Hurricanes beat defending WBBL champs to stay unbeaten
Scott Bailey |
Heather Graham has helped send Hobart two wins clear at the top of the WBBL, leading the Hurricanes to a rain-marred six-wicket win over Melbourne Renegades.
Initially set 156 by the second-placed Renegades, Hobart’s innings was delayed twice by rain and lightning before they reached an adjusted target of 106 with an over to spare.
Graham was the star of the show, bagging 3-23 with the ball to halt the Renegades’ momentum before striking a crucial unbeaten 14 in the chase at North Sydney Oval on Thursday.
Nic Carey also struck 39 from 29 balls for Hobart, while Elyse Villani hit 12 runs from four balls to seal the match after the Hurricanes had returned from a delay needing 12 off 10.
One of only two clubs not to have lifted the WBBL, the Hurricanes are now five-from-five to start the season with their batting firing.
“We’ve got real clarity about us,” captain Villani said.
“We have lots of options with bat and ball so we’re spoiled for choice. And I don’t think anyone feels like it is solely up to them, so it’s a real shared load.”
Earlier a bizarre missed run out had threatened to sink the Hurricanes, after Georgia Wareham’s 41 from 26 balls rescued the defending-champions Renegades from 3-23.
Wareham was initially given run out for six, only for Hurricanes wicketkeeper Lizelle Lee to concede she had dropped the ball.
Wareham then took control of the innings in a 56-run fourth-wicket stand with English star Alice Capsey (37).
The pair hit 39 in the two-over power surge, with Wareham cutting and pulling four boundaries and a six off the first five balls of a Hayley Silver-Holmes over.
But when Wareham skied the last ball of Silver-Holmes’ over and was caught, the Renegades failed to post the total they should have.
Elsewhere Chamari Athapaththu has been left out of the Thunder’s squad to face Brisbane on Friday, after starting the tournament with scores of 32, 0 and 3.
Athapaththu was the WBBL player of the tournament as recently as two seasons ago.
Heat superstar Grace Harris has also been ruled out as she manages her return from a calf injury, meaning she will miss out on facing her sister Laura.
AAP
