Georgia ‘Wolf’ Wareham has been crowned the top player of WBBL|11 after taking her all-round game to a new level
Melbourne Renegades star Georgia Wareham has been rewarded for a season of all-round dominance, crowned the Weber WBBL|11 Player of the Tournament.
The leg-spinning allrounder, who also took out the BKT Golden Arm award for topping the wickets table, edged out Melbourne Stars’ Meg Lanning by one vote to win the award for the first time.
In a tight top five befitting the evenness of this season, just five votes – awarded by the standing umpires in each fixture – separated Wareham, who registered 25, and fifth-placed Scorchers wicketkeeper-batter Beth Mooney on 20.
WBBL Player of the Tournament top five
1. Georgia Wareham (Renegades) – 25 votes
2. Meg Lanning (Stars) – 24
3. Sophie Devine (Scorchers) – 22
4. Danni Wyatt-Hodge (Hurricanes) – 22
5. Beth Mooney (Scorchers) – 20
Wareham did it all in WBBL|11, producing her best-ever season with the ball to capture 19 wickets at 10.94 across 10 matches, with an economy rate of just 5.47.
With the bat, the Victorian enjoyed a breakout campaign, scoring more than 100 runs more than her closest Renegades teammate.
Wareham had been threatening with a series of eye-catching innings in recent seasons but she took it up a notch this tournament, scoring 277 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 147.34.
More than once she won a game off her own bat, clubbing 58 from 32 balls against the Thunder early in the tournament, and hitting an unbeaten 49 from 29 last Friday to keep the Renegades’ finals hopes briefly alive with a win over the Sixers.
The 26-year-old also stepped into captaincy duties for the first time, leading the Renegades in four matches while Sophie Molineux managed her ongoing leg issues.
“She’s been working really hard, especially in the last six to 12 months – I think she’s set herself up to take her game to the next level, and we’re seeing that now,” Molineux said of Wareham during WBBL|11.
“She’s been awesome. I think starting off the season having that leadership role next to her name really set her up and she’s really just pushed on and gotten better and better each game.
“She’s really calm … she’s hitting the ball beautifully and bowling superbly as a leggy which is always really hard in T20 tournaments.”
Wareham’s all-round performances will also have Australian selectors excited less than six months out from the 2026 T20 World Cup in England.
Australia’s next assignment is a multi-format home series against India in February and March, followed by another all-format tour of the West Indies in March-April.
Wareham and a host of other Australians will travel to India in the meantime for the Women’s Premier League in January, where the Renegades allrounder will play for Gujarat Giants after being snapped up for A$171,000 at the recent auction.
“The league congratulates Georgia Wareham on an outstanding WBBL|11 campaign that saw her shine across all facets of the game,” Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia’s Big Bash Leagues general manager, said.
“Georgia is a brilliant athlete, leader and role model and she’s a deserving recipient of this year’s award.
“With just five votes splitting the top five, it’s a true reflection of the depth of domestic and international talent on show in the WBBL.”
Weber WBBL|11 finals
The Knockout: Perth Scorchers beat Melbourne Stars by 28 runs
The Challenger: Sydney Sixers v winner of the Knockout, North Sydney Oval (Thursday, December 11, 7.15pm AEDT)
The Final: Hobart Hurricanes v winner of the Challenger, Ninja Stadium (Saturday, December 13, 7.15pm AEDT)
*A reserve day on Sunday, December 14 is available for the Final
