Scorchers v Stars, WBBL|11 Knockout: All you need to know

Match facts

Who: Perth Scorchers v Melbourne Stars

 

What: Knockout, Weber WBBL|11

 

Where: WACA Ground, Perth

 

When: Tuesday, December 9. Bat flip at 7pm AEDT (4pm AWST), first ball at 7.45pm AEDT (4.45pm AWST)

 

How to watch: Channel Seven, 7plus, Fox Cricket, Kayo Sports

 

Listen: ABC, SEN

 

Buy tickets: On sale Monday December 8 from 10am local time for club members and 12pm to the public in each market, buy here

 

Live scores: Match Centre

 

Highlights, news and reactions after the match: cricket.com.au, the CA Live and Big Bash apps

 

Officials: Robeto Howard, Claire Polosak (field), Steve Dionysius (third), Kate Holloman (fourth), Charlie Burke (match referee)

What's on the line?

The WBBL|11 finals are here! After a regular season that came down to the final ball of the final game, the top four is settled and first up, the Scorchers are hosting the Stars in the Knockout.

The winner travels to Sydney to meet the Sixers in the Challenger on Thursday night, while its season over for the loser.

Match squads

Perth Scorchers: Sophie Devine (c), Chloe Ainsworth, Maddy Darke, Amy Edgar, Mikayla Hinkley, Ebony Hoskin, Frey Kemp, Alana King, Katie Mack, Lilly Mills, Beth Mooney, Paige Scholfield, Ruby Strange 

In: Mikayla Hinkley Out: Chloe Piparo (omitted)

The Scorchers are at full strength and have made just the one change to their 13-player match squad, with Mikayla Hinkley returning in place of fellow batter Chloe Piparo. 

Melbourne Stars: Annabel Sutherland, Sophie Day, Meg Lanning, Rhys McKenna, Georgia Prestwidge, Ella Hayward, Sophie Reid, Maia Bouchier, Maisy Gibson, Dani Gibson, Kim Garth, Amy Jones, Sasha Moloney

The Stars have gone in unchanged as they look to turn around a three-game losing streak. Like Perth, they're at full strength aside from the absence of Marizanne Kapp, who returned home for international duties earlier this month and was replaced by Maia Bouchier. 

Don't expect many surprises from the Stars, who have made just one change to their XI all season - Bouchier replacing Kapp.

Possible XIs

Perth Scorchers: Beth Mooney (wk), Katie Mack, Maddy Darke, Sophie Devine (c), Paige Scholfield, Freya Kemp, Alana King, Chloe Ainsworth, Lilly Mills, Ruby Strange, Amy Edgar

Melbourne Stars: Meg Lanning, Rhys McKenna, Amy Jones (wk), Annabel Sutherland (c), Maia Bouchier, Danielle Gibson, Kim Garth, Sasha Moloney, Georgia Prestwidge, Maisy Gibson, Sophie Day

How's the weather looking?

All looking good over in Perth! A sunny day with a top of 30 degrees Celsius is forecast for Tuesday in Perth, and it should be around 27 when the match begins. 

While there is a reserve day for the Final, the packed schedule means there isn't one for the Knockout and Challenger. If for some reason the game could not be completed, the Scorchers would advance as the higher-ranked qualifier.  

Head-to-head 

Recent form

Perth Scorchers: L W L W L W W L W W

The Scorchers had a 2-3 record midway through the regular season, but finished strongly to claim a home finish and third spot on the table. Beth Mooney and Sophie Devine are flying, Katie Mack has strengthened their top order, and while Alana King has not been at her best with a broken finger, the Scorchers attack is still getting the job done.

Melbourne Stars: NR W L W W W W L L L

Three consecutive losses to end the season cost the Stars dearly, as they fell down the table and missed out on the chance to host a final. Instead they have to fly to Perth and they'll need to turn their fortunes around in a hurry, and it's a big ask to win matches in Perth, then Sydney, in the space of three days to make the final. 

What they said

Club news

Perth Scorchers

Melbourne Stars

Rapid stats

• Melbourne Stars have won four of their last five WBBL matches against the Perth Scorchers, including a 16-run victory when they last met earlier this season. However the Stars’ only loss in that span came in their most recent meeting at the WACA Ground in October 2024.
  
  
• The Perth Scorchers have won four of their last five matches in WBBL|11, including of their last two, while the Melbourne Stars come into this finals series on a three-game losing run.
  
  
• The Perth Scorchers have a batting dot ball rate of 37 per cent in WBBL|11 season, the best of any team in the competition. However, the Scorchers have hit a boundary once every 6.7 balls faced – the least frequently of any team in the campaign.
  
  
• Kim Garth (Melbourne Stars) has a bowling dot ball rate of 52 per cent from 28 overs bowled in this WBBL11 season, the best of any player to log more than a single over in the campaign; in addition, Garth has drawn a false shot on 61 of her deliveries, more than any other player in the competition.
  
  
• Beth Mooney (Perth Scorchers) has scored 231 runs at an average of 77 across her last four WBBL innings (41, 75, 21, 94no) including an unbeaten 94no against the Brisbane Heat last time out. However, she’s scored fewer than 40 runs in each of her last seven innings against the Stars.

WBBL|11 finals schedule

The Knockout: Perth Scorchers v Melbourne Stars, WACA Ground (Tuesday, December 9, 7.45pm AEDT)

The Challenger: Sydney Sixers v winner of The Knockout, North Sydney Oval (Thursday, December 11, 7.15pm AEDT)

The Final: Hobart Hurricanes v winner of The Challenger, Ninja Stadium (Saturday, December 13, 7.15pm AEDT)