Talking Points from Scorchers' Challenger Triumph

Below are the major talking points of an outstanding team performance which earned the Scorchers the right to face Hobart Hurricanes at Ninja Stadium in two days’ time.

Hoodoo broken with silverware in sight
Before tonight, the Scorchers had never won a WBBL final interstate. That all changed at North Sydney Oval, as the team led by Head Coach Becky Grundy and skipper Sophie Devine overcame bitter rivals Sydney Sixers in convincing style. And they did it their way, outlasting the hosts by showcasing the bold and uncompromising cricket that embodies the team’s Wild West mantra. On to the next one – the Club’s fourth WBBL decider, and first against the Hurricanes. The climate might be cool, but you can rest assured the visitors will bring the heat.

Breathtaking spell from Scorchers kingpin
It was always going to be Alana King, wasn’t it? The Sixers, with superstar allrounder Ellyse Perry at the wheel, were 0-58 after 7.1 overs and looking comfortable before the Scorchers’ strike weapon lured her Australian teammate into chipping a catch to mid-wicket. When reintroduced during the Power Surge, King then removed another world-beating Aussie allrounder in Sixers captain Ash Gardner, caught by fired-up skipper Devine while attempting to clear mid-off. The followed set saw dangerous allrounder Maitlan Brown stranded well short of the crease, running past a flighted leg-break. By over, King’s record reads: 0-4, 1-3, 1-4 (Power Surge) and 1-6 for final figures of 3-17 – all with a broken finger on her bowling hand.

The Dozer charges through
Two days after sealing The Knockout by nicking off Melbourne Stars talisman Meg Lanning with a beauty, Chloe Ainsworth repeated the dose against Alyssa Healy – a player who has given the Scorchers’ faithful nightmares across the journey. Affectionately known as ‘Dozer’, the 20-year-old fittingly ploughed through Healy’s defences with a delivery that pitched on a length, seamed past the angled bat and clipped the top of off stump. Ainsworth’s next target, as flagged in her post-game interview? Hurricanes superstar and former teammate Nat Sciver-Brunt.

Some Mooney magic, just for a change
Another game, another Beth Mooney masterclass. Tonight’s edition saw the WBBL’s all-time leading scorer become the first player to hit 300 finals runs with 76 from just 44 deliveries. The innings – featuring 11 fours and a six, as Mooney peppered the short square boundaries – was also her highest score in a WBBL final, and the second highest in the competition's finals history. Having now passed 500 runs for the season with 516 at 46, Mooney is just nine runs away from becoming the first Scorcher to 3000 runs in the Big Bash and there’s nobody close to catching her.

A blueprint for the future
The Mooney-Mack partnership has become one of the Scorchers’ trump cards. For the second week running, Mooney and star signing Katie Mack got the team off to a flyer, scoring 66 in 7.2 overs with Mack (40 from 30) leading the charge. This allowed the Scorchers’ brains trust to get creative with the batting order, elevating power hitters Sophie Devine, Paige Scholfield and Freya Kemp to keep the runs flowing. Although that particular risk didn’t pay off in this instance, the Scorchers still posted 8-183 – the Club’s 11th-highest WBBL total, built upon the foundations laid by the experienced opening act.

An incredible weekend awaits
First, Saturday’s WBBL Final starting 4:15PM Perth time. Next, Sunday’s KFC BBL|15 Wild West season-opener against the Sixers at Optus Stadium, featuring a stacked bill headlined by world-class batters Mitch Marsh, Finn Allen, Laurie Evans and company. Don’t stray too far from the couch – unless you plan on saddling up at the Furnace for a mouthwatering showdown.

Perth Scorchers’ Squad for Weber WBBL|11: Sophie Devine (C – New Zealand), Chloe Ainsworth, Maddy Darke, Amy Edgar, Mikayla Hinkley, Ebony Hoskin, Freya Kemp (England), Alana King, Katie Mack, Shay Manolini, Lilly Mills, Beth Mooney, Chloe Piparo, Paige Scholfield (England), Ruby Strange.  

MATCH DETAILS

Weber WBBL|11 – Game 11 | The Final
Hobart Hurricanes v Perth Scorchers
Saturday 13 December. First ball 4:15PM, WST
Ninja Stadium, Hobart
LIVE: Seven, 7Plus, Foxtel, Kayo, ABC Sport, SEN