WBBL 07 TEAM OF THE WEEK: Sophie Devine and Harmanpreet Kaur but who else makes the XI?

KIT SHEPARD: The Cricketer looks back on the outstanding performances from the past week in the 2021 Women’s Big Bash League

Sophie Devine (Perth Scorchers)

101 and 0-2 vs Sydney Thunder

Devine showed flashes of brilliance in last week’s super over against the Heat, but the Scorchers captain truly returned to her best with a fantastic 101 off just 60 balls against the Thunder last weekend. She hit six maximums, each one a brutal strike into the legside and, alongside Beth Mooney, put together the second-highest WBBL partnership (173). For good measure, she bowled a single over for just two runs as the Scorchers romped to an 81-run victory.

Beth Mooney (Perth Scorchers)

65 vs Sydney Thunder

If Devine’s innings was an exhibition in power-hitting, Mooney’s was based more on finesse. The wicketkeeper-batter’s 65 was fuelled by deft scoops and well-timed drives, as she wisely allowed her opening partner to do the bulk of the damage. Cricket is a game of partnerships, though, and Mooney was the perfect supporting act for Devine’s blockbuster knock.

Mignon du Preez (Hobart Hurricanes)

39 vs Adelaide Strikers, 62 vs Sydney Stars

The South African hit 62 off 45 balls to spearhead the Hurricanes’ successful pursuit of 145 against the Stars. It was a crucial win, only their second in six matches, which means Hobart sit in the playoff places as the tournament moves on from Tasmania. They might have been higher in the table had rain not intervened against the Strikers, where du Preez’s 39 had engineered a promising position.

^{Sophie Devine on her way to the tournament's second century}

Jemimah Rodrigues (Melbourne Renegades)

75* vs Sydney Thunder

One of The Hundred’s breakout stars scored her first WBBL half-century, and the Renegades’ first of the season, with an unbeaten 56-ball 75 in the win over the Thunder. She put on 84 runs for the first wicket with Josephine Dooley to give her side a solid platform, and she subsequently pushed on to score over half of her side’s total of 142. In doing so, she outdueled fellow Indian Smriti Mandhana, whose fine 64 could not match Rodrigues. In a match decided by nine runs, this small difference proved crucial.

Maia Bouchier (Melbourne Stars)

31 vs Sydney Thunder, 42 vs Hobart Hurricanes

Bouchier scored a priceless 31 in the Stars’ low-scoring win over the Thunder, helping the Melbourne outfit stay in touch with the top four. They lost ground the following day with a loss to the Hurricanes but Bouchier, with her well-paced 42, was not to blame. That knock was the 22-year-old’s third consecutive score over 30, a streak that suggests she will add to her two England caps in the very near future.

Harmanpreet Kaur (Melbourne Renegades)

35* & 2-17 vs Sydney Sixers, 1-35 vs Sydney Thunder

India is certainly leaving its imprint on WBBL 07, and the Renegades are currently the main beneficiaries. Three days prior to Rodrigues' crucial innings, Kaur put in a masterful all-round display to defeat the Sixers. She took 2 for 17 in four overs, including the scalp of Alyssa Healy, held two catches, and then saw Renegades across the line with 35 not out under pressure. She was far from anonymous against the Thunder, contributing to a runout and dismissing Mandhana at a crucial juncture.

WBBL 07 TEAM GUIDES

Adelaide Strikers

Brisbane Heat

Hobart Hurricanes

Melbourne Renegades

Melbourne Stars

Perth Scorchers

Sydney Sixers

Sydney Thunder

Kim Garth (Melbourne Stars)

3-11 vs Sydney Thunder, 44* & 1-25 vs Hobart Hurricanes

A sublime week for the Irish allrounder. Her opening three-over spell against the Thunder resulted in three wickets and, for the first time in WBBL history, three maidens. Even with the 11 she conceded in her final over, her final economy rate was a ridiculous 2.75. A day later, she hit 44 not out off 29 balls, putting on 83 with Bouchier, before rounding things off with more frugal fast bowling with 1 for 25 in four overs.

Jess Jonassen (Brisbane Heat)

2-17 vs Adelaide Strikers, 3-14 vs Hobart Hurricanes

Jonassen made history with her three wickets against the Hurricanes, as she became the second player to take 100 WBBL wickets. Fittingly, her four overs cost just 14 runs and helped the Heat return to the top of the table. The slow left-arm bowler was not quite as miserly against the Strikers, taking 2 for 17 in two overs but, in a match reduced to 11 overs per side, she helped the Brisbane franchise defend 104.

Alana King (Perth Scorchers)

4-11 vs Sydney Thunder

King made sure the Thunder never got close after Devine’s heroics, taking 4 for 11 in four overs to seal a huge win. The leg-spinner benefited from attacking the stumps, with three of her wickets either bowled or LBW. She has now taken an impressive seven wickets in three matches this campaign.

^{Jess Jonassen leads the highest wicket-taker table}

Samantha Bates (Sydney Thunder)

1-11 vs Melbourne Stars, 1-16 vs Melbourne Renegades

Bates has been one of the few positives for the winless Thunder during the Hobart leg of the competition. Against the Stars and the Renegades, her combined figures were 2 for 27 from eight overs, as her accurate slow left-arm stifled scoring. Even against the Scorchers, she avoided the worst of the Devine-Mooney onslaught, going for 28 from her four overs.

Darcie Brown (Adelaide Strikers)

2-1 vs Hobart Hurricanes, 3-28 vs Brisbane Heat

Teenage sensation Brown took the sixth hat-trick in WBBL history against the Heat, reinforcing her status as one of the brightest prospects in Australian cricket. Her disciplined pace bowling deceived the Heat batters, who foolishly sought to take her on in the Launceston gloom. The performance continued a strong 24 hours for the 18-year-old, who had removed both Hurricanes openers before rain ruined proceedings the previous day.