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Official WBBL|08 Team of the Tournament revealed

Three players polled maximum votes while one overseas star and one player yet to play international cricket were included in the league's official team of the tournament

The official Weber WBBL|08 Team of the Tournament has been revealed, with Beth Mooney included at the top of the order for the fourth successive season.

Voted by the head coaches of the eight WBBL clubs, Mooney was one of three players to receive maximum votes, along with Sydney Sixers veteran Erin Burns and Brisbane Heat star Jess Jonassen.

Jonassen, the Australia international off-spinner, was also named captain of the team.

Selection caps another personally fruitful campaign for Mooney, who enhanced her status as the best batter in WBBL history by scoring 434 runs to take out the BKT Golden Bat, although her Perth Scorchers outfit finished outside the finals spots this season.

Mooney, who became the first player to pass 4000 WBBL career runs, during the season, opens alongside Heat's Georgia Redmayne, who takes the gloves after snaring a league-best 11 dismissals this campaign.

Alyssa Healy, the recently appointed Australia vice-captain who returned to form in this tournament and made her fifth WBBL century for the Sixers this season, bats at first drop.

The side features a power-packed middle order, with Sixers' Ashleigh Gardner at four ahead of Melbourne Stars allrounder Annabel Sutherland.

Gardner enjoyed a career-best 23 wicket campaign to be the competition's joint-highest wicket-taker, and backed up her bowling form with a 339-run season.

Sutherland stood out for the Stars with 304 runs and 21 wickets.

Polling eight votes for Burns caps a memorable comeback season after she was forced out of WBBL|07 by state border closure rules during a Covid-impacted season.

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Burns' finishing prowess saw her 294 runs come at the exceptional strike rate of 147.

Another comeback star in Brisbane leg-spinner Amelia Kerr was selected at No.7, and is the only international player in the squad picked by coaches. Kerr scored 243 runs and took 19 wickets with her leg spin for the Heat.

Her club captain Jonassen also captains this team, after taking 20 wickets in the campaign, her dominance earning her the nod from each of the coaches.

Adelaide Strikers leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington earned selection with five votes, and had equalled her own record for the best figures in a WBBL innings with 5-8 against the Melbourne Renegades.

That record was surpassed by Megan Schutt on the final day of the regular season as she claimed 6-19 against the Sydney Thunder, which also saw her join Gardner on 23 wickets for the season to finish equal top.

Nicola Hancock, the only player in the squad who has not played international cricket, claimed 22 wickets in WBBL|08.

Hurricanes spinner Molly Strano was named 12th, with her 18-wicket campaign taking her to a WBBL record 137 career wickets.

Votes were compiled by the eight head coaches: Jonathan Batty (Stars), Charlotte Edwards (Sixers), Trevor Griffin (Thunder) Simon Helmot (Renegades), Dan Marsh (Hurricanes), Shelley Nitschke (Scorchers), Ashley Noffke (Heat), Luke Williams (Strikers).

Official Weber WBBL|08 Team of the Tournament

Beth Mooney (Perth Scorchers). Votes: 8

Georgia Redmayne (Brisbane Heat, wk) 7

Alyssa Healy (Sydney Sixers) 5

Ashleigh Gardner (Sydney Sixers) 7

Annabel Sutherland (Melbourne Stars) 7

Erin Burns (Sydney Sixers) 8

Amelia Kerr (Brisbane Heat) 7

Jess Jonassen (c, Brisbane Heat) 8

Amanda-Jade Wellington (Adelaide Strikers) 5

Nicola Hancock (Brisbane Heat) 7

Megan Shutt (Adelaide Strikers) 5

12th: Molly Strano (Hobart Hurricanes) 5

* As voted by the eight WBBL head coaches

WBBL|08 Finals

The Eliminator: Brisbane Heat v Hobart Hurricanes | Karen Rolton Oval | November 23, 7.10pm AEDT (6.40pm local)

The Challenger: Adelaide Strikers v TBC | Karen Rolton Oval | November 24, 7.10pm AEDT (6.40pm local)

The Final: Sydney Sixers v TBC | North Sydney Oval | November 26 at 5.20pm AEDT

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