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Perth Scorchers eyeing off WBBL dynasty

Justin ChadwickAAP
The Perth Scorchers are adamant they can parlay their WBBL Final win into even more success.
Camera IconThe Perth Scorchers are adamant they can parlay their WBBL Final win into even more success. Credit: AAP

Star New Zealand international Sophie Devine feels the Perth Scorchers have the potential to create a WBBL dynasty, and she wants to be part of the team's title defence next year.

Devine captained the Scorchers to their maiden WBBL crown on Saturday night with a 12-run win over Adelaide in the grand final at Optus Stadium.

The Scorchers are hopeful of keeping the bulk of their title-winning squad together next season.

Star South African import Marizanne Kapp, who was player of the match in the final despite being bed-ridden in the lead-up, has already signalled her intent to return.

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Superstar opener Beth Mooney recently re-signed for another two years, and 32-year-old Devine is keen to roll around again.

"It's certainly special, and we can build the team around players like Beth Mooney," Devine said.

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"We've got such a great core group of WA local players here that I hope we can keep together. I'm also hopeful of coming back here as well next year if they want me back.

"It's a really special group and I think we can create something special here, but we've got to start again."

Devine said a loss to the Hobart Hurricanes at the WACA Ground earlier this season was the turning point for the team.

Chasing 138 for victory that day, the Scorchers spluttered with the finishing line in sight and ended up losing by two runs.

It proved to be the Scorchers' last loss of the season, with the team winning six of the next seven games on the way to the title, with the only game they didn't win during that period being a washout.

"I certainly think the game at the WACA against the Hobart Hurricanes we choked," Devine said.

"It was a run chase that we would bank ourselves on doing nine times out of 10.

"We had to have a really hard look at ourselves after ... that was a turning point for us. Our middle-order from that stage really kicked on."

"Sometimes you get that kick up the bum halfway through a season. It was nice that the girls could respond to it."

The 15,511 fans on hand for Saturday's final was the largest attendance for a standalone WBBL match.

It was also the most-watched game in WBBL history, with a combined average audience of 535,000 tuning in across linear TV and streaming platforms.

That number eclipsed the 506,000 audience for the WBBL-04 final played as a broadcast double-header before a men's Test match.

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