No more heartbreak: Chamari grabs chance in lime green

Chamari Athapaththu has left Sydney Thunder selectors with a major headache following the Sri Lanka star’s dominant return to the Weber WBBL on Sunday evening.

Athapaththu hit a 39-ball 52 and picked up three wickets as the Thunder took bragging rights over Sydney Sixers after making a club debut in place of an unwell Marizanne Kapp.

The Sri Lanka captain was initially left heartbroken when she missed out on selection in the WBBL’s overseas player draft, which came after similar snubs in The Hundred draft and WPL auction.

But she was given a reprieve when the Thunder came calling in the lead-up to the season, after they determined that they had room in the salary cap, given their relatively young list of locals, to bring on a fourth overseas player.

Clubs can only have three overseas players on their primary squad list, but can also sign up to three replacement internationals, so Athapaththu came on board as cover should anything befall allrounder Kapp, captain Heather Knight or quick Lauren Bell.

She also presented a different option that could be rotated into the main group if the Thunder felt their current balance wasn’t working. Unlike local replacement players, who can only be removed for specific reasons including injury, illness, study leave and international commitments, the circumstances in which the league will approve a change in overseas players are far less rigid.  

Her opportunity immediately arose when Kapp was ill and unable to make her own Thunder debut against the Sixers, and the left-hander formed a handy partnership at the top of the order with Tahlia Wilson, with Phoebe Litchfield slotting in at three.

She also played a key role with her off-spin taking 2-30 in four overs; while she regularly bowls in Sri Lanka colours, Athapaththu had only bowled on seven occasions in her 36 previous WBBL appearances.

"I just contributed my best for the team," she said after the Thunder sealed a 42-run win.

"We stuck with our plans and we batted really well.

"Normally in Sri Lanka in T20s I’m bowling, so this is a good opportunity for me to play here as an allrounder, (coach Lisa Keightley) told me I’d be playing as an allrounder."

Kapp – who was the No.1 pick in the draft – is expected to be available for Thursday’s game against Melbourne Renegades and will immediately come into the squad when ready.

Knight is captaining the Thunder this season, leaving selectors with a tough call to make between Athapaththu and England quick Bell.

Speaking to cricket.com.au in the lead-up to the season, new Thunder coach Lisa Keightley said she was eager to work with Athapaththu to try and unlock the best of the Sri Lankan in a domestic T20 competition.

Athapaththu has long been Sri Lanka’s biggest star and her nine international tons include two on Australian soil.

But she was unable to translate those performances to the Big Bash during previous stints with the Renegades and Scorchers.

In 34 innings she scored 511 runs at 18.93 with a strike rate of 95, passing fifty on just two occasions.

"We were keen to bring in another overseas player to put a bit more experience in and around our young list," Keightley said.

"We're just being a little bit more strategic there, to make sure we've got all bases covered with a young list.

"To have Chamari in and around our young batters is great for our team and I'm really hoping that I can support her to actually come out here and help her play like she plays for Sri Lanka."

Weber WBBL|09 Standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Total points PTS
1 Adelaide Strikers Women STR	14	11	3	0	0	1.154	0	22
2 Perth Scorchers Women SCO	14	8	6	0	0	0.784	0	16
3 Brisbane Heat Women HEA	14	8	6	0	0	0.203	0	16
4 Sydney Thunder Women THU	14	7	6	0	1	0.298	0	15
5 Sydney Sixers Women SIX	14	7	7	0	0	-0.253	0	14
6 Hobart Hurricanes Women HUR	14	6	7	0	1	-0.597	0	13
7 Melbourne Stars Women STA	14	6	8	0	0	-0.779	0	12
8 Melbourne Renegades Women REN	14	2	12	0	0	-0.978	0	4

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

PTS: Total points

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