Here are our top five performers from the 2018 Women’s Cricket Super League.
With the group stages of the Kia Super League a thing of the past, ANITHA MADIKIZELA looks back at the best performers during the final round of fixtures as we look ahead to finals day on 27 August.
Heather Knight
Western Storm’s captain Heather Knight continued her scintillating form during this season’s KSL in a losing cause against Surrey Stars in their final group-stage fixture. She led from the front and managed to score 62 runs off 47 balls as well as picking up a wicket in an impressive all-round display. Although her heroics were not enough to see the team over the line, it’s evident that she plays a pivotal role, with over 300 runs under her belt as well as picking up wickets regularly during the season. The Storm will be hard to beat if the captain can continue her good form on finals day.
Lizelle Lee
The South African powerhouse showed how destructive she can be as she smashed 48 runs off just 28 balls in an innings that included seven fours and two sixes. Lee is always a crowd favourite as she’s well known for backing her power game and regularly hitting the ball out of the park. Her innings helped Surrey Stars book their semi-final berth on the last day as they defeated the Western Storm by five wickets. She will be one of the many galactic players in the Stars lineup as they look to secure their maiden Super League trophy.
Beth Mooney
The Yorkshire Diamonds secured only their third win of the season as they upset the Loughborough Lightning in a nail-biting three-run victory. Wicketkeeper-batter Beth Mooney was the star of the show as she got her team off to a thrilling start, scoring 76 off 50 balls to help them reach 148-6 in their 20 overs. While many expected the top-ranked Lightning to sweep aside the struggling Diamonds, Mooney and the Diamonds had other ideas as they finished their season on a high with an impressive win.
Harmanpreet Kaur
Kaur smashed the ball to all parts as she and Eleanor Threlkeld posted a 55-run partnership off just 31 deliveries to help the Lancashire Thunder secure a nine-run victory over the Southern Vipers. Kaur started her innings slowly but picked up the pace in the 17th over, finishing 44 not out off 20 balls (5×4, 4×6). The win proved little consolation as they failed to secure a spot in the finals day showpiece, but Kaur’s performance will have them looking forward to making their mark next season.
Sophie Ecclestone
The only bowler to feature on the list, the Thunder’s Ecclestone put in a Player of the Match performance against the Vipers, but it proved to be in vain as the Thunder were eliminated from the KSL. Ecclestone picked up four wickets and conceded just 20 runs off her four overs. The 19-year-old left-arm spinner cemented her credentials as a top-class player by terrorising the Vipers’ batting order with an economy rate of just five runs to the over. The Thunder will be disappointed not to have qualified for finals day, but if they keep all their players they could well be one of the teams to watch in next year’s Super League.
Photo: Sophie Ecclestone
