With two vital points up for grabs as well as the chance to climb up the Big Bash table, Adelaide Strikers stepped into Hobart to take on the Hurricanes. Things were going well for the visitors as a fiery start promised a substantial total. However, they kept losing wickets in clusters and could only limp to a paltry score.
Requiring a shade over 7 runs per over, the Hurricanes preferred to establish a solid base before going after the bowling attack. Notwithstanding a couple of quick wickets in the latter part of their chase, the hosts cruised to the target quite comfortably to enter the top half of the points table.
Brief Scores: Adelaide Strikers – 143 all out from 20 overs (Brad Hodge 55, Ben Dunk 31, Daniel Christian 5/14, Stuart Broad 1/17); Hobart Hurricanes – 144/2 from 17.4 overs (D’Arcy Short 60, Tim Paine 41, Kumar Sangakkara 22*, Billy Stanlake 1/17)
Result – Hobart Hurricanes won by 8 wickets with 14 balls remaining
#5 Ben Dunk lives and dies by the sword
Just as the trade window for this Big Bash season closed, Ben Dunk found himself being transferred from Hobart Hurricanes to Adelaide Strikers in exchange for a young seamer in Hamish Kingston. When confronted with an ideal opportunity, he chose to remind his former employers what they could miss during this season.
After biding his time during the first three overs, the 29-year old cut loose and began to carve away at the Hobart bowlers. Simon Milenko was at the receiving end of Dunk’s hammering which saw two sixes and two fours within five deliveries. However, the bowler had the last laugh as the wicket-keeper batsman took the wrong route to a precise yorker.
#4 Kieron Pollard’s poor run continues
The start of this Big Bash edition has been a strange one for Kieron Pollard. Normally a powerful hitter, who bowls serviceable medium pace, the burly Trinidadian has struggled for runs whilst still managing to chip in with handy wickets. From his first three matches, he had scores of 1,4 and 29 (from 20 balls) but picked up three wickets from largely economical overs.
Coming into bat at 94/4, Pollard looked to play himself in before flexing his muscles. After a few singles and a sturdy drive, the Caribbean journeyman was dismissed by a perfectly executed plan from the Hurricanes. With vast swathes of land available on the off-side, left-arm spinner Clive Rose forced him to unfurl a big shot and duly disturbed the woodwork.
#3 Daniel Christian towers above everyone else
Daniel Christian has played 19 ODIs and 15 T20Is for Australia with the last of his international appearances coming in the 2014 World T20. Ever on the look-out for more opportunities, the 33-year old all-rounder has been putting in the hard yards in the domestic circuit. Following a more than decent first-class season, he was surprisingly not given even a single over during the first few matches of this Big Bash edition.
With skipper Tim Paine bringing him into the attack in the third over of this game, Christian made a strong statement by delivering an incisive spell. Upon landing a couple of blows in the early stages, he returned to prise out three wickets in the final over and registered his career-best T20 figures.
#2 D’Arcy Short stands tall in the chase
Despite being well past 26, D’Arcy Short has only played 1 first-class fixture, 5 list-A games and 4 Twenty20 matches (including this one). The indigenous Australian made his debut in the shortest format during the Hurricanes’ season opener against Sydney Sixers and made an instant impression by smashing a 29-ball 61.
He was at it again with the Strikers bearing the brunt of his blitz. With Paine’s experience and tactical acumen complementing his aggressive stroke-play, the southpaw ensured that the chase was nothing more than a cruise. The opening duo put on over 100 runs at a healthy clip to prevent the bowlers from having a sniff.
#1 Kumar Sangakkara completes the formality
The Strikers got a temporary reprieve when both the well-set batsmen departed in quick succession. Short’s attempted dab to third man ended his knock while Travis Head somehow breached through Paine’s defence. With just 29 runs required from the last 31 balls, a calm head was required at the crease.
Sri Lankan artist Kumar Sangakkara gave them just that by completing the chase without too much fuss. Though he had his fair share of nervous moments, the 39-year old unveiled a stylish six over backward point as well as a typical pull shot through the midwicket region. In a way, it was perhaps fitting that the winning moment came via an inside edge.
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