England captain Heather Knight smashes 83 from just 39 balls in Women's Big Bash League
Heather Knight thumps 11 fours and three sixes as she makes 83 from just 39 balls for Sydney Thunder against Adelaide Strikers in the Women's Big Bash League to post her team's highest individual score in the tournament
Saturday 31 October 2020 10:16, UK
England Women captain Heather Knight smashed 83 from just 39 deliveries for Sydney Thunder against Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League.
Knight smoked 11 fours and three sixes and dominated a club-record stand of 122 with Rachael Haynes (39) for the fourth wicket as she posted Thunder's highest individual score.
Saturday's innings also marked Knight's best Big Bash total, eclipsing the 82 not out she amassed for previous club Hobart Hurricanes against Melbourne Stars in 2018.
The 29-year-old, batting at No 4, was on a relatively sedate 19 from 16 balls with seven overs remaining but proceeded to thump 12 boundaries from that point.
Knight's onslaught included three consecutive fours off Sarah Coyte and two sixes in three balls off Stafanie Taylor, while she then went four, four, six from the three balls prior to being dismissed by Tahlia McGrath in the penultimate over.
This entire WBBL season is being played at various venues around Sydney with players remaining in bio-secure bubbles because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The right-hander's knock ensured Thunder plundered 94 runs from their last 42 balls to post 190-6, a total in which Sammy Jo-Johnson smashed four sixes in five balls off Amanda-Jade Wellington - but Knight's England team-mate Tammy Beaumont made just nine from 12 balls.
Strikers were restricted to 132-8 in reply - Knight capping a fine day with a wicket in her sole over as she dismissed Wellington for three.
However, Melbourne Stars' Katherine Brunt and Nat Sciver were frustrated by the rain as their fixture with Sydney Sixers was abandoned without a ball bowled, meaning each of Stars' first three games have now been no results.
The Women's Big Bash season is being played at various venues around Sydney as players stay in bio-secure bubbles amid the coronavirus pandemic.
