Top 10 BBL records to know about
The latest edition of the Big Bash League, BBL 2020-21, is all set to get underway from December 10. The opening game in this year’s BBL will be played between defending champions Sydney Sixers and Hobart Hurricanes at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart.
Sydney Sixers beat Melbourne Stars by 19 runs in the 2019-20 BBL final at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) last season.
While Sydney Sixers won the competition last season, Perth Scorchers are the most successful BBL franchise, having won the T20 event on three occasions. Moreover, Scorchers also hold the record of most BBL final appearances (5).
Five franchises have won the BBL on at least one occasion. The Sydney Sixers won the inaugural season of the competition in 2011–12 and the most recent one in 2019–20.
Among other franchises, Brisbane Heat triumphed in the 2012-13 BBL while Sydney Thunder, Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Renegades won the competition in 2015-16, 2017-18 and 2018-19 respectively.
Ten impressive BBL records
Ahead of the latest season of the BBL, let us take a look at the top ten records in the competition so far.
#1 Most BBL Runs: Chris Lynn (2332)
Brisbane Heat skipper and hard-hitting batsman Chris Lynn holds the record for scoring the most runs in BBL history.
In 77 matches for the same franchise - Brisbane Heat - Lynn has amassed 2332 runs at an average of 37.61 and an excellent strike rate of 150.35. He has one fifty and 18 half-centuries to his name in the BBL.
Lynn’s highest score of 101 in the BBL came against Hurricanes in Brisbane in the competition's 2015-16 edition.
In a chase of 195 in that game, Lynn hammered 101 off only 51 balls, slamming seven fours and five sixes. Unfortunately, with no support from the other end, Brisbane Heat succumbed to a 15-run loss.
Australian skipper Aaron Finch is second in the list of all-time run-scorers in the BBL. In 63 matches for Renegades, Finch has 2252 runs to his name.
#2 Most BBL Wickets: Ben Laughlin (110)
Veteran pace bowler Ben Laughlin holds the record for most wickets in the BBL. In 88 matches, he has 110 wickets to his name, doing so at a strike rate of 16.5 and an economy rate of eight.
Over the years, Laughlin has represented Adelaide Strikers, Brisbane Heat and Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL. The 38-year-old turned out for Brisbane Heat in the 2019-20 edition of the competition and will be playing for the same franchise this year as well.
Laughlin’s best of 4 for 26 in the BBL came for Adelaide Strikers against Sydney Thunder in Adelaide in a league-stage clash during the competition's 2017-18 edition.
With his team defending a target of 164, Laughlin ran through the Thunder lower order, dismissing Aiden Blizzard, Chris Green, Mitchell McClenaghan and last-man Andrew Fekete to bowl Adelaide Strikers to an impressive 53-run triumph.
Allrounder Sean Abbott (Sydney Sixers, Sydney Thunder), who has 99 scalps to his name in 76 games, is second on the list of all-time BBL wicket-takers.
#3 Highest individual score: Marcus Stoinis (147 not out)
Experienced Australian allrounder Marcus Stoinis holds the record of the highest individual score in the BBL.
Opening the batting for Melbourne Stars in a match against Sydney Sixers in Melbourne last season, Stoinis hammered a brutal 147 not out off only 79 balls.
That incredible knock featured eight sixes and 13 fours as Stoinis broke D’Arcy Short’s previous record of 122 not out for Hobart Hurricanes against Brisbane Heat.
Stoinis’ spectacular innings saw Melbourne Stars post a mammoth 219/1 batting first, with his team winning the contest by 44 runs.
#4 Best bowling figures in a BBL innings: Lasith Malinga (6/7)
You cannot keep Sri Lankan legend Lasith Malinga too far from records when it comes to T20Is.
Turning out for Melbourne Stars against Perth Scorchers in a league clash of the 2012/13 BBL, Slinga Malinga claimed sensational figures of 6 for 7.
Malinga's victims in the match included Marcus North, Marcus Stoinis and Hilton Cartwright. Thanks to the Sri Lankan bowler’s heroics, Perth Scorchers were rolled over for a paltry 69.
Melbourne Stars won that rain-interrupted clash by 24 runs courtesy the D/L method.
#5 Most five-fors in a BBL innings: Daniel Christian (2)
Medium-pacer Daniel Christian is the only bowler in BBL history to have claimed five wickets in an innings more than once. His two five-fors have come for two different franchises -- Brisbane Heat and Hobart Hurricanes.
Christian’s first five-for in the BBL came for Brisbane Heat against Sydney Thunder in the competition's 2012-13 edition, with the bowler claiming 5 for 26. His victims included Chris Gayle and Matt Prior at the top before he ran through the Thunder tail. Heat won that game by five wickets after restricting Thunder to 126.
Christian’s second five-wicket BBL haul came for Hobart Hurricanes against Adelaide Strikers in the 2016-17 edition of the competition. Christian’s team again bowled first, and this time the bowler claimed an exceptional 5 for 14.
The pacer’s big scalps featured Travis Head and the well-set opposition captain Brad Hodge. The Hurricanes restricted Strikers to 143 and won the contest by eight wickets.
#6 Most 50-plus BBL scores: Aaron Finch (20)
Melbourne Renegades skipper Aaron Finch holds the record for having registered the most 50-plus scores in the BBL.
In 63 matches, the right-hander has 20 fifty-plus scores in the tournament. Finch has scored a half-century 18 times and also has two hundreds to his name in the BBL.
#7 Most BBL sixes: Chris Lynn (146)
Brisbane Heat’s big-hitting skipper Chris Lynn holds the record for having smashed the most sixes in the BBL.
In 77 matches, he has cleared the ropes 146 times. Finch is a distant second with 83.
Catch the BBL live score here.
#8 Most BBL Hundreds: Five different batsmen (2)
Five batsmen share the record for having smashed two hundreds in the BBL, which is the most in the competition by a single player.
They are Luke Wright (Melbourne Stars), Craig Simmons (Perth Scorchers), Aaron Finch (Melbourne Renegades), Usman Khawaja (Sydney Thunder) and D'Arcy Short (Hobart Hurricanes).
#9 Most Runs in a BBL season: Marcus Stoinis (705)
Melbourne Stars’ Marcus Stoinis holds the record for having smashed most runs in a BBL season.
In the 2019-20 edition of the competition, Stoinis blasted 705 runs in 17 games at a strike rate of 136.62 with one hundred and six fifties.
#10 Most wickets in a BBL season: Daniel Sams (30)
Medium-pacer Daniel Sams has claimed the most wickets in a single BBL season.
In 2019-20, playing for Sydney Thunder, he picked up 30 wickets in 17 BBL matches at a strike rate of 11.7 and an economy rate of 7.83, with a best of 4 for 34.