The WACA will host Perth Scorchers' opening WBBL 12 fixture on October 31, 2026, against the Melbourne Renegades, and for the first time in six seasons, Beth Mooney will lead the side out as captain. The wicketkeeper-batter has been confirmed as the new skipper, succeeding Sophie Devine, who held the role across six seasons with the franchise.
Mooney arrived at the Scorchers from the Brisbane Heat in 2020 and has since featured in 80 matches for the club. Across all WBBL seasons, she has accumulated 5,600 runs, a tally no other player in the competition's history has matched. She is also a three-time WBBL champion, a record that spans two different franchises.
Scorchers head coach Becky Grundy expressed full confidence in the appointment.
"Beth is an exceptional leader whose actions consistently set the benchmarks for those around her. Her experience at the highest level of the game, combined with her competitiveness, professionalism and genuine care for her team-mates, make her the ideal person to lead this group," Grundy said as quoted by Cricinfo.
Mooney acknowledged the significance of the role while speaking about her connection to the state. She described the appointment as "a little bit daunting" and spoke warmly about her time in Western Australia.
"Perth and the Scorchers have become a second home to me, and I've been fortunate to play alongside some amazing team-mates and leaders during my time in WA. We've built a strong culture on and off the field, and we're incredibly proud to represent the state," Mooney expressed.
Mooney and Devine both moved to Scorchers in the same season, and Devine has since been Scorchers' most capped overseas player, with 77 appearances. She led Scorchers to the final in 2025 too - their fourth appearance in the title clash - where they lost to Hobart Hurricanes.
The 80 appearances Mooney has made for the Scorchers since joining in 2020 reflect the depth of her commitment to the club. Her record tally of 5,600 WBBL runs, the highest by any player in the competition, gives her the standing to set standards for a squad that reached the 2025 WBBL final before falling to the Hobart Hurricanes.
What is Sophie Devine's legacy at the Perth Scorchers?
Devine, a New Zealand international, joined the Scorchers in the same 2020 season as Mooney and went on to become the franchise's most-capped overseas representative, with 77 appearances. Her defining moment as captain arrived in 2021 when she guided the Scorchers to the WBBL title.
Beyond that championship, Devine steered the club to the 2025 WBBL final, their fourth appearance in the title match, where the Hobart Hurricanes proved too strong. No reason for her stepping down from the captaincy has been made public. As an honourable mention, Mooney's back-to-back WBBL titles with the Brisbane Heat in 2018-19 and 2019-20 remain a notable part of her record before she made the move to Perth.
