Lucy Hamilton in WBBL: Brisbane Heat teenager Lucy Hamilton has become the youngest player to take five wickets in WBBL history, skipping Schoolies Week to guide her side to a crucial six-wicket win over the Melbourne Stars.
On Sunday, Hamilton produced the equal-second best performance in the competitionโs 10-year history, taking 5 for 8 to help the Heat bowl out the Stars for 138
Hamiltonโs Stunning Performance
The Brisbane Heatโs third consecutive victory has propelled them back into third place, while the Starsโ season is nearing its end with only two wins from seven matches.
Hamilton, 18, entered Sundayโs match without any wickets to her name, having not taken any in her eight-match WBBL career. After recently completing her QCE exams in Bundaberg and celebrating with friends on the Gold Coast, this was the biggest day of her career.
Although Sutherland got off to a fast start with 21 runs, Hamilton dismissed her and Yastika Bhatia in her first over. She also had Meg Lanning caught behind for 13 runs and dismissed the dangerous Tess Flintoff, who was caught behind while attempting to drive the ball to mid-off.
Hamilton then dismissed Deepti Sharma LBW, marking the first five-wicket haul by a Heat bowler in WBBL history. Her figures are second only to Megan Schuttโs impressive 6 for 19 in the competitionโs history and match Amanda-Jade Wellingtonโs two performances of 5 for 8.
Heatโs Easy Chase
The Brisbane Heatโs batsmen chased down the target with ease, with Jemimah Rodrigues and Charlie Knott leading the charge as the Heat reached the target with 15 balls to spare.
Rodrigues made 45 off 31 balls, including two big sixes and five fours, but was dismissed by a slower delivery from Annabel Sutherland.
Hamilton on her journey
โAll my mates are at school at the moment, having fun at Goldie,โ Hamilton said, adding that she couldnโt believe what had just happened. โWalking out on the field today I was just trying to support myself. Getting my first wicket and getting 5-FAs, all the girls were circling me. It was really exciting. I had to be patient and play a few games, and finally, it happened and was exciting.
Part of Australiaโs under-19 team, Hamilton will eventually move to Brisbane in the coming months, after regularly travelling five hours from Bundaberg.
โI was talking to my bowling coach the other day, and now itโs about working on getting myself back to standing up the seam and swinging the ball back,โ Hamilton said. โProgressive training will help with that, but there has to be confidence to be able to do that.โ
Only late hitting from Kim Garth and Maisie Gibson gave the Stars some hope, but the Heat still chased down the target with ease.