After coming agonisingly close to a second WBBL title last season, Perth Scorchers commence their Weber WBBL|12 campaign with renewed enthusiasm and ambition against Melbourne Renegades at the WACA Ground on Saturday.
Scorchers WBBL Season Preview
Despite the disappointment of falling short of Hobart in last season’s decider, the side’s inspiring performances to defeat Melbourne Stars and Sydney Sixers to make the final suggest they are primed for another tilt at the title this season.
Adding in the team coming in off the back of what was an exciting finish to the recent T20 Spring Challenge tournament, held in Sydney, the Scorchers are in fine form for their first-round bout in a couple of days' time.
Falling just short of champions Sydney Sixers in the final, a number of players are in primed and ready to go in the game's shortest format.
Opening batter and wicketkeeper Beth Mooney is set to be the headline act for the Scorchers again in WBBL|12, having finished last season as the competition’s leading run scorer.
Mooney’s opening partner Katie Mack returns for her second season in orange, having made a strong impression with 297 runs at 24.75 last season and placing her inside the top 10 batters in the competition.
Evergreen allrounder Sophie Devine is sure to be a fan favourite at The Furnace again in WBBL|12, her seventh season as a Scorcher.
While she was consistent with the bat, Devine enjoyed her most prolific season with the ball as a Scorcher, taking 15 wickets at 23.73 including 4/25 against Adelaide Strikers.
After enjoying a blistering summer in England, including an unbeaten 44 against Australia in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Final, allrounder Freya Kemp returns for her second season in Perth, where her power hitting is set to be crucial in the final overs.
Pakistan Captain Fatima Sana rounds out the Scorchers’ overseas trio, with the 24-year-old set to feature in the first eight games of the season.
The allrounder will become just the second player from Pakistan to play in the WBBL. Spin is set to play a big part for the Scorchers in WBBL|12, headlined by superstar Alana King.
King took 12 wickets last season at 28.16 and was well supported by Lilly Mills and Amy Edgar.
Allrounder Chloe Ainsworth will be out to build upon a stellar WBBL|11 campaign, where she took 13 wickets at 28.76.
Ainsworth, who signed her first Cricket Australia contract earlier this year, spearheads the Scorchers’ pace battery, which also features Ruby Strange, Taneale Peschel and Ebony Hoskin.
Perth Scorchers Weber WBBL|12 Squad: Chloe Ainsworth, Sophie Devine (NZ), Amy Edgar, Ebony Hoskin, Mikayla Friday, Freya Kemp (ENG), Alana King, Katie Mack, Ines McKeon, Lilly Mills, Beth Mooney, Chloe Piparo, Taneale Peschel, Fatima Sana (PAK), Ruby Strange.