Familiar feeling, new fortress for Perth

Nathan Coulter-Nile had no worries after the Perth Scorchers lost their first two games of KFC BBL|08 – and for good reason.

In their opening home game of the summer, the Scorchers finally chalked up their first victory after bowling the Adelaide Strikers out for a paltry 88 on a wild Optus Stadium track on Boxing Day.

Led by Jhye Richardson (3-7 from three overs) and Jason Behrendorff (2-16 off four), it was a clinical bowling performance from the hosts' five-pronged pace attack who caused no end of trouble for the reigning champions' top order.

The performance was far more befitting the Big Bash's most successful club after defeats in their opening two matches but, as Coulter-Nile notes, a slow start to the season is nothing new despite their formidable record.

"I don't think I've played for the Scorchers where we haven't lost the first couple of games," Coulter-Nile told cricket.com.au.

"That just felt so normal for me … the first two, win the next six and we'll be fine."

A detailed look back at the Scorchers' results over the first seven editions of the tournament reveals December has produced only middling returns at best.

Until last summer the side had never won both of their opening two games, with their best form tending to come later in the tournament following a stuttering start.

After that though, they're a daunting prospect; they've never finished lower than third, making themselves a constant presence in the BBL finals.

A fiercely parochial crowd almost universally kitted out in fluoro orange and a familiar WACA Ground surface have helped their cause over the first seven years of the tournament.

This summer, however, they'll be relying on only the former following their move to the larger, more modern stadium over the Swan River.

But batsman Will Bosisto, who struck a 34-ball 36 and hit the winning runs to justify his promotion up to No.3, predicts rival clubs will have a tough time coping with their seam attack on an Optus Stadium track that has proved difficult for batting across all formats.

"Not an ideal start (to BBL|08) but the really pleasing thing is how we played our home conditions at Optus Stadium," Bosisto said.

"We're going to have half our games here so that's going to be a pretty intimidating sign for away teams coming here.

"The way our quicks bowled on that wicket and making it really hard to score for them … The wicket is going to present some challenges for the batters."

That will certainly be the case if Coulter-Nile's assertion that not only is he well short of his best, but that the entire Scorchers' bowling attack has significant room for improvement, is accurate.

The right-armer snared the wicket of Jono Wells in Wednesday's clash and was impressive in another low-scoring clash against the Melbourne Renegades last week but admits he doesn't feel the ball "is coming out well at all".

"It's probably the new ball that I feel isn't coming out as well I'd like," he continued. "I feel pretty good at the death.

"The more I bowl and (the more) games I play, hopefully the better I get. Hopefully a few wickets around the corner."

But Coulter-Nile believes the likes of Behrendorff, Richardson, death specialist Andrew Tye, English international David Willey and himself will be poised to their straps as the extended 14-round regular season wears on.

"On paper it's pretty good," he said of the Scorchers' attack. "I think we've got a little bit to go with our execution and game plan and stuff like that and gelling as a team and who bowls when through the middle and at the death.

"Jason is world class with the new ball. You see it all the time, he bowls that beautiful length, it's my role just to support him.

"We've got some good bowlers coming into support him. Dave Willey and 'Richo' today bowled really well.

"I'm sure by the back end (of the tournament), we'll sort that out and hopefully we're firing on all cylinders."