbane Heat (C) | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 1.118 |
| 4 | Melbourne Renegades | 14 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 15 | −0.079 |
| 5 | Perth Scorchers | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 | −0.476 |
| 6 | Adelaide Strikers | 14 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 11 | −0.336 |
| 7 | Melbourne Stars | 14 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 11 | −0.905 |
| 8 | Hobart Hurricanes | 14 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 4 | −0.364 |
- The four top ranked teams qualified for the semi finals
Fixtures
All times are local time
Regular season
Melbourne Renegades 8/98 (20 overs) |
v |
Sydney Thunder 4/99 (16.5 overs) |
- Sydney Thunder won the toss and elected to field
- Broadcast by Seven Network and Fox Cricket
Sydney Sixers 4/168 (20 overs) |
v |
Sydney Thunder 7/132 (20 overs) |
- Sydney Sixers won the toss and elected to bat
- Broadcast by Seven Network and Fox Cricket
Sydney Thunder 4/192 (20 overs) |
v |
Brisbane Heat 164 (18.5 overs) |
- Sydney Thunder won the toss and elected to bat
- Broadcast by Seven Network and Fox Cricket
Adelaide Strikers 132 (20 overs) |
v |
Sydney Thunder 4/134 (17.3 overs) |
- Sydney Thunder won the toss and elected to field
- Broadcast by Seven Network and Fox Cricket
Adelaide Strikers 5/145 (20 overs) |
v |
Sydney Thunder 5/146 (20 overs) |
- Sydney Thunder won the toss and elected to field
Hobart Hurricanes 9/153 (20 overs) |
v |
Sydney Thunder 4/156 (17.2 overs) |
- Sydney Thunder won the toss and elected to field
- Broadcast by Seven Network and Fox Cricket
Hobart Hurricanes 135 (19.4 overs) |
v |
Sydney Thunder 4/136 (16.4 overs) |
- Sydney Thunder won the toss and elected to field
Sydney Thunder 5/179 (20 overs) |
v |
Perth Scorchers 4/180 (19.5 overs) |
- Perth Scorchers won the toss and elected to field
- Perth Scorchers set a new record for the highest successful run chase in a WBBL match[11]
The Thunder were catapulted to a score of 5/179 by a late 49-run partnership between Harmanpreet Kaur and Stafanie Taylor (which included 21 runs off the 18th over against the bowling of Taneale Peschel, who had taken 1/12 in her first three overs). Eight overs into the second innings, captain Meg Lanning had scored 71 of the Scorchers' 83 runs. Although Lanning was run out for 76 in the tenth over, Elyse Villani went on to score 66 not out, guiding the Scorchers to a six-wicket victory with one ball remaining. In doing so, the Scorchers set a new WBBL record for highest successful run chase.[12]
Perth Scorchers 7/127 (20 overs) |
v |
Sydney Thunder 5/124 (20 overs) |
- Sydney Thunder won the toss and elected to field
Sydney Sixers 7/98 (20 overs) |
v |
Sydney Thunder 2/101 (17.4 overs) |
- Sydney Thunder won the toss and elected to field
- Broadcast by Seven Network and Fox Cricket
Sydney Thunder 3/92 (9.2 overs) |
v |
|
- Sydney Thunder won the toss and elected to bat
- Match abandoned due to rain
Sydney Thunder 6/122 (20 overs) |
v |
Melbourne Stars 9/117 (20 overs) |
- Melbourne Stars won the toss and elected to field
Melbourne Renegades 4/139 (20 overs) |
v |
Sydney Thunder 4/141 (19.1 overs) |
- Sydney Thunder won the toss and elected to field
- Broadcast by Seven Network and Fox Cricket
Sydney Thunder 7/171 (20 overs) |
v |
Brisbane Heat 7/172 (19.3 overs) |
- Brisbane Heat won the toss and elected to field
Responding to the Thunder's first innings total of 7/171, Brisbane Heat opener Beth Mooney recorded her maiden WBBL century but was then dismissed in the 17th over. With Brisbane still requiring 19 runs off the last twelve balls, Harmanpreet Kaur—having already claimed two wickets, including the stumping of Mooney, for just ten runs—came on to bowl her third over. The Heat, primarily through Delissa Kimmince, scored 13 runs off the over to swing the momentum once more. Laura Harris then hit the winning runs against the bowling of Nicola Carey with three wickets in hand and three balls remaining, making it Brisbane's highest successful run chase. The result helped to set up a semi-final encounter between the two teams on the following weekend.[14][15][16]
Knockout stage
Brisbane Heat 7/140 (20 overs) |
v |
Sydney Thunder 7/136 (20 overs) |
- Sydney Thunder won the toss and elected to field
- Broadcast by Seven Network and Fox Cricket
The lower-ranked Brisbane Heat posted a first innings total of 7/140, recovering from 5/78 after 12 overs through an unbeaten knock of 32 from 25 by Laura Harris. After struggling through the middle overs of the run chase, a late charge by the Thunder brought the hosts back into the contest to leave a required five runs off the final delivery for victory. The last ball, sent down by spinner Jess Jonassen, was struck flat and cleanly to deep square leg by batter Nicola Carey. Jonassen immediately signalled disappointment as the ball set sail for beyond the boundary rope, therefore scoring six runs and clinching the match for Sydney. However, Brisbane fielder Haidee Birkett made enough ground in time to take a "miracle"[1] catch just inside the field of play to knock the Thunder out of the tournament.[17] The match, in conjunction with the other semi-final played later in the day, was hailed as a showcase of "the irrefutable rise of women's cricket"[18] and "sport with drama, skill and unpredictability – a potent recipe for success".[19]
Statistics and awards
- Most runs: Rachael Haynes – 376 (8th in the league)[20]
- Highest score in an innings: Rachael Haynes – 68* (48) vs Hobart Hurricanes, 24 December 2018[21]
- Most wickets: Stafanie Taylor – 19 (equal 5th in the league)[22]
- Best bowling figures in an innings: Rene Farrell – 3/12 (4 overs) vs Adelaide Strikers, 15 December 2018[23]
- Most catches (fielder): Nicola Carey – 8 (equal 5th in the league)[24]
- Player of the Match awards:
- Stafanie Taylor – 2
- Alex Blackwell, Nicola Carey, Rene Farrell, Lisa Griffith, Rachael Haynes, Harmanpreet Kaur – 1 each
- Alex Blackwell Medal[lower-alpha 1]: Rachel Priest[25]
- WBBL|04 Team of the Tournament: Stafanie Taylor[26]
References
- "Incredible WBBL semi-finals leave Australia speechless after back-to-back final ball miracle finishes". NewsComAu. 2019-01-19. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
- "All the WBBL squads so far". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
- "Teenager Horley Joins Sydney Thunder". Sydney Thunder. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
- "Kaur set to miss opening round of WBBL04". Sydney Thunder. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
- "We have the depth to cover Kaur: Haynes". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
- "WBBL needs clear air for international flair: Jones". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
- "WBBL|04: All you need to know guide". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
- "Players | Sydney Thunder - BBL". www.sydneythunder.com.au. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
- "Women's Big Bash League, 2018/19 - Sydney Thunder Women Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
- "Women's Big Bash League Table – 2018–19".
- "Lanning, Villani lead Perth to record win". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 2019-11-13.
- "Scorchers Create History in Thrilling Win". Perth Scorchers. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
- "Record Breaking WBBL Season". Brisbane Heat. Retrieved 2019-11-04.
- "Thunder lose out in Cairns thriller". Sydney Thunder. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
- "Mooney peaks at perfect time". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
- "Mooney smashes ton as Heat beat Thunder". Brisbane Heat. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
- "Nothing fake about Birkett's heroic catch". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
- Maurice, Megan (2019-01-20). "Women's cricket the winner in WBBL semis". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
- Lawson, Geoff (2019-01-26). "Given a Fairbreak, the WBBL has shown its true value". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
- "Women's Big Bash League, 2018/19 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
- "Women's Big Bash League, 2018/19 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
- "Women's Big Bash League, 2018/19 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
- "Women's Big Bash League, 2018/19 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
- "Women's Big Bash League, 2018/19 Cricket Team Records & Stats | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
- "Abbott and Perry win major Cricket NSW awards". Cricket NSW. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
- "Our WBBL|04 team of the tournament". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
Notes
- Thunder Player of the Tournament