153/6 (19.3)
CR : 7.85
150/8 (20.0)
CR : 7.50
Hobart Hurricanes won by 4 wickets 🏆
Player of the Match
Tim David
42(28)
19.3
4
J Paris to N Ellis
FOURRR!!! Captain Nathan Ellis keeps his cool and picks up the winning boundary! Low full toss outside off stump, Ellis drills it through the covers and picks up four! The Hobart Hurricanes win the Boxing Day contest by 4 wickets. This has been some contest!
HE DOES! HURRICANES WIN! The glum expressions on the faces of the Perth Scorchers players tell a story.
Over 20
Hobart Hurricanes 153/6
Nathan Ellis4(1)
Macalister Wright22(13)
Joel Paris2-22(3.3)
HBH won by 4 wickets
7:07 PM IST, 9:38 PM local time: In the modern world of T20 where 250 is fast becoming the norm, this game served as a reminder why 150 v 150 can be a delectable recipe. Hobart Hurricanes win by 4 wickets, but not after they were stretched thin.
Things looked particularly worrisome when Tim David hobbled off the field after possibly blowing his hamstring. After all, he was the only batter who had got any sort of momentum. He was on 42* (28) and even had some luck going his way — he had been dropped twice — when he had to get retired hurt. That followed by Rehan Ahmed's wicket put the visitors in a precarious spot.
Earlier, Cooper Connolly had turned out to be the hero for Perth Scorchers. He flunked with the bat — could only score 6 (7) — but delivered the goods with his left arm spin. It might have been a poor shot to a filthy ball that brought him the wicket of Mitchell Owen, but he priced out Ben McDermott and Nikhil Chaudhary with some skilful bowling. The latter, in particular, was the big one as he seemed to be holding up one end.
However, in the end, Macalister Wright held his nerve and struck a four and a six off the penultimate over to tilt the scale in Hurricanes' favour.
Before this, the visitors had also pulled things back in the first innings. Despite losing Mitchell Marsh and Connolly early Scorchers seemed to be on their way to a big score. They were 73/2 when Chris Jordan completed an excellent catch at the long-on boundary to send Finn Allen on his way. Rishad Hossain and Riley Meredith were instrumental in the second half of the innings. It was a sprightly 18-ball-27 from Laurie Evans that provided some late impetus to the innings, but they could not score more than 150. In the end, it did not prove to be enough.
Though, the Perth loyalists will tell you that there were at least 5 close wide calls that went against them. Could things have been different otherwise? You be the judge.
Things looked particularly worrisome when Tim David hobbled off the field after possibly blowing his hamstring. After all, he was the only batter who had got any sort of momentum. He was on 42* (28) and even had some luck going his way — he had been dropped twice — when he had to get retired hurt. That followed by Rehan Ahmed's wicket put the visitors in a precarious spot.
Earlier, Cooper Connolly had turned out to be the hero for Perth Scorchers. He flunked with the bat — could only score 6 (7) — but delivered the goods with his left arm spin. It might have been a poor shot to a filthy ball that brought him the wicket of Mitchell Owen, but he priced out Ben McDermott and Nikhil Chaudhary with some skilful bowling. The latter, in particular, was the big one as he seemed to be holding up one end.
However, in the end, Macalister Wright held his nerve and struck a four and a six off the penultimate over to tilt the scale in Hurricanes' favour.
Before this, the visitors had also pulled things back in the first innings. Despite losing Mitchell Marsh and Connolly early Scorchers seemed to be on their way to a big score. They were 73/2 when Chris Jordan completed an excellent catch at the long-on boundary to send Finn Allen on his way. Rishad Hossain and Riley Meredith were instrumental in the second half of the innings. It was a sprightly 18-ball-27 from Laurie Evans that provided some late impetus to the innings, but they could not score more than 150. In the end, it did not prove to be enough.
Though, the Perth loyalists will tell you that there were at least 5 close wide calls that went against them. Could things have been different otherwise? You be the judge.
Time for the Post-match presentations...
Player of the Match: Tim David
Tim David (Hobart Hurricanes): "(On his injury) Just felt a little niggle in the leg while I was coming back for two. Not ideal but happy that the boys could get us over the line.
(On the plan of taking the Surge early) The Scorchers bowl really well here at the Optus but then this can become a different wicket in the back ten. It helps when the top order lays a foundation though. Obviously, we were behind the run rate at that point and would have liked more. Though they gave us an opportunity to pounce in the Surge and yeah happy to get a few away. It is a big ground here and they bowl into the wicket and make it difficult to score runs. So, we wanted to take the Power Surge early and play with freedom and put them under pressure.
(On him coming up the order) It felt like I started on fifth gear today despite coming early. See, we have a very good batting order. A fluid one. Our middle order is a strong one. Obviously no Wadey (Matthew Wade) today but yeah on the whole. The situation demanded it today and I told the management that I am a batter, and I think I should go out there and rebuild the innings. It is my role as a middle order batter.
(On the bowling attack) Yeah, we are seeing Rishad Hossain for the first time in Australia. We can all see how good he is, and it is great to have him as a part of our team. He has got something special in him. Rehan Ahmed too is a special player. Obviously not the front-line spinner with Rishad in the team. He sometimes gets to bowl lesser overs with our deep bowling attack. Our quicks did a great job to restrict them in the back 10 overs. That put a score that we could chase."
(On the plan of taking the Surge early) The Scorchers bowl really well here at the Optus but then this can become a different wicket in the back ten. It helps when the top order lays a foundation though. Obviously, we were behind the run rate at that point and would have liked more. Though they gave us an opportunity to pounce in the Surge and yeah happy to get a few away. It is a big ground here and they bowl into the wicket and make it difficult to score runs. So, we wanted to take the Power Surge early and play with freedom and put them under pressure.
(On him coming up the order) It felt like I started on fifth gear today despite coming early. See, we have a very good batting order. A fluid one. Our middle order is a strong one. Obviously no Wadey (Matthew Wade) today but yeah on the whole. The situation demanded it today and I told the management that I am a batter, and I think I should go out there and rebuild the innings. It is my role as a middle order batter.
(On the bowling attack) Yeah, we are seeing Rishad Hossain for the first time in Australia. We can all see how good he is, and it is great to have him as a part of our team. He has got something special in him. Rehan Ahmed too is a special player. Obviously not the front-line spinner with Rishad in the team. He sometimes gets to bowl lesser overs with our deep bowling attack. Our quicks did a great job to restrict them in the back 10 overs. That put a score that we could chase."
Perth Scorchers have ended up on the rough side of two close shaves. Despite this they are currently at no.4 in the points table and have a positive net run rate. Meanwhile, the defending champions have surged ahead and are sitting pretty at no.2. They would hope that Tim David's injury does not turn out to be a serious one.
Next, Hurricanes face Melbourne Renegades in Hobart, while Scorchers travel to Sydney to face Thunder. Before all of that, it will be Brisbane Heat vs Adelaide Strikers tomorrow at the venue that saw 257 been gunned down. Hence, there is a lot to look forward to.
Do join us at 12:45 PM IST (5:15 PM local time) tomorrow for more Big Bash League action. For now, this is Darpan Tikiya signing off on the behalf of Manan Mehta and Manish Bishnoi. Sayonara!
Next, Hurricanes face Melbourne Renegades in Hobart, while Scorchers travel to Sydney to face Thunder. Before all of that, it will be Brisbane Heat vs Adelaide Strikers tomorrow at the venue that saw 257 been gunned down. Hence, there is a lot to look forward to.
Do join us at 12:45 PM IST (5:15 PM local time) tomorrow for more Big Bash League action. For now, this is Darpan Tikiya signing off on the behalf of Manan Mehta and Manish Bishnoi. Sayonara!