Adelaide Strikers edge closer to WBBL05 finals appearance with thrilling two-run win in Hobart
Last-over bowling heroics by Adelaide’s Sarah Coyte helped the electric blue clinch a thrilling two-run victory over Hobart Hurricanes which has all but assured the Strikers of a WBBL05 finals berth.
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In a heart-stopper in Tasmania, the Adelaide Strikers won a thriller over the Hobart Hurricanes by two runs.
It all came down to the last over when Sarah Coyte was handed the ball with the Hurricanes needing 11 runs from the final six balls. But Coyte’s level head, aided by a field set to the boundary, meant the home team fell two runs short of their 144 target set for victory.
Despite the heroics of Hurricanes big-hitter Chloe Tryon (44 from 22 balls), the Strikers won and have all but booked themselves a place in the WBBL05 finals: their second finals appearance in five seasons.
This eighth – and arguably most important – win, was built on an all-round team performance, but largely off the bat of captain Suzie Bates – who hit an impressive 64 (54 balls) – and legspinner Amanda-Jade Wellington who took 3/23 from her four overs.
After being sent into bat, the Smash Sisters – Kiwi duo Bates and Sophie Devine – lived up to their moniker and belted the Strikers to 0/76 from the first 10 overs.
So in the 12th over, back came opening fast bowler Belinda Vakarewa, such was the desperation of the Hurricanes to break the partnership of the New Zealanders.
And it worked with Devine swinging and missing and Vakarewa taking out her stumps.
As Devine’s stumps fell, it brought to an end the incredible run of consecutive half-century scores that Devine has hit over her past five games.
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Her string of five record-breaking scores of 65, 58, 85, 77 and 62 ended with her bowled on 31 from 35 balls.
Bates was playing her 300th top-level T20 game (a number that includes all her international games in her NZ colours, as well as those played in the Kia Super League in England as well as Australia’s WBBL) and in doing so became the first female player in the world to make it such a milestone.
So it was only fitting that Bates topscored for the electric blue with an entertaining innings that earned her player of the match recognition.
Her innings led the team to 3/143 from their 20 overs.
When the Strikers took the ball, momentum quickly swung their way thanks to Devine who had opening batter Fran Wilson caught and bowled in the second over for only four. Then in the next over Megan Schutt – one of the world’s most elite bowlers – had Erin Fazackerley caught behind and the Hurricanes were on the ropes at 2/10. But Tryon’s innings kept the Hurricanes in the game and her well-hit six off the final ball of the 19th over put hearts in mouths until Coyte’s tight lines meant the Strikers could celebrate their well-earned eighth win of the season.
They return to Blundstone Arena on Sunday morning to take on Sydney Thunder.