WBBL: Hobart’s Rachel Priest makes Hurricanes history with stunning century

The Hurricanes’ Rachel Priest wasted no time in bringing up her first WBBL century as fans went absolutely bananas over her innings.

Hobart Hurricanes skipper Rachel Priest made history as she blasted her way to an unbeaten century against the Melbourne Stars. Picture: Steve Bell/Getty Images

Hurricanes captain Rachel Priest blasted her way to the first century of the WBBL season in a history making knock in Hobart which also finally got her team on the winner’s list.

Priest was unstoppable in a stunning 65-ball innings of 107 which included a staggering 82 runs in boundaries, swatting 10 fours and seven sixes, including a six to reach her maiden WBBL hundred in a demolition of the Melbourne Stars.

The New Zealander’s solo heroics - she scored 70 per cent of her team’s score of 4-152 - was more than anything the Stars could match as the green team remained winless for the tournament.

Priest’s score was the Hurricanes’ highest WBBL score of all time, and the fourth highest score in the competition’s seven-year history.

“After the start I had, I wasn’t that happy,” Priest, who returned scored of 21 and two in the opening two games, said after the match.

“It was a crazy innings, I wasn’t expecting to get that many runs. I’ll certainly take it and it just came off for me today.”

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The effort of Priest with the bat was matched with the ball by Hurricanes spinner Ruth Johnston who returned the stunning figures of 4-8 as the Stars were rolled for just 89.

Rachel Priest biffs 7 sixes and 10 fours. The rest of the team: 4 fours.

— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) October 19, 2021

No words needed. A stunning 100, raise the bat Priesty 💜#TasmaniasTeam#WBBL07pic.twitter.com/LeTfawTQGr

— Hobart Hurricanes (@HurricanesBBL) October 19, 2021

Priest 107 (68 balls) - 70.39% of the total
The rest: 36 (52 balls)#WBBL07

— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) October 19, 2021

Rachel Priest brings up her century with another six!

The first Hobart Hurricanes player to score a century in the WBBL. #WBBL07

— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) October 19, 2021

The victory was a crucial one for the Hurricanes after two losses to open the tournament and Priest laid an incredible platform, despite some stunning early catching from the Stars.

But the run chase never really got going, as wickets fell steadily and when the Lanning sisters were dismissed in consecutive balls, by different bowlers, first Anna then captain Meg, the chase was doomed.

There’s little time for Lanning’s team to dwell on the loss however, with a re-match against the rampaging Sydney Sixers scheduled for Wednesday.

Originally published as WBBL: Hobart’s Rachel Priest makes Hurricanes history with stunning century