Lismore's leading female cricketer Sammy-Jo Johnson, a beneficiary of the kindness of Stan and June Gilchrist and the Lord Taverners, has become the first person to win three straight Big Bash titles.

Johnson, who used to work at Hungry Jack's, is being called the "Queen of the WBBL" after another superb performance as her new club Sydney Thunder beat the Melbourne Stars by seven wickets yesterday.

Johnson, who moved from Brisbane when her partner Brian found work in Sydney, terrorised the Stars' batsmen. The 28-year-old regularly beat the bat to finish with 2-11 from her four overs, including a superb two-over opening spell of 1-2 to help keep the Stars to 9-86.

"I actually had a text from (Heat player) Delissa Kimmince before the game and she said, 'good luck, I hope you're the lucky charm'," Johnson said afterwards.

"So maybe I am.

"I said to the girls when I got here it felt like a Brisbane Heat side from the WBBL04 group early doors.

"We had a couple of losses and big wins that went our way. We had the talent, experience and the X-factor in young players."

Johnson is renowned for her ability to perform in big games.

She was player of the match in the Heat's last-ball semi-final win over the Thunder two years ago.

The right-hander then smashed 27 off only 11 balls in last year's decider, as the Heat claimed the title over Adelaide.

She then starred with the ball in both the semi-final and final this year for the Thunder, finishing as the WBBL's leading wicket-taker with 22 at 14.81.

"She has so much more to offer and grow in her game," captain Rachael Haynes said.

"There is so much upside.

"She has been outstanding for us. That shone through in the past two games with her experience under pressure.

"The thing that really stood out was just how composed she was in big moments. It's a sign of a quality player."

Johnson's performances in the Heat's maiden win two years ago had some believing she could be a possible for the Australia's Ashes squad.

"I've said from the start I always hope to represent Australia," Johnson said.

"But if I can keep contributing to the Thunder and hopefully the (NSW) Breakers when I get the chance to pull on the blue shirt, that's what I'm here to do."

Johnson, whose family lived on Campbell Crescent, a Housing Commission home, got her big break when she dismissed Australian international Michael Bevan in a charity match on the NSW North Coast. Stan and June Gilchrist, fellow Lismore residents and the parents of Test legend Adam, watched the only girl in the game intently. They followed her progress in Brisbane - she daily caught the bus from Lismore - and sent Johnson an email, offering her a scholarship to play a season of cricket in England.

The arrangement covered flights and set her up with a club and a host family. Her family raised the money for living expenses. In the UK, she took 60 wickets and made her first century. She returned to Australia, signed on with the NSW Under 18s and for most of the next two seasons made the weekly flight to Sydney from Lismore to play grade cricket with Northern Districts. The regular airfare was agreed at a set price between Cricket NSW and a regional carrier, and Johnson saved up the $100 each week through her casual job at Hungry Jack's.

She was still a teenager and a promising cricket career looked certain.

"That was my goal," she told Cricket Australia. "All I wanted to do was play for the Breakers (NSW's senior women's team)."

She was playing for Queensland and destroying international players with her pace bowling. Then it all stopped. Six months after her parents Robert and Teena split, Robert Johnson took his own life on July 23, 2012, leaving behind his wife and three girls.

"Everyone grieves differently. I just had to brush it aside. I just went off and did my own thing for about a year there – partied, had a bit of fun, lived life and dealt with losing Dad in my own way," she told Cricket Australia.

It was not until the summer of 2014 and 2015 that Johnson began playing cricket again. She began making a four-hour return trip to the Gold Coast three times a week playing Grade Cricket and excelling, interesting the Queensland selectors.

The 2015-16 season saw the launch of the Women's Big Bash League and the start of a revolution for female cricketers and the rise of Sammy-Jo, who was now 22.

She played two matches in the opening season of WBBL. In WBBL|02, Johnson was a regular selection. In the Heat's past two campaigns, she has played 28 of a possible 29 matches, and with the Fire, she picked up the Player of the Year and Players' Player awards for her exploits with ball and bat.