It is a wrong notion in cricket that batsmen dictate the final outcome of a game. A batting team can score as many runs as they like but unless it isn’t backed by a good bowling performance, the eventual result won’t fall in the favour of the side. In the 10-years history of the BBL league, we have seen numerous bowlers with varying action, release and one who possessed different abilities altogether, helping them leave their stellar impact on the game.
These bowlers have been among the wickets come every season and thus, feature in the list of all-time wicket-takers in the league. In the below piece, we look at 5 such bowlers, who have taken the most number of wickets in the history of BBL:
1. Ben Laughlin
This experienced campaigner deservedly attains the top spot in the illustrious list. With all sorts of variations, be it the cutters, bouncers, back off the hand deliveries or even a knuckle ball, Laughlin has kept his place and remain relevant in this format crowded by youngsters.
Laughlin has played for three different franchises, Strikers, Heat and Hurricanes during the course of these 10-years and to his delight, has achieved similar success while being part of each one of them. The bowler has scalped 111 wickets from 95 games at an average of 24.26 and economy rate of 8.08
2. Sean Abbott
A deceptively quick bowler and handy prospect with the bat coming lower down the order, Abbott has shone brightly since the inception of the league way back in 2011. The man has always put his best foot forward in the games that he has played and his wholehearted commitment has assisted the team in the long run.
Abbott too can bowl at different stages in a game and never shies away from accepting a challenge or shouldering a responsibility. The pacer has played for two franchises, Sixers and Thunders in his BBL career so far and has grabbed 106 wickets from 80 games at an average of 21.04 and economy rate of 8.52.
3. Kane Richardson
A feisty character on the field, who loves taking wickets and isn’t bogged down by pressure, Richardson has been a huge success at the league and his wicket-taking spells have assisted the side in coming back from the dead and winning crucial fixtures.
The speedster has complete control over his variations and knows when and where to use them. His street smartness has been the reason for the demolition of plenty of opposition line-ups, who doesn’t stand a chance when he is on the song.
Richardson has played for the Strikers previously and now plies his trade for the Renegades. In the 79 games that he has been a part of, Richardson has picked 98 wickets at an average of 22.90 and economy rate of 7.82.
4. Andrew Tye
Tye burst to the scene in 2014 as a bowler who could bowl the knuckleball on a consistent basis with recurrent success. The medium-pacer is tailor-made for the T20 format, who has all necessary variations up his sleeves and can dish them out as and when required.
His striking lower down the order has augmented his value as a T20 specialist, who has become a known face in different T20 leagues around the world.
Tye started his BBL career with the Thunder and has now settled in the orange jersey of the Scorchers. The bowler has dismissed 93 batsmen from 69 games at an average of 19.98 and economy rate of 7.62.
5. Adam Zampa
Australia’s first-choice spinner in the limited-overs formats, Zampa has come a long way in his cricketing career and at the moment, is one of the most difficult bowlers to face going around. Zampa possesses the flight, dip and drift of a classical leg-spinner and that has been a major reason for his success at the international arena.
It was the BBL where it all started and Zampa was fortunate enough to procure some worldly wisdom from the former greats of the game playing in the league.
Since his debut in 2012, Zampa has played for three franchises; Strikers, Stars and Thunder and has picked 88 wickets from 75 games at an average of 22.02 and economy rate of 7.20.
