Matt Wade stars as Hobart smash Adelaide by 10 wickets

Matt Wade answered personal demons and ramped up heat on national selectors as Hobart avenged its 2017-18 BBL final meltdown with a 10-wicket decimation of Adelaide.

Matthew Wade’s form is undeniable. (Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

• National selectors turn to new blood
• Renegades to pay for lights out saga

Matt Wade answered personal demons and ramped up heat on national selectors as Hobart avenged its 2017-18 BBL final meltdown with a 10-wicket decimation of Adelaide.

Former Australian keeper Wade’s 49-ball 84 in an unbroken, season-high, 158-run opening stand in 16.5 overs with D’Arcy Short (73) wiped the Strikers’ under-par 154 on Monday night

“We had a good night, restricted them with the ball. The more me and D’Arcy bat together the better we get,” man of the match Wade said.

“I am feeling really good, done a lot of work and feel the best I have batted.”

Wade and D'Arcy Short celebrate after a big win. (Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

The Hurricanes are outright title favourite with eight wins from nine games, six points ahead of Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Renegades with a game in hand.

Fifth-placed Adelaide’s title defence has hit turbulence following a flat effort with bat and ball that contrasted with world class performances from Wade, Short and spearhead Jofra Archer (2/23). Adelaide faces a must win game against Melbourne Stars on Wednesday.

Interim skipper Colin Ingram (67, 36 balls) was the only bright light for the Strikers.

Having lost his Test spot to Tim Paine and banished to the No.6 Hurricanes slot as a specialist batsman, Wade was run out for a diamond duck in last February’s decider at Adelaide Oval won by the Strikers. Wade was fined $6000 for poor conduct after smashing his bat in Hobart’s final loss but atoned with a batting masterclass.

Adelaide had no antidote to the Wade and Short onslaught with leg-spinner Rashid Khan (0/36) coming in for rare punishment.

WHIRLWIND WADE

Wade’s form is undeniable. (Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

He’s Sheffield Shield’s leading run scorer this season with 563 at 63, primarily on a difficult Bellerive strip and harassing BBL bowlers with 323 runs at a 141 strike rate but remains on the outer with national selectors.

There is a case for Wade as a specialist Test and or one-day batsmen while the veteran custodian keeps piling the pressure on Australian incumbents Tim Paine and Alex Carey.

“Matty Wade is doing everything better with his game than he ever has. His consistently in all forms of the game is there. His gloves are as good as I have ever seen them even when he was playing for Australia or the lead up,” former Australian keeper Ian Healy told Fox Cricket.

SHORT CHANGED

Opener Short cracked 404 runs at an average of 80 and competition high strike rate of 138 in the JLT one-day series and has dominated BBL 08 with a competition high 441 runs at 63 but was dropped after an indifferent series against a powerhouse South Africa attack in November.

Having lost a one-day series India this month Australia appears to need the firepower with bat and handy spin Short offers in its World Cup defence. Short’ 73 from 52 against the Strikers oozed maturity.

Weatherald couldn’t match his previous heroics. (Mark Brake/Getty Images)

WEATHER THE STORM

Strikers opener Jake Weatherald cleared the fence eight times and smashed 17 boundaries on the way to a remarkable, matchwinning 115 in last season’s final against Hobart but fell cheaply in the rematch.

Either beaten for pace or rushing his shot, Weatherald (4) exited in low percentage fashion to Riley Meredith who was impressive early.

Adelaide is lacking power hitting, Ingram aside, through the order with Weatherald struggling and its top four not dominating as opposed to last season. Adelaide’s has had two 50-run opening stands this season.

The positive for Weatherald is his outrageous stroke play didn’t kick in until the business end of Adelaide’s 2017-18 title winning campaign.

Adelaide moved Matt Short (13) to No.3 against Hobart but struggled for traction. Jono Wells has impressed averaging 51 but mainly through patch up jobs in the middle order.

Colin Ingram did some real damage. (Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

CAPTAIN COURAGEOUS

Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting’s $1.3 million investment in “Bulldozer” Ingram is looking more prudent as the BBL progresses. Ingram has carried enormous pressure in a Strikers batting order regularly stripped of Carey and Travis Head. Ingram has 292 runs at 36 including three half centuries at a sizzling 150 strike rate. Only George Bailey has a better strike rate of BBL batsmen with over 200 runs this tournament.

Ingram and Wells embarked on a 66-run repair job over 46 balls with Adelaide 3-50 inside 10 overs following Carey’s exit to James Faulkner (28). Ingram blasted 31 in 13 balls with Cam Valente — including 22 from the penultimate over against Meredith.

STABILITY ADVANTAGE

Adelaide has continually shuffled its side with keeper-batsman Carey, skipper Head, tearaway Billy Stanlake and seamer Peter Siddle in and out of the team due to international commitments.

Australian 2015 World Cup allrounder James Faulkner told The Advertiser it was surprising a side with game breakers including Wade and Short were available for the Hurricanes but having a settled unit had been ‘huge’ in its surge to top spot this season.

Strikers coach Jason Gillespie has to continually think on his feet but the squad change has affected Adelaide’s consistency.

Hobart has the luxury of knowing its world class hitters in Short, Wade, Ben McDermott, “finisher” Faulkner (2/24), quicks Archer and Meredith will play through the season and plan accordingly.

England and Wales Cricket board eligibility changes means Barbados born speedster Archer — who has an English father — could light up the World Cup for Eoin Morgan’s side this year.

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