During her remarkable record-breaking innings against the Perth Scorchers in the ongoing Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) 2023 at the North Sydney Oval, Brisbane Heat’s batter, Grace Harris, found herself in a side-splitting moment. Just as she was about to face the second ball of the 13th over, bowled by Scorchers’ Piepa Cleary, Harris noticed that her bat had broken.
She humorously requested a new one from the dugout but received no immediate assistance. Unfazed, she decided to continue the game. To the amusement of everyone on the field, Harris went on to smash the next delivery for a six, despite her bat being split into two pieces.
She couldn’t help but laugh along with her fellow players after this comical episode. Harris even quipped, “Oh well, I’ll still hit it,” when it became evident that there was no replacement bat available before Cleary resumed her bowling.
Later in her innings, Harris hammered Cleary for a six and a four in a massive 17-run over. Cleary concluded her spell with expensive figures, conceding 43 runs in three overs, resulting in an economy rate of 14.30.
EXTRAORDINARY!
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) October 22, 2023
Grace Harris had a broken bat, and this is how it played out:
"Hey guys, I need a new bat!"
"Stuff it, I'll still hit it!"
And then Harris hits it for SIX! #WBBL09 @SportsCenter #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/ZI9JUnAyyl
In the course of her outstanding performance, Harris eclipsed Smriti Mandhana and Ashleigh Gardner to claim the title of the highest individual run-scorer in the premier women’s T20 league. Mandhana had scored an unbeaten 114 against the Melbourne Renegades in November 2021 in Mackay, while Gardner achieved the same feat against the Melbourne Stars in 2017.