Blown away in powerplays, Hurricanes looking for plan B

Defending the powerplay has been identified as the area of weakness as the Hobart Hurricanes look to fix the only chink in their armour.

DEFENDING  the powerplay has been identified as the area of weakness as the Hobart Hurricanes look to fix the only chink in their armour.

The Canes can lock up top spot and a home semi with victory in either of their last two games against the Renegades in Hobart tomorrow and the Thunder in Sydney on Saturday.

Hobart is 100 per cent while chasing, but 50 per cent when bowling second, with losses in two of their past three games when defending decent targets.

Both times, the opposition got off to an absolute flyer, with the Sixers 1-67 from six overs in Sydney followed by a Strikers blitz in Launceston that saw Adelaide 0-84 at the end of the powerplay, a run rate of 14 an over.

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Hurricanes captain Matthew Wade said the weakness was being addressed.

“The scores of us batting first and batting second are very similar, we just haven’t quite defended as well as what we need to in the first six overs more than anything,” Wade said.

ADELAIDE, VICTORIA - JANUARY 21: Matthew Wade of the Hobart Hurricanes reacts during the Big Bash League match between the Adelaide Strikers and the Hobart Hurricanes at Adelaide Oval on January 21, 2019 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

“Today they were working really hard on powerplay overs and if we can nail three out of those six overs and you’ve got 170 on the board, you would back yourself most times.”

Second import Qais Ahmad has joined the team but more than likely will be used in the post powerplay overs in his debut tomorrow night.

Test captain Tim Paine has been cleared to return to the Hurricanes, but Wade said given Paine’s heavy summer workload as wicketkeeper and skipper would only join the team if there was an injury.

The Renegades will severely test the Hurricanes, having already defeated Hobart earlier this season and have regained Test opener Marcus Harris to join Aaron Finch at the top of the order.

Wade’s form has been hot in all forms all season, and a topic of conversation after being continually overlooked by the national selectors.

He is the Sheffield Shield leading run-scorer and second only to teammate D’Arcy Short in the BBL.

While still having a desire to return to international cricket, the 31-year-old said he had moved on.

“I haven’t really paid too much attention over what’s been going on at the international level to be honest,” he said.

“I’ve been concentrating on what’s been going on here then had a bit of time off.”