Time off or matches under the belt heading into a final?
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It's a perennial question and a situation acutely felt by the Hobart Hurricanes and Perth Scorchers ahead of Saturday night's WBBL decider.
The Hurricanes, who earned top spot on the ladder and direct passage to a home final, haven't taken to the field since December 5 - a no-result against Adelaide.
Perth, meanwhile, have played three games in two states in the past week, including an elimination win over the Sixers in Sydney on Thursday night.
"If you sit back and think about what is the perfect preparation, I don't think anyone has the answer," Hurricanes captain Elyse Villani said.
"(But) it was great we were able to have a few days of rest. We've had a lot of people play a lot of games.
"If it doesn't go our way … it doesn't come down to anything that we haven't done. I feel like we're in a really positive space to make the best of it."
Scorchers skipper Sophie Devine travelled to Hobart ahead of the rest of the squad in order to make Friday's early afternoon media commitment.
"You can look at it both ways. Some will say having a rest is positive, some are going to say playing cricket will prepare you best," she said.
"Either way you look at it, both teams are going to go into it really ready."
Perth have won six of their past seven games, the only loss coming when Hobart pulled off the highest run chase in WBBL history.
Devine said the Scorchers, who are aiming to lift the silverware for a second time, weren't fussed by either chasing or setting a target.
The Hurricanes are yet to win a WBBL title and are in their first final, with 36-year-old veteran Villani finishing runner-up in three attempts elsewhere.
"My record is worse than what I thought. It would be a dream come true (to win) to be honest," she said.
"I've been going at this 11 seasons and I've been very jealous every single year of the people who have been able to lift that trophy."
Villani said the Hurricanes were drawing inspiration from their male counterparts who broke through for a maiden BBL title last season in front of a home crowd.
Perth opener Beth Mooney, the season's leading run-scorer, is in a rich vein of form and spinner Alana King has come to life with nine scalps in her past four games.
Villani said her chargers would back their experience - their top six has all played international cricket.
"I think that will play into our favour but anything can happen in T20," she said.
Australian Associated Press
