Matthew Wade leads Hobart Hurricanes to 6-183 against Renegades at Blundstone Arena
Raw quick Riley Meredith has recovered from one of the most extraordinary overs seen in the Big Bash to help Hobart nail down top spot on the ladder and secure a home semi-final.
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RAW quick Riley Meredith has recovered from one of the most extraordinary overs seen in the Big Bash to help Hobart nail down top spot on the ladder and secure a home semi-final.
The Hurricanes (6-183) proved they can deliver with the ball when defending a total by defeating the Melbourne Renegades by 16 runs on Thursday night to sew up the minor premiership with only Saturday’s clash with the Sydney Thunder in Canberra remaining.
However it didn’t come without a dramatic start to the bowling innings from Meredith, who was entrusted with the new ball with James Faulkner sidelined with a knee injury.
The youngster, who has impressed all Big Bash, sent down three consecutive no-balls — two front foot and one above waist high — interspersed by five wides to leak 23 runs from the wayward over.
An incredible 17 of those came from one legitimate delivery as he struggled with his run up and direction.
However he returned to the attack later in the innings and picked up the prized scalp of Dan Christian in the 15th over to extinguish the visitors’ hopes of overhauling their target.
Courtesy of Meredith’s assistance, the Renegades flew from the blocks as they chased a win which would have secured them a home semi.
Melbourne raced to its best powerplay of BBL|08 (1-70) before Afghani debutant Qais Ahmed (2-34) and D’Arcy Short (2-20) triggered a collapse of 3-9 to turn the momentum.
Ahmed’s maiden BBL wicket of Aaron Finch is one he will never forget and from there Hobart was able to peg the contest back on its own terms.
Jofra Archer (2-19) was superb on a night most bowlers struggled to contain the flow of runs, getting the initial breakthrough of Test opener Marcus Harris before killing the game when he removed Mackenzie Harvey late.
Hobart’s total was built around another brilliant opening stand from captain Matthew Wade (58 from 30 balls) and Short (28 off 23), who combined for 87 runs before both were dismissed in the space of three balls.
Only hours after being snubbed yet again by Australian selectors when he was left out of the ODI and T20 squads, Wade crunched his sixth half century of BBL|08 in blistering fashion.
However the visitors dragged the run rate back after initially looking like they would be chasing more than 200, before Ben McDermott (39 not out from 30) recovered from a nasty blow in the final over to boost the score.
McDermott attempted a ramp to left-arm seamer Harry Gurney on the third ball of the final over, only to send a full toss spearing into his throat.
After receiving some treatment he launched the next over deep mid wicket, but could not find the boundary again from the last two balls.
MID-INNINGS: The Hurricanes have delivered another scorching start from the country’s most in form duo against the Melbourne Renegades at Blundstone Arena.
Needing just one victory from its final two matches to lock up top spot — a position held since early in the tournament — Hobart has set the visitors, who are looking to secure a home semi-final themselves, 184 to win.
It is a total which appears under par on a good batting wicket, and one which is perhaps 25-30 runs short of what the hosts were on track for after Matthew Wade and D’Arcy Short kick-started proceedings with a scorching start.
Hours after being snubbed yet again by Australian selectors when he was left out of the ODI and T20 squads, Wade crunched his sixth half century of BBL|08 in blistering fashion.
The Hurricanes skipper plundered 58 from just 30 balls, carving six boundaries and four sixes to lift the side to its best batting powerplay (0-64) of the series.
MORE: WHAT MORE DOES WADE HAVE TO DO?
Short (28 off 23) was reduced to a support role but after an 87-run stand union, the pair were dismissed in the space of three balls in the ninth over by Kane Richardson to completely turn the momentum of the contest.
Wade skewed a slower ball out to deep mid-wicket, before Short carved a full toss straight to point.
Caleb Jewell fell cheaply shortly after as the Renegades further turned the screws, and the normally reliable George Bailey was unable to exert his influence, managing just nine singles from 11 deliveries before spooning a catch to cover to see Hobart slip to 4-123.
Simon Milenko gave the run rate a spike in the 17th over after taking 20 from an expensive Richardson (2-55), before Ben McDermott recovered from a nasty blow in the last over to boost the total to 6-183.
McDermott (39 not out from 30) attempted a ramp to left-arm seamer Harry Gurney on the third ball of the final over, only to send a full toss spearing into his throat.
After receiving some treatment he launched the next over deep mid wicket, but could not find the boundary again from the last two balls.
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