A brutal captain's knock from Scorchers skipper Sophie Devine powered her team to a convincing 98-run win over Hobart Hurricanes at University of Tasmania Stadium tonight.
Simply Devine! Scorchers dominant in season opener
Devine's 44-ball innings was an ominous start to the season from the New Zealand veteran, who powered her team to 4-186 before the Hurricanes - missing captain Elyse Villani due to illness and allrounder Nicola Carey due to injury - were rolled for 88 in 15.5 overs.
The Scorchers captain arrived at the crease with her team 2-47, following the dismissals of Beth Mooney - stumped for eight after falling over advancing down the wicket to spinner Molly Strano - and Maddy Darke (9).
Playing the middle-order role she has recently adopted at international level, Devine wasted no time bettering her best score of WBBL|08, 44, and reached a half-century from 26 deliveries.
The New Zealand star combined with wicket-keeper batter Amy Jones (14 off 16) and allrounder Amy Edgar (21* off 15) for match-winning fourth (69 off 40) and fifth (65 off 34) wicket stands, after the Scorchers fell to 3-52 in the eighth over.
Making her Scorchers debut, young quick Chloe Ainsworth then broke the back of the Hurricanes top order, with the wickets of key pair Lizelle Lee (0) and Heather Graham (0) in her first over.
Teenage quick Chloe Ainsworth then stunned the Hurricanes as she removed Lizelle Lee (0) and stand-in captain Heather Graham (0) with her first over on WBBL debut.
She bowled Lee with a hooping inswinger that thudded into the South African's pads and ricocheted onto the stumps, before Graham was struck lbw.
The 18- year- old finished with impressive figures off 2-10 off her three overs, while fellow Scorchers debutant Stella Campbell also starred in her first appearance in orange.
Campbell finished with 2-10 while Aussie leg-spinner Alana King cleaned up the tail to finish with 3-19.
The Scorchers travel to Sydney tomorrow, ahead of their clash with Brisbane Heat at North Sydney Oval on Sunday.
MATCH DETAILS
WEBER WBBL|09 – Game 2
Perth Scorchers v Brisbane Heat
Sunday 22 October. First ball 10:40AM, WST.
North Sydney Oval, Sydney
LIVE: CH7, Foxtel, Kayo, ABC Grandstand