Time off or matches under the belt heading into a final?
It’s a perennial question and a situation acutely felt by Hobart Hurricanes and Perth Scorchers ahead of Saturday night’s WBBL decider.
“If it doesn’t go our way … it doesn’t come down to anything that we haven’t done. I feel like we’re in a really positive space to make the best of it.”
“You can look at it both ways. Some will say having a rest is positive, some are going to say playing cricket will prepare you best,” she said. “Either way you look at it, both teams are going to go into it really ready.”
Devine said Scorchers, who are aiming to lift the silverware for a second time, weren’t fussed by either chasing or setting a target.
Hurricanes are yet to win a WBBL title and are in their first final, with 36-year-old veteran Villani finishing runner-up in three attempts elsewhere.
“My record is worse than what I thought. It would be a dream come true [to win] to be honest,” she said. “I’ve been going at this 11 seasons and I’ve been very jealous every single year of the people who have been able to lift that trophy.”
Villani said Hurricanes were drawing inspiration from their male counterparts who broke through for a maiden BBL title last season in front of a home crowd.
Villani said her chargers would back their experience – their top six has all played international cricket.
“I think that will play into our favour but anything can happen in T20,” she said.
Hobart Hurricanes (probable) 1 Lizelle Lee (wk), 2 Danni Wyatt-Hodge, 3 Nat Sciver-Brunt, 4 Nicola Carey, 5 Elyse Villani (capt), 6 Heather Graham, 7 Rachel Trenaman, 8 Hayley Silver-Holmes, 9 Molly Strano, 10 Lauren Smith, 11 Linsey Smith
Perth Scorchers (probable) 1 Beth Mooney (wk), 2 Katie Mack, 3 Sophie Devine (capt), 4 Maddy Darke, 5 Freya Kemp, 6 Paige Scholfield, 7 Chloe Ainsworth, 8 Alana King, 9 Lilly Mills, 10 Ruby Strange, 11 Amy Edgar
