Which Bowler has Best Strike Rate in BBL History?

Best Strike Rate in BBL 2025

Jason Sangha had the lowest bowling strike rate in BBL 2024/25. Sangha bowled only five balls in the tournament. He picked up a wicket and ended with a strike rate of 5. Nathan McSweeney ranks second with a wicket in one over with a strike rate of 6. Mark Steketee ranks third on the list with 15 wickets at a rate of 7.80 balls per wicket. 

With the batters being more dominant than ever, having a low strike rate is the need of the hour for every bowler. The ability to strike consistently is the best way to apply the brakes on the run-scoring of any batting unit. 

Also read: List of players with Longest Six in Cricket History

List of Best Strike Rate in BBL History

5. Daniel Sams (15.19 strike rate)

Daniel Sams has the 5th best bowling strike rate in the BBL. The bowling all-rounder has taken 116 wickets at a strike rate of 15.19 balls per wicket. He is one of the best players going around the Big Bash League in recent years. Sams has been able to be a consistent performer while bowling for a while for the Sydney Thunder. Since joining the Thunder in 2018/19 from Sydney Sixers, Sams has taken more than 10 wickets in a season every time. His variations while bowling in the death have often confused the batter resulting in a miscue shot.

His best season in the tournament came in 2019/20 when Sams became the first bowler to pick up 30 wickets in a single BBL season. In 17 matches, he picked up 30 wickets at a strike rate of only 11.7. Thanks to his performance with the ball in hand, the Thunder qualified for the playoffs for the first time after three seasons.

4. Matthew Kelly (15.18 strike rate)

Matthew Kelly has the 4th best bowling strike rate in the BBL. The right-arm pacer has taken 55 wickets at an average of 15.18 balls per wicket. The West Australian bowler plays for the Perth Scorchers. The W.A.C.A. Stadium and the newly built Perth Stadium support the fast bowlers. The extra pace and bounce the wicket offers can trouble the batters.

Kelly’s best season in the Big Bash League came in 2021/22. In six matches, the right-arm pacer picked up 14 wickets at a strike rate of 9.8. His performances helped the Scorchers add yet another trophy to their already illustrious trophy cabinet. In the following season, Kelly took 11 wickets again at an impressive strike rate of 14.8. However, competition from Jason Behrendorff, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye, and upcoming sensation, Lance Morris meant that Kelly had not played a single game in the BBL since.

Check out: List of players with Five Wicket Haul in BBL History

3. Sean Abbott (14.29 strike rate)

Sean Abbott is unarguably the best bowler in the BBL. Abbott has taken the most wickets in the BBL, 175 at a strike rate of 14.29 which is the third-best. The amount of wickets Abbott has taken in the league at this strike rate makes him the most effective bowler in the tournament’s history. His strike rate is best among bowlers with at least 60 wickets in the Big Bash League. He has led the Sixers bowling attack since joining them in 2013/14. 

The only season in which Abbott was unable to pick at least 10 wickets since 2015/16 was 2020/21 when he played only four games. His best season came in the 2022/23 season when the right-arm medium pacer took 29 wickets which is the joint second most any bowler has picked in a single season. In 15 matches in 2022/23, Abbott had 29 wickets to his name at a strike rate of 11.3. His economy of 7.44 runs per over was also better than his career economy.

2. Henry Thornton (13.67 strike rate)

Henry Thornton has the 2nd best bowling strike rate in the BBL. The right-arm pacer has picked up 49 wickets in the tournament so far. No one has taken more wickets than him at a better strike rate. He made his debut in the marquee league while playing for the Sydney Sixers in 2016/17. However, the magenta jersey of the Sixers did not prove to be a great fit for the pacer. He played only one game and took a solitary wicket in his four overs. Poor form and injuries kept him out of the action from the league till 2021/22. Coming back to the BBL, Thornton was signed by Adelaide Strikers. 

In his first two seasons for the Strikers, Thornton showed why in spite of coming after a long break he was one of the best bowlers. The New South Welshman picked up 29 wickets across the two seasons in 16 games. His strike rate of 11.5 meant that he was used as a wicket-taking option. After a disappointing 2023/24 where Thornton managed to pick seven wickets in as many games the pacer bounced back in the previous season. He added 12 more dismissals to his tally at a strike rate of less than 15.

1. Simon Milenko (13.66 strike rate)

Simon Milenko has the best bowling strike rate in the BBL. The batting all-rounder had taken nine wickets in the marquee T20 league at a strike rate of 13.66. Milenko last played in the tournament in 2020/21 where he bowled only one ball without picking up a wicket. Playing for the Brisbane Heat and the Hobart Hurricanes, Milenko has not been trusted with the ball in hand often.

While he does pick up wickets in quick succession, Milenko is one of the most expensive bowlers in the history of the tournament. He bowled 123 balls in the BBL and conceded more than 200 runs in the tournament. His most impressive season came in 2015/16 when the 36-year-old picked up three wickets at a strike rate of 8. His economy for a change was only 6.25 during the season.