BBL 2017-18, Match 17 Review: Hobart Hurricanes seal a crucial win in a nail-biting encounter

The Adelaide Strikers’ unbeaten run in the BBL 2017-18 has been cut short only to 3 matches as Hobart Hurricanes sealed a crucial win. Losing two and winning just one before this game, they were under a lot of pressure to perform and the Hurricanes delivered against a big team on a big occasion.

Batting first, the Hurricanes had no other option but to post a big total to have something to defend. D’Arcy Short and Alex Doolan provided them a good start in this prospect and added 60 runs in 8.1 overs. Both players went on about things mixing caution and aggression very carefully, but they needed much more than that.

D’Arcy Short upped the ante during his second wicket partnership with Ben McDermott. McDermott scored a run-a-ball 18 and kept watching as Short kept striking some big hits. He completed his half-century in the process in the 12th over. His exploits went another level upbeat after going past the fifty mark and inside no time, he was in the 90s.

He was dismissed for a well-made 96 off 58 balls, which included 9 fours and four sixes. Matthew Wade, the Australian discard, played a crucial cameo towards the end that ensured the Hurricanes went past the 180-mark. It was an innings dominated by one little piece of brilliance from D’Arcy Short and the Bellerive Oval was on its feet for a major while.

Hobart registered 183 runs for the loss of five in 20 overs. Billy Stanlake returned with figures of 2/27, but the star with the cherry in hand was Rashid Khan. The Afghan once again chipped in with an outstanding spell, picking up 2 wickets and giving away just 18 runs in his four overs.

So close, yet so far!

Losing two wickets for 10 runs doesn’t help your cause when you’re chasing a target over 180. The openers Alex Carey and Jake Weatherald succumbed to the pressure very early in the innings. But skipper Travis Head and South African Colin Ingram stitched a very important partnership to bring the Strikers back into the game.

Both these left-handed batters piled on the agony on the bowlers after a cautious start. Ingram especially, played an absolute blinder under pressure. He exhibited high quality strokeplay and Head struck few big sixes off the spinners as well. The duo added 102 runs for the third wicket and Colin Ingram had raced past his half-century in style.

The game was hanging in balance, a little bit tilted towards the chasing team. But Jofra Archer turned the game on its head by sending Travis Head back in the 14th over. Ingram was dismissed soon after and the chase became an uphill task. Jofra Archer bowled magnificently towards the end and finished with figures of 3/15 against a very strong batting unit.

Eventually, there was a lot of drama in the final few overs. They needed 25 runs in the last two overs to get over the line and with a six off Tymal Mills penultimate over, they accumulated 12 runs in that over. With 13 runs to get in the final over, Jofra Archer gave away just 5 runs and picked up a wicket.

This gifted the Hurricanes a much needed win by 7 runs. This win earned them two crucial points which keeps their hopes in the tournament alive. They also denied the Strikers an opportunity to go past the Perth Scorchers at the top of the table.

Brief Scores

Hobart Hurricanes: 183/5 in 20 overs (D’Arcy Short 96; Rashid Khan 2/18)

Adelaide Strikers: 176/6 in 20 overs (Colin Ingram 66, Travis Head 44; Jofra Archer 3/15)

Player of the match: D’Arcy Short

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