Laura Wolvaardt WBBL Profile: Stats & Story

Laura Wolvaardt was picked for the Western Province Under-19 girls' side when she was 11. At 17 she became the youngest South African, male or female, to score an ODI hundred. Then she had a decision to make: she had been admitted to medical school. She chose cricket, and Adelaide Strikers are glad she did.

Laura Wolvaardt in the WBBL

Matches

2,089

Runs

26.11

Average

111.18

Strike rate

Highest score

Fifties

Wolvaardt has played 99 WBBL matches and scored 2,089 runs at 26.11 with ten fifties and a strike rate of 111.18, hitting 226 fours and 25 sixes. Her WBBL strike rate is calmer than her reputation suggests, and that matches her style: she builds innings. In ODIs she is far more prolific, with 5,376 runs at 51.2 and 12 hundreds, including a highest score of 184.

Her Story

Laura Wolvaardt, a timeline

Age 11

Selected for the Western Province Under-19 girls' team. At 13 she is in their senior side.

2016

Makes her ODI debut against England, and a few months later scores 105 against Ireland at 17, the youngest South African ODI centurion.

Dec 2017

Makes her Big Bash debut with Brisbane Heat, then re-signs for WBBL|04.

2020

Moves to Adelaide Strikers.

2022/23 and 2023/24

Strikers win back-to-back titles.

2023

Takes over as South Africa captain.

2025

Signs a two-year deal with the Strikers as their direct overseas pre-draft signing, covering WBBL|11 and WBBL|12.

Trivia

She had been admitted to medical school before choosing cricket.
Her ODI highest score is 184, and she has 12 hundreds in the format.
She was a Heat player in her first WBBL seasons before the move to Adelaide.
The Strikers have won the title twice, in 2022/23 and 2023/24, and she was in both squads.

Wolvaardt in WBBL 2026 Season Fantasy

Wolvaardt is the highest-priced Strikers player at 9.5 Cr, as a batter. Adelaide begin with a home game against Melbourne Stars at Karen Rolton Oval on 31 October, and their home game against the Renegades on 20 November is at Adelaide Oval. Her WBBL strike rate is lower than most of the other stars profiled here, so she is more of a base than a bomb.

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With Ecclestone, Schutt and Wellington in the attack, the Strikers can defend modest totals as well as chase them. Look at match situations, not only averages.