She has moved from a pure powerplay bowler into someone who now handles every phase of an innings. Garth reached her landmark game on 8 November 2026, and her numbers show that each club asked something different of her. Economy, role and wicket-taking shifted from Sydney to Perth to Melbourne, even though her overall average stayed within a tight band. That shift is the real story behind the milestone. This look at her journey explains how and why the change happened.
From Dublin Teen to Sydney Rookie
Garth was born in Dublin, and her Ireland T20I bow arrived on 16 October 2010 at just 14 years and 174 days old, the youngest in the format. Six years later, the Sydney Sixers brought her in as an ICC associate rookie. Her first WBBL appearance came on 13 January 2017, after a call-up for the finals of 2016-17.
She dismissed Nicole Bolton in that final as the Sixers claimed their first title, and her six wickets from six games made a solid start. By WBBL03 she had grown into a regular, taking 13 wickets in 14 games while conceding 5.86 an over. That economy remains her best in any season for which figures are published. Those early numbers hinted at a bowler who could hold her line under pressure.
A Scorchers Move and Stars Settlement
The ICC then ruled that she had too much experience to remain a rookie, while the Sixers lacked an overseas place for her. Perth stepped in, and she joined the Scorchers for WBBL05, claiming 14 wickets in 15 games at 6.78 with a best of 3/21. Her move away from Sydney was therefore forced by rules, not form, which makes the Perth numbers a fair test of her bowling.
She later settled in Australia for good and joined the Melbourne Stars. WBBL07 brought her 15 wickets at 6.24, and WBBL08 added 12 at 6.71. Her top return in Melbourne colours, 3/11, was against Sydney Thunder in WBBL07. The Melbourne years gave her a stable home and a longer run in the side.
Kim Garth 100 WBBL matches
Her landmark game took place at North Sydney Oval against the Scorchers, the ground where her WBBL story began. The Stars posted 136/6, and the Scorchers chased it down by six wickets. Garth arrived on 96 wickets, averaging 21.78, and her side carried a 1-4 record into the game.
The table below splits her work by club up to the start of that game. Totals for matches and wickets cover all clubs, and the Stars average is derived from those totals because no Stars economy figure has been published. Reading across the rows shows a bowler whose wicket count held steady while her average moved.
Club | Matches | Wickets | Economy | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sydney Sixers | 20 | 19 | 5.91 | 18.36 |
Perth Scorchers | 15 | 14 | 6.78 | 24.21 |
Melbourne Stars | 64 | 63 | Not published | 22.27 |
Powerplay Specialist to All-Phase Option
Her average rose from 18.36 at the Sixers to 24.21 for Perth, then settled at 22.27 in Melbourne, which hints at changing demands. The Stars see her as a bowler who can open the attack and move the ball both ways. She was once defined by powerplay overs, yet these days she bowls in all phases.
The Big Bash Power Surge, covering overs 10 to 20, is what she credits for sharpening her thinking in the death role. WBBL11 was her sharpest season: 14 wickets at 16.50 and a spell of 4/3 versus the Sixers, which earned a maiden place in the Team of the Tournament. That season suggested the new role was working, not merely surviving.
Current Form and the National Picture
Early in this campaign, a reported four wickets from five games has come at roughly 7.9 an over. Up to the end of 2025, she had featured in only 10 of Australia’s 42 T20Is since her debut on 9 December 2022. The next year she appeared in five of six games and returned four wickets with an economy of 5.93.
Her 62 wickets in T20Is for Ireland and Australia, at 22.91, sit close to her league figure. That consistency frames the Kim Garth 100 WBBL matches milestone as the product of adaptation, not luck, with each club reshaping her role until economy and wickets balanced out.
Which Garth was the most dangerous, the Sixers powerplay bowler or the Stars all-phase option? Tell us in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Where was Kim Garth born?
Her birth date is 25 April 1996, in Dublin. A right-arm pace bowler by trade, she now turns out for both Australia and Melbourne after starting out with Ireland as a teenager.
How many WBBL wickets did Garth have before her milestone game?
She had 96 wickets, averaging 21.78. Those came across the Sixers, the Scorchers and the Stars, with the Stars contributing by far the largest share.
Which clubs has Garth represented in the WBBL?
Three clubs: the Sixers in Sydney, the Scorchers in Perth and the Stars in Melbourne. The Sixers came first in 2017, followed by Perth for WBBL05 and then Melbourne for the seasons that followed.
Does Garth play for Ireland or Australia now?
She plays for Australia and has done so since December 2022. She represented Ireland until 2019, having made her debut for them at the age of 14.
Who else has reached 100 games for the Stars?
Meg Lanning reached the mark in November 2025, with Garth following her. A complete list of Stars players at that mark was not available from verified sources.