Run rates rocket in high-scoring WBBL

The runs are flowing thicker and faster than ever this Rebel WBBL season, with the average first-innings total almost 20 runs higher than last summer’s edition.

At the halfway mark of the season on Christmas eve, the average first innings total was 150.41, a dramatic leap on last summer’s average of 131.57, which was already higher than the first two seasons (126.19 in WBBL|01 and 126.8 in WBBL|02).

Only 17 totals above 150 were scored in WBBL|03, whereas the mark has been reached 28 times in the first 30 matches.

Five centuries were scored in the first three WBBL seasons in total, while there have already been four in WBBL|04, with Ellyse Perry reaching the mark twice and Lizelle Lee and Grace Harris once, while there have been 33 half-centuries, compared to the 51 in total for WBBL|03.

The ropes are also being cleared more regularly than ever, with 153 maximums scored to date, on track to easily beat the 206 sixes of last summer.

Brisbane Heat allrounder Sammy-Jo Johnson believes it’s the growing professionalism of the Rebel WBBL, and Australian women’s domestic cricket in general, that’s to thank for this staggering jump.

She also thinks the game has the potential to reach even higher levels.

Australian domestic female cricketers became semi-professional in the latest Memorandum of Understanding signed last year, making Australia the first (and currently only) country to provide that level of employment to its female players.

While many still work or study, there’s less pressure to juggle cricket with full-time work. 

And after the first full preseason under the new conditions, the impact – on the batters in particular – is showing.

“I think the way the game is moving, having more professional athletes, has made a difference,” Johnson told cricket.com.au when asked to pinpoint the reason behind the growing run rates.

“Obviously the Australian team are full-time athletes and we’re still semi-professional at domestic level, but we’re being allocated that bit more time.

“I still work, I run my own business and other people are teachers, nurses, whatever they do.

“But we’re getting better access to better facilities, better time with coaching staff and I think that’s making a massive difference.”

The majority of the highest scores have come from the competition’s international players, who, in the case of the Australians and English in particular, benefit from being full-time professionals.

But there’s also been a trend of domestic players being able to strike harder and produce often critical cameos; with Johnson, her Heat teammate Harris, Sixers allrounder Erin Burns and Hurricanes opener Erin Fazackerley notable examples.

There’s also been maiden WBBL half-centuries from the Thunder’s Naomi Stalenberg and the Strikers’ Bridget Patterson.

“If we keep growing the game and get domestic players to that full-time status, I can only see the game going bigger and bigger and we’ll be seeing scores of 170, 180 becoming par in the women’s game,” Johnson said.