'Bulldozer' ready to roll in finals after dream debut

Chloe Ainsworth been dubbed 'Dozer' by her Perth Scorchers teammates, who are hoping the teenage quick will continue tearing through top-orders on Wednesday when they battle for a spot in the Weber WBBL|09 final.

Ainsworth, who celebrated her 18th birthday in September, has taken 15 wickets at 18 in her first WBBL season and won herself a spot in the Team of the Tournament in the process.

On debut in Launceston against the Hurricanes, she picked up the wickets of South Africa star Lizelle Lee and Australian allrounder Heather Graham in her first over – making it will worth missing her Year 12 graduation, which was held the same night.

Ainsworth continued collected big-name scalps throughout the tournament, adding the likes of Ashleigh Gardner, Hayley Matthews, Grace Harris, Chamari Athapaththu and Marizanne Kapp to her list.

Skipper Sophie Devine hopes that trend will continue on Wednesday evening when the Scorchers play either the Heat or the Thunder at the WACA Ground in the Challenger final.

"She has been outstanding, for a young person – she's about half my age – to come in here and play with the confidence that she has, and to be able to do what she has done with the ball against some of the best players in the world and to take wickets up front has been outstanding," Devine said.

"It's certainly been really revitalising for me … to see the energy and enthusiasm that I'm sure we've all seen when she takes a couple of wickets and she's barnstorming down the pitch.

"I think people are starting to see the threat now that she carries, being able to swing the ball both ways and nip it off the seam.

"For us to have someone who's got a bit of extra pace as well, is certainly a real handful for us.

"We've nicknamed her 'Bulldozer' and 'Dozer' for short.

"I'm sure as you can tell, she's got a very similar build to me and when she takes wickets, she goes on an absolute rampage and bulldozers over people with her high fives, so Dozer's sticking."

Ainsworth, whose heroes are Mitchell Johnson and Pat Cummins, has been clocked at 115kph and hopes to get faster, and while she is softly spoken off the field, she admitted to having white-line fever when she gets ball in hand.

She is part of an exciting crop of first-year pace bowlers that also includes Victorians Milly Illingworth and Sara Kennedy.

The right-armer was part of Australia's Under-19 World Cup squad alongside Illingworth earlier this year, but her tournament ended after just one game when she broke her thumb.

Her rookie WBBL season is making up for that disappointment, however, with Ainsworth admitting she occasionally has to pinch herself to check it isn't a dream.

"It's been pretty crazy," Ainsworth said on Monday.

"I didn't even think I'd be playing any games this season, so being able to go out there and take some wickets has been pretty cool, that gave me a lot of confidence.

"Having Soph and (coach) Becky Grundy back me in my first game to open the bowling, that was awesome.

"I just get so excited when I take wickets and I just lose control."

WBBL|09 Finals

The Eliminator: Brisbane Heat v Sydney Thunder | WACA Ground | November 28, 7.40pm AEDT (4.40pm local)

The Challenger: Perth Scorchers v TBC | WACA Ground | November 29, 7.40pm AEDT (4.40pm local)

The Final: Adelaide Strikers v TBC | Adelaide Oval | December 2 at 7.10pm AEDT (6.40pm local)

Grab your tickets or tune in on the Seven Network, Fox Cricket, Kayo or ABC radio