Hurricanes Big Bash dream alive after sending Thunder crashing

George Bailey gave the Hobart faithful a farewell cameo as the Hurricanes continue to build momentum and keep their Big Bash finals dreams alive.

HOBART, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 24: George Bailey of the Hurricanes leaves the field after being dismissed during the Big Bash League match between the Hobart Hurricanes and the Sydney Thunder at Blundstone Arena on January 24, 2020 in Hobart, Australia. Picture: STEVE BELL/GETTY IMAGES

RETIRING hero George Bailey gave the Hobart faithful a farewell cameo as the Hurricanes continue to build momentum and keep their Big Bash finals dreams alive.

Playing his last match on home soil before becoming a national selector, Bailey cracked 29 from 10 balls at the death to finish off the work of skipper Matthew Wade (56) and new sensation Mac Wright (64) and lift the hosts to 6-185 against the Sydney Thunder.

After scoring a second ball duck on his return from India D’Arcy Short turned destroyer with the ball, claiming two wickets in the 13th over – including the huge scalp of Alex Hales – on route to his maiden five-wicket haul as the visitors crumbled to a 57 run defeat.

Bailey clubbed 20 runs from the penultimate over sent down by Tasmanian teammate Gurinder Sandhu, turning the momentum back his side’s way after BBL leading wicket taker Daniel Sams (4-34) had put the clamps on.

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Wade and Wright, who teamed for a franchise record powerplay of 78 on Tuesday night against the Melbourne Renegades, combined again for a 97-run stand before Wade’s 32-ball knock ended when he was caught behind.

His dismissal slowed the run rate, with struggling import David Miller again failing to reach double figures – albeit to an unbelievable catch from Hales at long-on who had to flip the ball back into play after his momentum took him over the rope before diving forward to hang onto the offering.

HOBART, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 24: Mac Wright of the Hurricanes plays a shot during the Big Bash League match between the Hobart Hurricanes and the Sydney Thunder at Blundstone Arena on January 24, 2020 in Hobart, Australia. Picture:STEVE BELL/GETTY IMAGES

HOBART, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 24: George Bailey of the Hurricanes plays a shot during the Big Bash League match between the Hobart Hurricanes and the Sydney Thunder at Blundstone Arena on January 24, 2020 in Hobart, Australia. Picture: Steve Bell/Getty Images

Wright backed up his man of the match performance against the Renegades to firmly establish himself as a Big Bash player of the future, before man of the moment Bailey stepped to the plate.

The former Australian white ball skipper received his fair share of luck, with Hales spilling what would have been a one-handed screamer when his right arm hit the ground at deep mid wicket in the 18th over, before Sams caught an upper cut over point in the 19th only to step onto the rope before he could release the ball.

But it was a vintage Bailey innings which boosted the total above par at Blundstone Arena before James Faulkner, who had missed the past seven games with a calf strain, picked up the prized scalp of Usman Khawaja early.

Hales kept the Thunder in the hunt by bludgeoning 63 from 42 balls, including 23 from the last over of the powerplay when he launched Clive Rose into the stands on three consecutive balls.

But when he miscued Short to Scott Boland at short third man it triggered a stunning collapse of 8-28.

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Short trapped Chris Morris lbw four balls after Hales and then delivered the final dagger to the chase when Alex Ross holed out to deep mid wicket for 36 shortly after.

“A little bit bittersweet to be able to perform like that with those guys back [Short and James Faulkner], knowing if we could have done it a touch earlier we wouldn’t be in this position,” Wade said.

“We have known the last three or four games we need to win and then hopefully things fall our way, if they don’t we haven’t played good enough cricket in this tournament to deserve to get to the number five spot.

“If we can take care of business in Adelaide and one falls our way then we get a shot and with a couple of guys back we have the team to really challenge I think.”

The Hurricanes must now defeat Adelaide in Adelaide on Sunday before relying on several other results to sneak into the top five.

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