Piepa Cleary and Chloe Piparo are thrilled to be selected in the Perth Scorchers side for the WBBL.
Camera IconPiepa Cleary and Chloe Piparo are thrilled to be selected in the Perth Scorchers side for the WBBL. Credit: Supplied/Marie Nirme        www.communitypix.com.au d443322

Scorchers ready for Women’s Big Bash League

Francis CurroSouthern Gazette

Cleary and Piparo are two of the eight players named last week in the women’s Perth Scorchers side for 14 matches in December and January.

Piparo is a 21-year-old opening batter, while Cleary is a 19-year-old pace bowler.

The WBBL will feature eight clubs aligned with the men’s T20 Big Bash sides.

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The women will be hoping for similar success to the Perth Scorchers men’s team, who have won back-to-back titles.

Piparo, who plays for Midland-Guildford in club cricket, said she couldn’t wait for the WBBL to begin.

“It is a great opportunity for all of us to play against the best women cricketers in the world,” she said.

“When the opportunity came up to sign with the Scorchers, I didn’t really give it a second though.

“I got to stay in the state, with the majority of the team from the Fury, as well as great imports like Suzie Bates and Charlotte Edwards.”

Piparo said she was relishing the chance to open the batting with English cricket captain Charlotte Edwards, who has scored more international women’s Twenty20 runs than any other player in the world.

Cleary, who plays for South Perth, is entering her fourth season playing cricket at this level, after three years with the Western Fury.

The 19-year-old said there was a positive feeling among the players.

“I am still figuring and learning lots, so I want to pick up my pace and attack and take lots of wickets,” she said.

“This is probably the first time in a while the girls feel like they are in a high-performance program.

“We have been training so hard almost every day and the group culture is stepping up.”

Both Cleary and Piparo have already played for Australia A and have national ambitions.

Piparo hoped the WBBL would put women’s cricket on the map.