Devine explains new accessory

The headband might just have to stay.

Adelaide Strikers import Sophie Devine debuted an interesting new piece of headwear – a blue Strikers headband – in her team’s clash against the Melbourne Stars at Adelaide Oval on Monday.

Not only did the new accessory delight her teammates, commentators and fans on social media, it also received more than its fair share of airtime as Devine claimed a five-wicket haul – only the fourth in the competition’s history.

It came after she’d fallen just shy of becoming the third player to score two WBBL centuries, dismissed for a 60-ball 95 in the first innings.

The damaging allrounder was reluctant to talk up her bowling after play, with her four overs also coming at the cost of 41 runs, but admitted the headband might just make another appearance when Adelaide meet the Sixers at the SCG on Friday.

“I’m not sure (my bowling) was that impressive to be fair, I got tonked around a bit, but I think you’d take that, at the end of the day we got the win and that’s all that matters for us,” Devine said.

“I think after that (game) I’m going to have to keep it (the headband) going … I whipped it out at training yesterday and I thought I’ve got to stick with it.

“It’s a bit of fun, I also couldn’t stop sweating either after batting so it was more for me to keep sweat out of my face but it could be here to stay.”

As one half of the newly dubbed ‘Smash Sisters’ alongside compatriot Suzie Bates, Devine’s form is a pleasing sign for a Strikers outfit desperately needing to turn around a poor start to WBBL|04.

Her 95 on Sunday was her second half-century of the season, the first time the big hitter as passed fifty twice in a WBBL season – an interesting statistic that stands in contrast to her claim of fame as the only player to have scored more than 50 WBBL sixes.

While her fellow White Fern couldn’t match her efforts with the bat on Sunday, dismissed for 12, Bates did pull off a contender for catch of the tournament with a brilliant one-handed effort at mid-off.

“She’s a basketballer, so if she didn’t get the good hops on that I think we would have tormented her forever,” Devine laughed. “But that was a game changer in momentum for us, it was outstanding and that’s what she can do

“She’s a world-class player and a world-class fielder.”

With two wins from seven matches, the Strikers now meet reigning champions Sydney Sixers at the Sydney Cricket Ground in what looms as a must-win game for the Adelaide club.