Australia’s Laura Harris Equals Fastest Women’s T20 Fifty On Super Smash Debut

Australian batter Laura Harris produced a milestone on her Women’s Super Smash debut, smashing the joint-fastest half-century in the history of women’s T20 cricket.

Turning out for Otago for the first time, the Australian veteran blazed her way to a 15-ball fifty against Canterbury on Sunday at Molyneux Park, Alexandra.

The milestone places Harris alongside Marie Kelly, who achieved the same feat for Warwickshire against Gloucestershire in 2022.

Explosive 17-Ball Knock Seals Chase

Otago were 46/2 in the sixth over when Harris walked in, chasing a target of 146. What followed was a sustained exhibition of power-hitting that effectively sealed the match within nine overs.

Harris raced to 52 off just 17 deliveries, hammering six fours and four sixes, before being caught in the deep off medium-pacer Gabby Sullivan.

Otago completed the chase by the 15th over, cruising home at a run rate of 9.84, comfortably outpacing Canterbury’s 7.25.

Timely Reminder After WBBL Struggles

The knock was vital given Harris’ recent struggles in the Women’s Big Bash League. Representing Sydney Thunder, who finished second-bottom in the eight-team standings ahead only of the winless Brisbane Heat, Harris endured a difficult campaign.

She played all 10 matches, batted eight times, and scored just 69 runs, though her strike rate of 197.14 was the highest in the competition.

Her Super Smash innings served as a reminder of the form she has displayed elsewhere in 2025. Earlier in the year, Harris came close to surpassing Kelly’s record while playing for Warwickshire in the Vitality Blast, striking a 17-ball half-century during a Player-of-the-Match performance of 55 off 21 balls against Durham.

Remarkably, all six of Harris’ T20 half-centuries have come in fewer than 20 balls, including three 18-ball fifties and one 19-ball fifty – a feat unmatched in women’s cricket.

Harris’ acceleration also earned Otago the first bonus point of the Women’s Super Smash season, a new incentive designed to promote higher scoring.

Alongside the four points for victory, teams can claim a bonus point by either scoring 150 runs in an innings or, when chasing, maintaining a run rate at least 1.25 times that of the opposition – a benchmark Otago comfortably exceeded.