Playing under Sophie Devine a great opportunity to learn, says Perth Scorchers' Chloe Piparo

Perth Scorchers batter Chloe Piparo is hoping the squad can draw from the experience of their international players during the sixth season of Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) when they go into the bio-secure hub in Sydney. She was speaking to the media at the conclusion of the Western Australia Cricket Season Launch event on Wednesday (September 9) .



“I think obviously we're really clear now that the WBBL will be a hub in Sydney for four-five or so weeks. So, in terms of that, the Perth Scorchers will be really ready to go into that soon,” Piparo said. “I think obviously a little bit different, but we're pretty lucky to be over here in Perth. And in terms of cricket and sport, we've been able to train and prepare pretty much as usual. So, we're pretty lucky to be over here at the moment and just getting really ready to go for the season ahead.”



Perth Scorchers have procured two big signings in New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine and Australia batter Beth Mooney ahead of the season and they will be in action when Australia host New Zealand for six matches – three T20Is and three ODIs – beginning on September 26 at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane.



“I think it'll be a bit different, especially in the women's game where we're not used to traveling for extended periods of time. It's something that we have to get our heads around, which we're going to spend the next four or five weeks discussing so that we're really clear on what it's going to look like. So, no real surprises come up. But I think as a group, we gel really well. So, it'll be exciting to get over there and hopefully we see the benefits of being a really close group,” said Piparo who has played 60 WBBL matches so far.



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“But we're pretty lucky that we've got a few girls now that are just entering a hub over in Queensland playing for New Zealand and Australia and a few of the English girls as well. Hopefully, they come out after being in their bubble over in the UK. So, we've got girls that or players that are experienced in the hub. So, we're just trying to learn off them and whatever they've kind of used to get through. And we'll try and hopefully learn lessons off them as well."



Piparo, who leads Western Australia side, said she will be trying to learn about leadership and take in as much information as from Devine, who was appointed as Perth Scorchers captain. However, she added that having Devine and Mooney doesn’t guarantee them success and every member of the squad will have to play their part during the WBBL season.



“I think that's (playing under Devine) a great experience for me to kind of learn and try and take in as much information as I can from some really experienced international players like Soph and Beth Mooney as well. So, I look it as a really great opportunity for me to kind of focus on my game while I can try and learn, you know, leadership and T20 tactics as well,” she added.



Also Read: Working with Shelley Nitschke an opportunity too good to pass for Sophie Devine



“We've bought two really good players in, but that doesn't mean that it's going to bring success for us. We know that cricket kind of still is a team game, so we need everyone to perform. And on any given day, we back anyone to kind of win us games. But yeah, it's really exciting to have those kind of caliber players come into our group.”



Talking about the concerns regarding the bio-secure protocol, Piparo added that if any player wants to opt, out of the competition over the fears of being in bio-bubble they will be allowed to do so and will receive support from the Western Australia Cricket Association (WACA).



“I don't think we're still not really clear on obviously. We're going for about five weeks. We're not really clear on what that looks like, if it'll be a proper, like, kind of lockdown or if we'll be able to get out a little bit. We're really unclear, but not yet, no one's really said that they won't go. But again, the ACA (Australian Cricketers’ Association) and that has been really clear that if there's a reason personal or something that you don't want to go, that you can put your hand up and that won't affect you at all,” Piparo concluded.