Scorchers confident they've answered middle-order critics

Heather Graham is adamant Perth Scorchers have put to bed any questions over their middle-order, as they prepare for a tilt at their maiden WBBL title against an in-form Adelaide Strikers on Saturday night.

Openers Beth Mooney and Sophie Devine have again been a force for Perth this season; Mooney is on top of the league runs table with Devine not far behind at No.7.

But there has been a perception they do not have the middle-order depth to step up if the opening pair fail, one that was exacerbated when star Sri Lanka batter Chamari Athapaththu departed on international duties before finals and was not replaced.

Those doubts were quashed in last weekend's wins over Melbourne Stars and Sydney Sixers, when Devine (5 and 18) and Mooney (5 and 26) failed to fire.

Marizanne Kapp was the hero in a last-ball thriller against the Stars, striking in unbeaten 29, aided by Mathilda Carmichael's critical 20-ball 30 against the Stars when the chase looks to be slipping out of the Scorchers' reach.

Piparo spent valuable time in the middle across both games, playing an anchor role in the low-scoring affair against the Stars with 27 and before an unbeaten 39-ball 50 against the Sixers.

Graham, meanwhile, showed off the work she did on her power hitting during preseason training in Tasmania against the Sydney club when she smacked 34 not out from 24 deliveries.

"It shows other teams as well that could have thought that our middle-order hadn't had enough practice or game time, that we can get the job done and it doesn't matter if the top two don't fire," Graham told cricket.com.au.

"Our top order has been killing it, which is a great thing but it's been nice to be able to get out in the middle and get that confidence and spend some time out there

"It's been the same with the rest of our middle-order, Chloe Piparo, Marizaanne Kapp and Mathilda Carmichael, we'd all been sitting on the sidelines for a while watching the top two go about it."

Piparo echoed those thoughts this week, saying the Scorchers had now proved they could chase anything.

"In the past the Scorchers have relied very heavily on our top-order and if anything the media thought our middle couldn’t stand up," Piparo said on Thursday.

It is confidence that could be crucial against the Strikers, who took 16-197 across their two eliminator finals in Adelaide this week, keeping the Heat to 8-114 and the Renegades to 8-83.

The Final: Perth Scorchers v Adelaide Strikers | Optus Stadium | November 27 at 4.10pm local (7.10pm AEDT)

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