Middle order collapse costs Hobart as the Brisbane Heat prove too hot to handle for the Cane Train

Another gallant effort with the ball was not enough to see Hobart leave Brisbane with a pair of WBBL losses as the batting woes from last year’s tournament surfaced again

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA — OCTOBER 27: Heather Knight of the Hurricanes plays a shot during the Women's Big Bash League match between the Brisbane Heat and the Hobart Hurricanes at Allan Border Field on October 27, 2019 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

THE batting cracks from last year’s disappointing WBBL campaign have again surfaced as Hobart slipped to another tight loss in the T20 format.

After starting the tournament with a pair of victories against the Melbourne Stars last weekend, the Hurricanes leave Brisbane with a 2-2 record after coming up empty-handed against Adelaide on Saturday and the Brisbane Heat this afternoon.

Having failed to chase down 114 against the Strikers, the Hurricanes could only muster 8-123 against the Heat — thanks largely to a brilliant knock from England captain Heather Knight.

Knight finished unbeaten on 61 from 49 balls (four boundaries, two sixes) but Nicola Carey (20) was the only other top order batter to provide a meaningful contribution.

Brisbane overhauled the target on the penultimate ball of the match to register a five wicket win, with opener Beth Mooney (44 not out) and Amelia Kerr (28 not out from 18) combining for a 42-run stand to guide the hosts home.

The Hurricanes were in the box seat with 29 runs required from the last 18 balls but Kerr opened her shoulders to crunch four boundaries from Belinda Vakarewa in the 18th over to snatch the momentum.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA — OCTOBER 27: Amelia Kerr of the Heat hits the ball to the boundary for a four during the Women's Big Bash League match between the Brisbane Heat and the Hobart Hurricanes at Allan Border Field on October 27, 2019 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Ultimately though it was Hobart’s under par total which proved its undoing, with Jess Jonassen (4-20) ripping the heart out of the middle order with three wickets in the 15th over, including English international Fran Wilson and South African star Chloe Tryon in consecutive deliveries.

“Unfortunately it has become a bit of a theme those close losses, obviously last year and today was very close as well,” Knight said.

“We just didn’t get enough runs, we were 15 short on quite a slow wicket but I thought the bowling effort was brilliant.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA — OCTOBER 27: Tayla Vlaeminck of the Hurricanes bowls during the Women's Big Bash League match between the Brisbane Heat and the Hobart Hurricanes at Allan Border Field on October 27, 2019 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

“We got it out to nines (runs per over) in the end and it looked like it was going to be one we were going to sneak but we couldn’t get over the line.

“There was a lot of fight by the girls to take it that close and take it down to the last over.”

Knight, Carey, Tryon and opener Erin Fazackerley have all provided sparkling individual cameos through the first four games and although the batting unit has not clicked as a whole, Knight is not concerned.

“It is exciting that it hasn’t clicked yet, when it does and we get that team batting performance it’s going to be a group that is capable of making those big totals.

“We just lost too many wickets today, we had that over that stopped the momentum we had.”

The Hurricanes will play their first matches on home soil next weekend against the Sydney Thunder at West Park.