No second-year blues for Scorchers weapon Ainsworth

Chloe Ainsworth has shown no sign of suffering the second-year blues, with the teenager shrugging off a less-than-ideal preseason to once again terrorise top-orders in Weber WBBL|10.

Seven games into the Scorchers’ season, Ainsworth has been their key weapon with the new ball, taking nine wickets, including seven in the Powerplay, and maintaining a miserly economy rate of 5.22.

The 19-year-old burst onto the scene last season when she picked up the wickets of Lizelle Lee and Heather Graham in her first over on debut and went on to be named in the official Team of the Tournament.

It was a dream start to the right-armer from Melville, but her off-season was largely spent dealing with a persistent stress injury in her foot, among other more minor complaints.

She missed a round of WNCL and the T20 Spring Challenge in the lead-up to WBBL|10 due to a groin injury, but hit the ground running in the Scorchers’ opening game of the season at the WACA, bowling Meg Lanning and Annabel Sutherland.

Asked if she had felt any additional pressure coming into her second season, Ainsworth said her interrupted preparation – which also saw her miss two Australia Under-19 tri-series in April and September – had meant there was little time to dwell on it.

"I don't really think about last year at all, and I didn't have much prep coming into the season because I was injured for most of the preseason," she told cricket.com.au.

"But I think I'll just try keep it simple and just go out there and bowl.

"I'm pretty happy with how I've been going.

"My job is to take wickets up front, and if it comes off, I'm pretty happy with it."

Alongside Lanning and Sutherland, Ainsworth has also accounted for international stars Chamari Athapaththu, Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Alice Capsey so far in WBBL|10. 

Given her impact and the caliber of players she is bettering, it is easy to forget how young Ainsworth is.

Born on September 14, she is eligible for Australia’s Under-19 T20 World Cup squad which will head to Malaysia in January, having turned 19 two weeks after the August 31 cut-off date.   

Ainsworth was part of the squad that contested the inaugural event in early 2023, but her tournament ended after just one game when she broke her thumb.

This time, she could line up alongside the likes of Lucy Hamilton, who took 5-8 for Brisbane Heat on Sunday, Ines McKeon, who hit a half-century for Melbourne Stars on debut, and 15-year-old Caoimhe Bray, who has impressed for Sydney Sixers.

"I was in the first one, but unfortunately I got sent back pretty early with injury ... I think anytime you get to represent your country in anything, it's an honour," Ainsworth said.

"I'd be really happy to get over there."

Weber WBBL|10 standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Total points PTS
1 Sydney Thunder Women THU	8	5	2	0	1	0.291	0	11
2 Melbourne Renegades Women REN	8	5	3	0	0	0.208	0	10
3 Brisbane Heat Women HEA	8	5	3	0	0	0.2	0	10
4 Hobart Hurricanes Women HUR	8	4	4	0	0	0.257	0	8
5 Perth Scorchers Women SCO	7	4	3	0	0	0.099	0	8
6 Sydney Sixers Women SIX	8	3	4	0	1	-0.425	0	7
7 Melbourne Stars Women STA	7	2	5	0	0	-0.094	0	4
8 Adelaide Strikers Women STR	8	2	6	0	0	-0.594	0	4

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

PTS: Total points