Rene Farrell

Rene Farrell (born 13 January 1987) is an Australian cricketer. A fast-medium pace bowler, she has been a current member of the Australian team. On 1 December 2019, Farrell announced her retirement from Women's Big Bash League.

Although Farrell was successful in age-group interstate cricket, she did not make her senior debut for New South Wales until late in the 2006–07 season a month before turning 20. Her state made the finals series, and in the first match she took 3/27 and was unbeaten on one as they took a one-wicket victory—the closest possible result in a winning run-chase. New South Wales went on to claim the title, and Farrell was then selected for the national team to play New Zealand in the Rose Bowl series after only five matches—half a season of senior domestic cricket. Making her debut in the fourth of five matches, Farrell took 3/36 to help Australia seal the series. However, her rapid rise came to a halt during the 2007–08 season. She took only eight wickets in the WNCL season and was dropped from the national team, missing three bilateral series for Australia before the start of the following summer. Farrell transferred to Western Australia and while taking nine wickets, she also made 172 runs at a batting average of 34.40, a figure comparable to those of specialist batsmen, earning herself a recall to the Australian team. She took 3/26 against New Zealand in her first match back and played in six of Australia's seven matches at the 2009 World Cup, totalling seven wickets. After taking five wickets in three Twenty20 matches against New Zealand before departing for the 2009 Twenty20 in England, Farrell played in all of Australia's four matches despite taking only one wicket at an economy rate of 8.92, and was sometimes used as a pinch-hitter to score quick runs.

During the bilateral series that followed against the hosts, Farrell made her Test debut, taking a total of 3/36, but she managed only one wicket in five ODIs. Afterwards, she stayed in England for a stint with Nottinghamshire and hit two centuries to end with 413 runs at 59.00. Returning to Australia for the 2009–10, she had her most prolific WNCL campaign, scoring 171 runs and taking 18 wickets, including her first five-wicket haul. Farrell played in the Rose Bowl series afterwards, and after taking one wicket in each of the five ODIs in Australia, was dropped for three fixtures in New Zealand.

Early career In March 2002, Farrell was selected for New South Wales to play in the Under-17 interstate championships. She scored 26 runs at a batting average of 26.00 and took six wickets at a bowling average of 16.66. New South Wales won every match up until the final, where they collapsed for 60 to lose to Queensland.

Domestic debut Despite the strong performances in her final year in age group state cricket, Farrell was unable to break into senior ranks until late in the 2006–07 season. She made her debut for New South Wales in a closely contested match against Western Australia, the sixth of eight qualifying matches in the Women's National Cricket League (WNCL). After taking 1/19 from her six overs, she came to the crease in the closing stages of the match as New South Wales' tail struggled to reach the target of 134. Farrell was run out for two, but her state held their nerve to scrape home by two wickets.

After Australia had taken a 2–1 lead in the five-match series, Farrell was given her debut in the fourth match. She took 3/36 from nine overs, taking three middle-order wickets. She also completed a catch to help restrict the tourists to 9/196. Australia found the target difficult and won by three wickets and seal the series, sparing Farrell the need to bat on her debut. In the final match, Farrell batted for the first time, scoring three not out. She took 1/23 from five overs as New Zealand won by four wickets.

Farrell was selected for Australia's team for the inaugural Women's World Twenty20 held in England in 2009. The Australians hosted New Zealand for a three-match series in tropical Darwin at the beginning of June before the World Cup, and Farrell showed good form taking five wickets at 9.80 at an economy rate of only 4.45, with a best of 3/13 from four overs in the first match.

County stint in England Farrell follows through after delivering a ball in the nets. At the end of the tour of England, Farrell stayed on for a period to play for Nottinghamshire. During this stint she was successful mainly as a batsman. Before making her debut for the county, she struck 123 for Ransome & Marles against Warrington. In the first warm-up match, she bowled two overs late in the innings, taking 0/15, and did not bat as Australia lost to New Zealand by 18 runs.

A Super Over eventuated, and Laura Marsh bowled for England. A strong hitter, Farrell was sent in with Leah Poulton. Farrell scored two runs from two balls, hitting a single from each delivery she faced. Poulton fell on the fourth ball and Alyssa Healy was run out on the sixth and final ball of Australia's Super Over while attempting a second run, leaving them at 2/6. England also ended with 2/6 after a run out in an attempt to secure the winning run on the final ball. Australia was awarded the match because they had hit more sixes in the match—Jess Cameron scored the solitary six.

In the next match against South Africa, Farrell came in at 7/151. She lasted two balls before being run out for one late in the innings. Her dismissal was part of a sudden collapse as Australia lost 6/16 including the last four wickets for four runs to be all out for 155 with three balls unused. She took 0/20 from her four overs and caught Dane van Niekerk from the last ball of the match as Australia completed a 22-run win. In a low-scoring match, Farrell was the most expensive of the Australian bowlers. Australia were in the ascendancy for most of the run-chase and New Zealand needed 24 runs from the last 8 balls, but Sophie Devine hit a four and a six from the last two balls of the 19th over bowled by Farrell to leave New Zealand requiring 14 runs from the last over.