Who is in form for the Southern Stars?

With the Aussie season having just about reached its half-way stage (each state only plays six WNCL 50 over games and 12 T20 matches) and with just over a month until the Ashes Series kicks off with the Test Match at the WACA (10th January) lets have a look at who in the Southern Stars squad has found some form.

Meg Lanning  is the top run scorer in WT20 cricket with 283 runs in eight knocks at an average of 47.17, including two 50s.

She is closely followed by Elyse Villani, who has notched up 259 runs in the same number of games at an average of 43.17, also including two 50s.

Left-hander Nicole Bolton (not currently in the Southern Stars squad) holds third spot, ahead of Jess Cameron, who has managed just one fifty in eight visits to the crease, during which time she has amassed 175 runs at an average of 35.00.

While the three Stars have hit their stride in the shorter format of the game runs have been harder to come by in the the longer format. In four innings Lanning has scored 133; Cameron 118; and Villani 154 runs (with 133 of those coming in one knock). Above these three in the 50 over format are Nicole Bolton (again), who is top run scorer with 187 runs; Jodie Fields 177 runs in just two innings (but has not kept wicket in a 50 over game yet) and Sarah Elliott 155 runs in four knocks, including two 50s.

In fact the 31 year old "Test Specialist" Sarah Elliott is having a good time with the ball too, spinning her way to ninth spot in the top 50 over wicket takers with 5 @ 19.20 and eighth in the T20 list with 7 @ 12.29. In fact none of the big names are above her in the T20 bowling list with Ellyse Perry languishing way-down with just two wickets in 18 overs of bowling and Holly Ferling not much better with just three in 20 overs. Erin Osborne and Jemma Barsby have six wickets each and Megan Schutt has four. Top T20 wicket-taker is veteran Kirsten Pike who has 13 wickets in 22 overs. One name that does appear in both the WT20 and the WNCL top wicket-taker list is Nicole Bolton, who has four wickets in WT20 and six in WNCL for the Western Fury. Together with her runs you would think the selectors will be watching her closely over the next few weeks.

In the 50 over game Erin Osborne heads the leading takers with eight wickets from just 21 overs at an average below 10. Ellyse Perry has six wickets (including four in one game) @ 13.00; Jemma Barsby also has six @ 21.67. Megan Schutt  has five; Rachael Haynes and Julie Hunter four and Holly Ferling  just three so far.

The next round of WNCL and double-header T20 fixtures take place this weekend with Vic Spirit v Tassie Roar; NSW v Queensland and ACT v SA. Vic Spirit  and NSW  head the field in both competitions and are likely  to remain on top after this round of fixtures. Tassie Roar are currently holding up the rest in the both the WT20 and WNCL, but Queensland could give NSW a run for their money in the short format, if not in the long, where they are only just above the Roar.

(with many thanks to Bronwyn Calver for providing all the stats)

MD
02/XII/13