What’s more Aussie than zinc cream? Sophie Devine shows her true colours in the name of raising money for charity

Adelaide Strikers record-breaking opening batter Sophie Devine has launched a new challenge across the Women’s Big Bash League to raise money for charity.

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Is there anything more Aussie when it comes to cricket than big lashings of zinc cream across the nose and cheeks?

While it might not be something Sophie Devine is used to doing herself, the Adelaide Strikers star Kiwi import is more than happy to slop on the team’s bright blue colour to raise money for charity.

Devine – who made global headlines on Sunday when she belted five consecutive sixes and set a WBBL record in the process – launched her “Zinc Challenge” on Saturday against Perth Scorchers, plastering her face with blue zinc and then donating $100 to the Cancer Council, the Strikers’ official charity partner.

She then challenged opposition players to don zinc in their team colours and if they do, she will donate $100 to the charity of the team’s choice.

In Sunday’s 17-run win over Melbourne Stars at Karen Rolton Oval, half the visiting players plastered their faces with green zinc, with $100 being donated to anti-bullying charity Dolly’s Dream.

Adelaide Striker Sophie Devine launched her “Zinc Challenge” against Perth Scorchers at Karen Rolton Oval on Saturday. Picture: Sarah Reed

The 30-year-old said she was overwhelmed to learn that the Stars players then passed around a hat and raised a further $500, while a number of her Strikers team-mates and commentators also pitched in, bringing her total raised so far to just over $1000.

The Zinc Challenge comes after the success of last season’s “Headband Challenge”, in which Devine wore an official Strikers headband during a game and then challenged other teams to do the same.

In WBBL04, Devine raised more than $15,000 for various charities and this year has set a target of $20,000.

Devine said the tight-knit women’s cricket community was wonderful at jumping on board charitable causes.

“We saw last year how massive the Headband Challenge was, with different people getting on board … it shows the reach of the game,” she said.

The Strikers head to the Barossa Valley on Saturday to take on the Stars again, and Devine said she hoped the team would again don zinc.

“It’s really good to see everyone jump on board and equally, to know they are going to donate money from their own pockets,” she said.

Sophie Devine’s “Zinc Challenge” raised money for the Adelaide Strikers official charity partner, Cancer Council SA, on Saturday. She is pictured with young Strikers fans, Max, 10, and Eva Schrale, 7, of Kensington. The challenge will continue for the remaining games of the WBBL. Picture: Dean Martin

“That shows the quality of people in this competition … the close-knit women’s cricket community.”

With only one win separating ladder leaders Brisbane Heat from sixth-placed Melbourne Renegades (with Strikers second), Saturday’s match against bottom-placed Stars is a must-win for Adelaide.

Devine said Adelaide would train at the oval on Friday to adapt to the conditions.

“Obviously it’s going to be different conditions up there in the Barossa; it’s going to be the team that adapts best that will get on top,” she said.

Devine said the Strikers’ were happy to be sitting with a 5-3 win-loss ratio, with the team’s batters – including Suzie Bates, Tahlia McGrath and Bridget Patterson – chipping in through the eight games to date.

Record-breaking Kiwi cricketer Sophie Devine has launched a charity challenge across the WBBL and she hopes to raise $20,000 with the #ZincChallenge. Picture: Sarah Reed

But she praised the bowling line-up as the foundation for the team’s success so far.

“They've got us out of some tricky situations, I think back to the Hobart game (on October 26) where we defended 113.

“When you’ve got a number of bowlers executing their plans and keeping sides to low scores that our batters can then chase down … it builds confidence within the group.”

Devine singled out Australia’s international inswinger Megan Schutt for praise: “She probably hasn’t got the wickets she’s deserved, but to constantly be bowling two or three overs in the power play which is the most difficult time, I think, to be bowling in a T20 innings, she just does the job, time and again.”

At the midpoint of the WBBL season, Schutt has taken seven wickets (Devine has 10), but has an economy of 5.31, which puts her second in the league behind Renegades Danni Wyatt with 5.00, the critical different being that Schutt has bowled 32 overs and Wyatt only six.

Originally published as What’s more Aussie than zinc cream? Sophie Devine shows her true colours in the name of raising money for charity