Proteas captain Dane van Niekerk is on a roll, becoming the leading wicket-taker in the Women’s Big Bash League.

Her prodigious legspin has brought her 16 wickets from eight matches for the Sydney Sixers at an average of 9.75 and an economy rate of 5.37.

Van Niekerk continues to work brilliantly in tandem with her Proteas teammate, Marizanne Kapp, whose pace has brought her seven wickets, with the best economy rate of the series at just 4.46.

The Proteas captain added six more wickets to her tally in the double-header against the Melbourne Renegades, including her best of the series, 4-18 in the first game on 2 January. It was her second four-wicket haul, having taken 4-20 against the Hurricanes in Hobart, with a hat-trick, and helped bowl out the Renegades for 92 as they chased 129 to win.

She picked up two more in the Renegades’ return fixtures on 3 January, a match which the Sixers lost in a super over.

Van Niekerk is now six wickets clear of Katherine Brunt (Perth Scorchers) and her Sixers teammate Sarah Aley.