In her first hit of this Women’s Big Bash season, in just its sixth edition, Meg Lanning cruised past 2,000 career runs in the competition.
There was nothing strange about this. Lanning was and remains the best bat in the league, marrying defensive control with attacking prowess in a way that no-one quite matches.
The incongruous part was that five other players had already passed 2,000 runs before her.
This has a simple explanation. In its first edition, Lanning led the WBBL with 560 runs. After two seasons she had a cumulative 1,062, with no-one else yet nearing the thousand mark.
But after leaving the Melbourne Stars for the Perth Scorchers, she missed the third season entirely with a shoulder injury. In the fourth season she managed nine matches, missing five games with back problems.
It was only by the fifth WBBL season that she was back in stride, racking up 531 runs before deciding at season’s end to come home to Melbourne for another shot at making the struggling Stars competitive.
Playing in poor teams had also cost her post-season games, with Lanning notching one single final in her first five years, sitting out when her rivals on the runs list have played extensively.
What still sets her apart is how prolific Lanning has been with her limited chances. Before the current season she had 1982 runs from 51 matches. Those ahead of her on the runs list had played between 66 and 75.
Her national team wicketkeeper, Alyssa Healy, had totalled 31 more runs from 23 more matches for the Sydney Sixers. Lanning’s new Stars teammate Elyse Villani had 68 more runs from 24 more games.
New Zealand captain Sophie Devine was 192 runs ahead from 15 more matches for the Adelaide Strikers.
Beth Mooney had played more WBBL than anyone, winning two finals for the Brisbane Heat off her own bat, putting her 594 runs ahead of Lanning from 24 additional matches.
Leading the way was the inexorable Ellyse Perry, 630 runs ahead from 19 more games.
All of those five have been outstanding Big Bash players. They have batted with distinction in every edition so far. It only serves to show how ridiculous Lanning is that she remained in touch with them despite the handicap setting her a season and a half behind.
In terms of scores above 50, only Mooney had more than Lanning despite the advantage in matches played. Lanning started the season with 20 such scores compared to Healy on 13, Villani on 19, Devine on 15, Perry on 19, and Mooney on 26.
So as the current season has unfolded, so has the thrill of the jostle. Everyone in that half dozen has made runs. Lanning started on fire despite the dampness of three washouts: She added four half-centuries in her first four hits, including one off 25 balls.
With four matches left for each team before the finals, Lanning is on 2,285 runs, currently shading her opening partner Villani on 2,265. Healy has lashed away and is not far behind on 2,168.
Devine started the season a couple of hundred runs beyond that trio. Having moved teams to Perth along with Mooney to open the batting together, she took a few games to settle, but clicked with a century against Perry’s Sixers. She has now zoomed along to 2,478.
Players jostle for top spots
At the top of the list is the hottest competition. Perry started the season as the highest WBBL run-scorer by a margin of 36 runs. After her first game was washed out, Mooney made 37 to take top spot by a run.
Perry took it back the next day with 14 not out in a game miniaturised by rain. Five days later Mooney got back in front by 10. She extended that to 22 in a washout before Perry closed to within two runs the same day.
On November 4, they traded half-centuries. The following Saturday, November 7, Perry nabbed the lead by making 35.
Their next two games were against one another. Perry made six and 62 not out, Mooney took the honours with 60 and an unbeaten 75 to seal two wins and take the lead by 60.
On the Saturday just past, Perry got back in front by three runs when making an unbeaten 72 while Mooney had a rare failure. Then Mooney got ahead on Sunday by making 26 to Perry’s 14.
That leaves Mooney on 2,898, Perry on 2,889, and the gap after nearly six seasons is currently all of nine runs.
Closing stages of competition to be rare spectacle
So this is what we get to see in the closing stages this year: the top six scorers in the history of the competition going head to head. It is something that may never happen again.
They form three opening pairs: Healy and Perry for the Sixers, Lanning and Villani for the Stars, Devine and Mooney for the Scorchers. It’s not very fair for the other teams, but it’s special for those watching.
All of the six are up and running. No form slumps, no scratching around the crease. It’s a proper contest of quality, heading towards the prime-time evening finals at North Sydney Oval.
Of course, the runs tally alone doesn’t mean that much. But for teams so reliant on their openers, this season they will be a proxy for how those teams are going. Cricketers are media-trained to talk down personal accolades, but those who put big numbers on the list will also likely put their teams into finals.
There will be four more games in the regular season coming this Tuesday and Wednesday, then the final burst of eight games across this coming weekend. It will happen fast, so keep an eye on those numbers.
The race is on.
