Final hero pens new deal at Scorchers

Breakout star Cooper Connolly will remain at Perth Scorchers for at least two more seasons, signing a contract extension shortly after guiding the BBL’s most successful club to a record fifth title.

The 19-year-old will don the orange until at least the end of BBL|14, after the club were keen to secure the local product’s services following an incredible performance in the BBL|12 decider.

Connolly’s unbeaten 25 off just 11 balls, including two match-swinging sixes that sent the Perth faithful into raptures, helped the Scorchers hunt down Brisbane Heat’s 7-175 in the final over on Saturday night.

Strolling to the crease in just his fourth T20 match, Connolly showed incredible composure to combine with Nick Hobson (18no off seven balls) for a match-sealing 41-run partnership in the dying overs.

“It means a lot to sign on with Perth,” Connolly said.

“It’s a great feeling to be around the boys, and it’s such a tight group, which makes it even better.

“I’ve learned so much from them, and you don’t realise how much until you’re out there playing. I’ve tried to get under the wings of a few players, listen to them a little bit and get as much out of them as possible.”

Not only in the infancy of his professional T20 career, Connolly had faced just 11 balls this season when he met Dobson in the middle of Perth Stadium as a raucous crowd were notably subdued following a calamitous run out of captain Ashton Turner in the 17^th over.

The former Australia Under-19 captain told cricket.com.au post-match that while he may have shown a calm exterior, his heart rate was racing, and tributed Hobson’s calming influence as a huge factor in his ensuing knock.

"I was nervous, I was like 'oh no, that's a big wicket, he's a power-hitter'," Connolly said, as the Scorchers required 40 off 20 balls.

"'Hobbo's' played in this for a couple of years now and he said to me 'just keep a strong base, if it's there, hit it for six. If it's not there, hit hard along the ground.

"As simple as that sounds, I (went) with that. And luckily enough the (second) one that I hit six over mid-wicket, I was set up for a baseball hit and it came out the middle.”

The 53,886-strong crowd at Perth Stadium was the biggest ever attendance for a cricket match in the city, and eclipsed the previously benchmark of 52,960 at ‘The Furnace’ during the BBL|07 semi-final between the Scorchers and Hobart Hurricanes in 2018.

It was also the largest ever crowd at a BBL decider, smashing the previous record of 47,672 set at the BBL|05 Final between the Melbourne Stars and Sydney Thunder at the MCG.

“They were so loud, and you felt like they’d get us home. It filled me with so much confidence,” Connolly said.

Top five BBL crowds

1. 80,883 – Stars v Renegades, MCG, January 2016

2. 71,162 – Stars v Renegades, MCG, January 2017

3. 54,478 – Stars v Renegades, MCG, January 2020

4. 53,886 – Scorchers v Heat, Perth Stadium, February 2023

5. 52,633 – Strikers v Sixers, Adelaide Oval, January 2015