Latest news with #PerthScorchers
West Australian
11-07-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Perth Scorchers batter Maddy Darke working on aggression to keep top-order job
Perth Scorchers batter Maddy Darke is working on turning to more aggressive strokes earlier in her innings as part of a bid to regain her spot at the top of the order. Darke and off-spinner Lilly Mills both signed new one-year deals with the club on Thursday. But despite averaging just shy of 50 and being Western Australia's most damaging batter in the Women's National Cricket League last season, Darke scored just 18 runs in four matches and was was left on the outer for the Scorchers. The new deal gives the New South Wales-born opener — who holds Test ambitions — the chance to prove she can be a genuine three-format player. 'I think it's just about the timing and the tempo of the innings,' Darke said. 'It means going to certain shots earlier than I'd like to, like in a 50-over game I can pace myself and probably play those shots from 10 overs onwards. In a Twenty20 you don't really get that luxury. 'I'm just trying to challenge myself to do that earlier and earlier. 'The WBBL has such a wide array of talented international players, so it just adds to the difficulty I suppose. 'I back my strengths in, but I'm working out there's room to explore there.' The Scorchers have long been eager to have batting ace Sophie Devine settle into the middle-order. They hope the signing of Adelaide Strikers champion Katie Mack, who will likely pair with Darke, could help them make it happen. 'The nature of our styles of play, me and Katie Mack play a bit more of a running game, probably touch and placement, that kind of thing, whereas Soph has got the power,' Darke said. 'It's just about being flexible as players to work in with what Becky (Grundy) wants.' Darke had interest from other clubs, who would have watched with interest as she missed out on the side last season, but both her and Mills said it was an easy decision to stay in Perth. Mills will enter her sixth season as a Scorcher after moving for both formats from Queensland. She is part of a growing spin-bowling troupe that include guns Alana King and Amy Edgar, but now also international signing Chloe Tryon. 'I think it's interesting, typically we speak about the WACA as a bit of a nasty fasty, but the thing that makes it difficult over here is the actual bounce and using that to our strength,' Mills said. 'In the last few years it really has gripped and we have been able to have quality spinners. Adding Chloe to that mix is only going to bring depth.' King and West Australian spinner Corey Rocchiccioli are the perfect example of that.
Express Tribune
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Perth blockbuster to open BBL15
Perth Scorchers will be in action against Sydney Sixers in the opening match of the Big Bash League. Photo: Cricket Australia Pakistan superstar Babar Azam and the Sydney Sixers will head across the country to launch the 15th KFC BBL season with a blockbuster in Perth with as league officials pin hopes this will be the biggest bash yet. League boss Alastair Dobson declared BBL|15 was "the season we've been waiting a long time for" as a perfect storm of a clear window for fixturing and international star availability meets the huge wave of hype an Ashes Test summer generates. The full Big Bash fixture was released today, a 44-game schedule running from December 14 to January 25, with a regular, nightly prime-time feast that breaks only for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. "Obviously anything we do around an Ashes summer is huge but to then have a good clear run of nights available from mid-December to the end of January where we can play the BBL every night is one that adds up to a pretty strong season for us," said Dobson. With the Ashes to finish in the first week of January in Sydney, there's a strong possibility the likes of Steve Smith, Travis Head and other Test stars could close out the summer with their Big Bash clubs, including the finals campaign, something Dobson said "gives us confidence this will be as good as year as we've ever had". It's the second successive season the Perth Scorchers have hosted the BBL opener, with their rivalry against the Sixers earmarked as a blockbuster between the competition's two most successful franchises. Every club plays at home in the first 10 days of the season, with the Melbourne Renegades to host their first two fixtures in Geelong in a bid to give the Marvel Stadium surface more time to be fit for elite cricket following criticism last summer. A rematch between last summer's finalists will see the Sydney Thunder return to meet Hobart Hurricanes on December 16. League officials have also fine-tuned the schedule in a bid to ensure every match of the 40-game regular season impacts the finals, with every team to play at home in the final week. That will culminate in another blockbuster clash with the Sixers travelling north to the Gabba to face the Brisbane Heat in a showdown between Pakistan superstar Azam and No.1 draft pick Shaheen Shah Afridi. The league's finals series will follow the same four-game format as previous seasons beginning with the Qualifier on January 20 and concluding with a prime-time BBL|15 Final on Sunday, January 25. Of the current men's Test squad, Usman Khawaja (Heat), Nathan Lyon (Renegades), Beau Webster (Hurricanes), Josh Inglis (Scorchers) Steve Smith (Sixers) and Scott Boland (Stars) all have BBL deals for the upcoming summer. The Stars, who traditionally play one of their five home games away from the MCG due to the Boxing Day Test, will again host the Thunder in Canberra, this year on December 28. As they were last season, Sydney and Perth will be the focal point for a Boxing Day BBL double header, with the Sixers hosting the Stars at the SCG before the Scorchers and Hurricanes go head-to-head at Optus Stadium. For the 13th consecutive season, the Adelaide Strikers will host their annual New Year's Eve celebration – this time against the Brisbane Heat. And 2025 will start in style with a New Year's Day double header – featuring the Renegades at Marvel for the first time this season, against the Sixers, before the Hurricanes host the Scorchers at Ninja Stadium. The Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades will face off in their hotly anticipated derbies in the New Year, with a 6:05pm start time locked in for an MCG blockbuster on January 4. While the two Sydney Smash fixtures will take place on Saturday, December 20 (ENGIE Stadium), and Friday, January 16 (SCG).
BBC News
03-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Scorchers v Sixers to start 2025-26 Big Bash
Perth Scorchers, the most successful side in Big Bash League history, will start the 2025-26 season against Sydney Sixers on 14 December. The full schedule was announced on Thursday with the 57-match league phase running until 18 knockouts start on 20 January, with the final due to take place on 25 January. The tournament will overlap with the men's Ashes between England and Australia, which runs from 21 November to 7 January. All-rounder Jamie Overton is likely the only England player who may have to juggle commitments, but they may opt to release him to play in the Big Bash before February's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Hobart Hurricanes are the defending champions after a seven-wicket win over Sydney Thunder in last year's final. The schedule for the women's tournament, which runs before the men's competition, is yet to be announced. It is likely to start shortly after the conclusion of the women's 50-over World Cup on 2 November. Full Big Bash League 2025-26 schedule, external
West Australian
18-06-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Big Bash League draft: Aaron Finch predicts Laurie Evans will be on the table for Perth Scorchers at draft
Former Australian Twenty20 captain Aaron Finch says Perth Scorchers will be in the game for championship-winner Laurie Evans at Thursday afternoon's Big Bash League draft. The Melbourne Renegades legend — who will host the draft for Channel 7 — does not expect his former side will fight to retain Evans and believes he is still the perfect fit for the Scorchers. Evans was pinched by the Renegades at last year's draft with pick three and the club still has retention rights to him. WATCH THE BBL AND WBBL DRAFTS LIVE AND FREE ON 7PLUS ON THURSDAY 'I'm not convinced that the Renegades will look to retain him, to be honest,' Finch told The West Australian. 'I don't think there will be too much fight there from the Renegades. He didn't have the greatest year last year. 'When you're not bringing a bowling skill to the table as well as (being) a middle-order player, I think your numbers have to be very consistent. I think the Scorchers would be an obvious fit there.' Finch said a batter that is already familiar with the tricky Optus Stadium wicket would be attractive to the Scorchers. Evans also has strong relationships with senior players and staff at Perth and was a fan favourite in his two seasons at the club. 'He has played there before and done well and it is such a unique place to play, particularly for international players,' he said. 'So to target someone who you have had before, who you know can handle the conditions and play well there. 'It's obviously a high-pressure environment too, Perth. They're pretty passionate fans and they can jump off-board pretty quick as well. 'Just somebody who has been there and done it would be really attractive and no doubt he would be very high on the Scorchers list.' In an interview with The West on Tuesday, Scorchers coach Adam Voges said they would 'absolutely' look at bringing Evans back to Perth if he was still on the table for them. The Scorchers have pick four, 16 and 17 in the international player draft. They will use pick four to add Finn Allen to their list for a second season. They have hinted they could target spin late in the draft in a rare play, given both Ashton Agar and Cooper Connolly are left-arm finger spinners. Finch said it is vital to have variation in a spin attack, particularly on the east coast. He also forecast it would come in handy if the Scorchers were to play a final away from home. 'I think it's crucial to have that option in your squad, because you can't just tailor your side towards your home conditions, particularly when they are as extreme as they are at Optus,' Finch said. 'I still don't think it will be a high priority for the Scorchers, I think they will have a look and see in the last two rounds to see if they can find potentially a mystery spinner — every team wants one of those. 'You have to take all conditions into account. If you finish outside the top two you are playing away finals. You would expect to play one in either Melbourne or Sydney and you would have to have a really well-rounded squad.' The Scorchers also have retention rights to English quick Tymal Mills. It is believed they are interested in bringing the crafty bowler back to the club for the first time since 2022. They also have retention rights to English trio Keaton Jennings, Matthew Hurst and dual-citizen Stevie Eskinazi, but are less likely to consider a batting option outside of Evans. Pakistani superstar Shaheen Shah Afridi is widely tipped to land at Brisbane Heat with the first pick in the draft. The world-class left-armer has availability for a full-season. Finch said the Heat could form a bowling attack reminiscent of the Scorchers' in their hay-day if they take Afridi. That would also include Australian internationals Spencer Johnson, Xavier Bartlett and Michael Neser. 'You are weighing up whether Bartlett will be around the Test squad — he is a very, very good bowler — he has been around the Australian setup for quite a while,' Finch said. 'I'd still be very surprised if he doesn't go No.1 and the availability for the whole competition is huge. That's why Babar Azam was such a big get for the Sydney Sixers as well, because they are available the whole time. 'We have seen over a long period of time, teams with the best bowling attack go a long way to winning titles. Perth for years, when you had (Jason) Behrendorff, (Jhye) Richardson, (Andrew) Tye, Matty Kelly, combined with Agar, that was a formidable attack, particularly at home. 'There's no surprise that teams are looking to that bowling department to strengthen it. The old saying is 'batters sell memberships, bowlers win premierships' and that rings true.'
Perth Now
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
The ex-Scorcher who could be back in orange this year
Former Australian Twenty20 captain Aaron Finch says Perth Scorchers will be in the game for championship-winner Laurie Evans at Thursday afternoon's Big Bash League draft. The Melbourne Renegades legend — who will host the draft for Channel 7 — does not expect his former side will fight to retain Evans and believes he is still the perfect fit for the Scorchers. Evans was pinched by the Renegades at last year's draft with pick three and the club still has retention rights to him. WATCH THE BBL AND WBBL DRAFTS LIVE AND FREE ON 7PLUS ON THURSDAY 'I'm not convinced that the Renegades will look to retain him, to be honest,' Finch told The West Australian. 'I don't think there will be too much fight there from the Renegades. He didn't have the greatest year last year. 'When you're not bringing a bowling skill to the table as well as (being) a middle-order player, I think your numbers have to be very consistent. I think the Scorchers would be an obvious fit there.' Finch doesn't think the Renegades will retain Evans. Credit: Jason McCawley - CA / Cricket Australia via Getty Imag Finch said a batter that is already familiar with the tricky Optus Stadium wicket would be attractive to the Scorchers. Evans also has strong relationships with senior players and staff at Perth and was a fan favourite in his two seasons at the club. 'He has played there before and done well and it is such a unique place to play, particularly for international players,' he said. 'So to target someone who you have had before, who you know can handle the conditions and play well there. 'It's obviously a high-pressure environment too, Perth. They're pretty passionate fans and they can jump off-board pretty quick as well. 'Just somebody who has been there and done it would be really attractive and no doubt he would be very high on the Scorchers list.' In an interview with The West on Tuesday, Scorchers coach Adam Voges said they would 'absolutely' look at bringing Evans back to Perth if he was still on the table for them. The Scorchers have pick four, 16 and 17 in the international player draft. They will use pick four to add Finn Allen to their list for a second season. Finn Allen. Credit: Paul Kane / Getty Images They have hinted they could target spin late in the draft in a rare play, given both Ashton Agar and Cooper Connolly are left-arm finger spinners. Finch said it is vital to have variation in a spin attack, particularly on the east coast. He also forecast it would come in handy if the Scorchers were to play a final away from home. 'I think it's crucial to have that option in your squad, because you can't just tailor your side towards your home conditions, particularly when they are as extreme as they are at Optus,' Finch said. 'I still don't think it will be a high priority for the Scorchers, I think they will have a look and see in the last two rounds to see if they can find potentially a mystery spinner — every team wants one of those. 'You have to take all conditions into account. If you finish outside the top two you are playing away finals. You would expect to play one in either Melbourne or Sydney and you would have to have a really well-rounded squad.' The Scorchers also have retention rights to English quick Tymal Mills. It is believed they are interested in bringing the crafty bowler back to the club for the first time since 2022. Tymal Mills. Credit: Morgan Hancock / Getty Images They also have retention rights to English trio Keaton Jennings, Matthew Hurst and dual-citizen Stevie Eskinazi, but are less likely to consider a batting option outside of Evans. Pakistani superstar Shaheen Shah Afridi is widely tipped to land at Brisbane Heat with the first pick in the draft. The world-class left-armer has availability for a full-season. Finch said the Heat could form a bowling attack reminiscent of the Scorchers' in their hay-day if they take Afridi. That would also include Australian internationals Spencer Johnson, Xavier Bartlett and Michael Neser. 'You are weighing up whether Bartlett will be around the Test squad — he is a very, very good bowler — he has been around the Australian setup for quite a while,' Finch said. 'I'd still be very surprised if he doesn't go No.1 and the availability for the whole competition is huge. That's why Babar Azam was such a big get for the Sydney Sixers as well, because they are available the whole time. 'We have seen over a long period of time, teams with the best bowling attack go a long way to winning titles. Perth for years, when you had (Jason) Behrendorff, (Jhye) Richardson, (Andrew) Tye, Matty Kelly, combined with Agar, that was a formidable attack, particularly at home. 'There's no surprise that teams are looking to that bowling department to strengthen it. The old saying is 'batters sell memberships, bowlers win premierships' and that rings true.'
