'Quiet achiever' Edgar aims to make her mark in final

Amy Edgar has transformed herself into a key weapon with the ball for the Scorchers this season but has still managed to fly under the radar during the club's resurgence in Weber WBBL|09.

Described as a "bit of a quiet achiever" by captain Sophie Devine, the 25-year-old has taken 20 wickets at 14.35, while maintaining an economy rate of 6.42 across 14 games this season.

She has been deployed across all phases of the game and her ability to build pressure against the game's best players has proved to be invaluable.

Edgar, who was born in Cowra in NSW, has leapt ahead of fellow off-spinner Lilly Mills in the Scorchers' pecking order, and was named in the WBBL|09 Team of the Tournament earlier this week.

Which is quite something, given Edgar started her Western Australia career in 2018 as a specialist batter – she sent down a single over across her first three seasons – and was also better known for her batting across her first two seasons at the Scorchers.

But after being challenged by head coach Becky Grundy – who also oversees the spinners – to work on her bowling in recent years following the retirement of Emma King in 2020-21, Edgar added a new layer to her all-round game.

"She's been fantastic," Devine said this week. "She's been a bit of a quiet achiever for the last couple of years and has been building really nicely.

"She's been in the Perth and WA environment now for a couple of seasons and has just been going from strength to strength.

"To see how her get the success with the ball this year has been really pleasing.

"I think the WACA certainly suits her bowling style, being a little bit taller and extracting turn and bounce has been really valuable for us – and to be able to have an off-spinner who can bowl in all phases of the game is really valuable.

"I mean, when T20 first started, they thought it would mean the end of spinners but to see the likes of Eddie being able to take wickets, and to be able to keep the run rate under control as well, is certainly a nice tool to have in my in my cabinet."

After making her debut in 2021 and playing one game, Edgar went on to become a regular the following season in WBBL|08, featuring in all 14 matches. 

She sent down just nine overs that season, taking four wickets.

But the signs of her progress with the ball were evident in last summer's domestic one-day competition, where Edgar finished their second highest wicket taker behind Mills, capturing 15 wickets.

She started this season with six scalps in four games including 4-38 against South Australia.

"Bowling consistently (has helped), and I've actually been fortunate enough to bowl throughout almost all of the phases – throughout the Powerplay to start, and then even the power surge through the middle and then at the death as well," Edgar told cricket.com.au of her breakout season.

"I've had almost all roles to try and execute and luckily for me, a few have (worked).

"I was hoping that I would play more of a role with the ball (this season) but we've got three spinners in our squad and if we're all playing in the XI together, we're all quite different.

"Obviously, Lilly and I are both off-spinners but we bowl quite differently at the same time, and then Alana King with her leg-spin, so we've certainly got plenty of options to choose from."

WBBL Finals

The Eliminator: Brisbane Heat beat Sydney Thunder by 44 runs

The Challenger: Perth Scorchers v Brisbane Heat | WACA Ground | November 29, 7.40pm AEDT (4.40pm AWST)

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

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