Perth Scorchers captain Sophie Devine (Photo: Cricket Australia)
Perth Scorchers superstar Sophie Devine once again is showing why she is one of the WBBL’s best, smashing her way to a fourth century in the side’s 39-run victory over the Brisbane Heat at Allan Border Field.
The tournament’s leading run-scorer with 345, New Zealand international Sophie Devine, along with the classy Beth Mooney laid the foundation, putting on 131 runs for the opening wicket, as the Scorchers registered 3/192 – their highest score in WBBL09.
The Scorchers bowling was outstanding all-game with Piepa Cleary taking 3/27 off her four overs, whilst spinner Alana King and Devine took two wickets as the Heat’s potent batting lineup couldn’t get into rhythm.
It wasn’t easy at first for the Scorchers, only scoring 70 runs in the first 10 overs, before hitting the accelerator.
Devine, who won her third player of the match credited the Heat’s bowling attack.
“Actually thought it played a lot better than we thought it might’ve of. With a new wicket, I just thought the Heat bowlers bowled exceptionally well. They hit the top of the stumps and changed the pace really effectively,” Devine said.
“Credit to them, they stuck at it. But I guess probably like I said wore them down a little bit and we know here (Allan Border Field) you can certainly pile on the runs in the back end.
“So really pleasing for us and guess the depth we’ve got in our batting side to know we can really let loose with wickets in hand is something that’s really pleasing.”
After moving to the top-order to partner with Mooney in the loss to the Adelaide Strikers, Devine believes the pair compliment each other due to their various batting strengths, whilst praising Mooney for her game awareness at the crease.
“It was a bit of an ongoing conversation, between me and Moons and how we wanted to play it cause we weren’t super happy with either of our performances. But we knew if we stuck at it that runs would come. It was for us to make sure we made the most of the matchups,” Devine said.
“Obviously having a right and left hander is really helpful and can sort of throw bowling units. So playing to that strength was really important. And then I think once you get on a bit of a roll being able to take the (batting power play) surge as well certainly kicked on us a little bit. Again batting alongside someone like Moons, who is an absolute genius on the crease makes my job easier.
“She’s the brains and I’m probably the brawn. I think she’s just a special player. In terms of how she can read the game and how she can drag other people along with her.”
The valuable win puts the Scorchers ahead of the Heat into third place on the table, just a point behind the Sydney Thunder and two points from top-of-the table Adelaide Strikers.
The Thunder, who play the Scorchers in the first meeting of two within six days are a formidable outfit winning all but one against the Hobart Hurricanes, with their recent match against the same opponent abandoned due to rain.
It’s a quick turnaround for the Scorchers, who then face bottom-of-the-table Melbourne Renegades, whom the Scorchers defeated by six wickets at the WACA last Friday.
Devine knows what both teams will bring.
“Obviously I think the Thunder have been going extremely well. They’ve obviously got a set core group of players: Chamari Athapaththu has been outstanding considering she was a late addition. I think they are going to be a real threat at the top of the ladder,” Devine said.
“The Renegades keep threatening. You can never write them off when you’ve got the likes of Hayley Matthews, Tammy Beaumont, and Harmanpreet Kaur. It’s a really lethal lineup they’ve got.”
Embed from Getty ImagesAbout Author
