Photo Credit: Perth Scorchers
Perth Scorchers captain Ashton Turner and star allrounder Marizanne Kapp were celebrated at the WA Cricket Awards this evening, with Turner winning the Simon Katich Medal and Kapp crowned Perth’s WBBL Player of the Year.
Title-winning skipper Turner, who had not previously won the Scorchers’ top male honour, enjoyed a career-best KFC Big Bash League campaign in 2022-23.
The powerful right-hander blasted 381 runs at 42.33 during BBL|12, and boasted the second-highest strike rate (155.51) among the competition’s top 10 run-scorers.
More noteworthy was Turner’s ability to perform when the pressure was on.
Each of his four half-centuries – as well as an unbeaten 30-ball 48 against Adelaide Strikers – came when the match was in the balance.
Two of those innings were compiled at critical stages in the post-season, the first a career-best 84 not-out from 47 balls during the Qualifier versus Sydney Sixers at Optus Stadium.
Turner then struck 53 from 32 in the Final at Optus Stadium against Brisbane Heat to be named best afield, swinging momentum back towards the hosts during a famously tense pursuit.
The 30-year-old’s composed and astute leadership was heralded in the wake of another outstanding MBBL season, skippering the Scorchers to a second consecutive championship, again forged in trying circumstances.
Kapp, meanwhile, was the shining light of Perth’s 2022-23 Weber Women’s Big Bash League season, producing several explosive batting innings while delivering consistently with the ball.
Accurate and versatile, Kapp finished WBBL|08 with the unrivalled economy rate of 5.74, despite frequently bowling with fielding restrictions in place.
The experienced South African allrounder collected 12 wickets 22.50 from 13 completed games, conceding more than six runs per over on just five occasions.
She was also Perth’s most destructive specialist batter when in full flight, recording the strike rate of 143.12.
Kapp’s season tally of 229 runs at 28.62 included her best WBBL score of 68 not-out from 34 deliveries against Melbourne Renegades.
She followed up this performance a day later by thumping 68 from 37 deliveries against Sydney Sixers at the same venue, putting on 97 runs alongside superstar opener Beth Mooney.
Turner and Kapp weren’t the only Scorchers recognised at the 2022-23 WA Cricket Awards.
Young allrounder Cooper Connolly was rewarded for his match-winning 11-ball 25 during the BBL|12 Final, taking home WA’s Male Rising Star Award.
Meantime, talented off-spinner Lilly Mills earned Female Rising Star honours after taking 15 wickets at 17.26 (economy rate 6.81) throughout an impressive WBBL|08 campaign.
Simon Katich Medal – Ashton Turner
WBBL Player of the Year – Marizanne Kapp
WA Cricket Male Rising Star – Cooper Connolly
WA Cricket Female Rising Star – Lilly Mills
Name of Author: Perth Scorchers
The Perth Scorchers are an Australian men’s Twenty20 cricket team competing in the Big Bash League. Based in Perth, Western Australia, they wear an orange uniform and play their home games at Perth Stadium.
