Hobart Hurricanes solidify top-spot with big win

Rishad Hossain (3-26), Riley Meredith (2-16) and Nathan Ellis (2-7) led the way as Hobart Hurricanes solidified their top spot on the points table with their sixth win in eight BBL games this season. After Hurricanes posted a competitive 178/6, the pace duo blew the chasers away with four wickets by the third over. Middle-order batter Liam Scott led a lone fight with an unbeaten 91, but it wasn't enough as nine batters around him finished with single-digit scores.

The chase was a non-starter for the Strikers. Meredith started with a double-wicket maiden over, sending back Matthew Short and Mackenzie Harvey. In the next over, Ellis sent Chris Lynn packing, through the smart use of DRS for a caught-behind call. Ellis took some convincing but sent it upstairs eventually and got the decision ruled in his team's favour. In the same over, Ellis also had Jason Sangha caught behind to leave the Strikers 8 for 4 in chase of Hurricanes' 178/6.

Once the two pacers were done, Rishad took over. He became the third bowler to strike in his first over of the match as he dismissed Harry Manenti in the sixth. Rishad then bowled a peach to start off his next over, dragging Jamie Overton out of the crease and beating him in the air to have him stumped in the ninth over. In the 10th, Rehan Ahmed cleaned up Jerrssis Wadia to reduce the chasing team to 62/7. Luke Wood and Scott attempted to put together a chase-reviving partnership and pushed through for 4.4 overs before Rishad dismissed the former. Scott continued to try and press on, hitting Rehan for a couple of sixes but the effort around him was sub-standard. He finished off with a couple of sixes in the 20th over, walking away unbeaten on 91 in a lost cause.

Before the early and constant inroads from the bowlers set up the win for the Hurricanes, their batters put up a united front to carry the side to a defendable total. It all began with a whirlwind PowerPlay, where the Hurricanes amassed 51/1 in just four overs. This came largely via Mitchell Owen, who smashed two fours and four sixes on his way to a nine-ball 33.

After a 15-ball 42-run stand between Tim Ward and Owen, Rehan and Ward added 38 off 25. Hurricanes lost the two batters in quick succession through the middle but another strong stand ensued - 40 off 37 between Nikhil Chaudhary and Ben McDermott. Even that was breached just before the death overs, but then came the Matthew Wade-Macalister Wright alliance worth 50. At every juncture, Hurricanes found batters joining forces and dragging them forward, leading the side to a total they defended comfortably in the end.

Brief Scores:Hobart Hurricanes 178/6 in 20 overs (Mitchell Owen 33, Rehan Ahmed 29, Matthew Wade 27; Jamie Overton 2-13, Luke Wood 2-48) beat Adelaide Strikers 141/9 in 20 overs (Liam Scott 91; Rishad Hossain 3-26, Nathan Ellis 2-7, Riley Meredith 2-17) by 37 runs