Hobart Hurricanes to debut their indigenous look in clash with Renegades

Pulling on the purple will have extra meaning for the Hobart Hurricanes this weekend. SEE WHY >>

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PULLING on purple will have extra meaning for the Hobart Hurricanes on Friday and Saturday as they don their specially-designed strip for the WBBL’s inaugural First Nations Round.

The indigenous shirts will make their debut when the Hurricanes take on the Melbourne Renegades at Mackay’s Great Barrier Reef Arena on Friday and the Sydney Thunder on Saturday.

Hobart Hurricanes Mignon Du Preez, Sasha Moloney, Naomi Stalenberg and Molly Strano in their WBBL inaugural First Nations Round strip. Picture Hobart Hurricanes

The tops were designed by Palawa woman, Sharnie Read, from the North-West Coast.

General Manager of the Hobart Hurricanes, Scott Barnes, said the team was proud to wear a design with such a strong meaning.

“The team had a virtual sit-down with Sharnie to learn a little both about herself and her experience as an Aboriginal Tasmanian, and also to understand what the design they would be wearing on the weekend would mean to people back in Tasmania,” he said.

“It’s really important to our players that they understand what it means to pull on a Hurricanes jersey, but even more so this week during the league’s inaugural First Nations Round.

“We are incredibly thankful to Sharnie, not just for her beautiful design but for the time she has taken to engage with the team, and I’m sure they will represent her and the Palawa people with pride in Mackay.”

Most of the symbols depicted are found in ancient engravings around Tasmania’s coastline, and show the Palawa people’s connection to land and sea through the symbols rolling across the waves. The blue gum leaves represent the sharing of knowledge, the love of the island, and its unique environment.

Hurricane turns renegade against former WBBL side

ALL-ROUNDER Molly Strano still has “emotional connections” to the Melbourne Renegades but she has been a key player in formulating a game-plan for the Hobart Hurricanes to beat the side she once played for in the WBBL.

The Hurricanes have two games left in their disastrous WBBL07 campaign, taking on the Renegades in Mackay, Far North Queensland, on Friday and the Sydney Thunder on Saturday.

Molly Strano has history with the Hurricanes’ next opponent the Renegades. Picture: Getty

Strano said the Hurricanes were still annoyed by their six-wicket loss to the Adelaide Strikers last weekend, but were determined to go out with a bang.

“We weren’t too disappointed with some aspects of our game but we ended up having a tough loss,” she said.

“We’ve had a week to recoup and get back to the drawing board and work out a few ways to rectify a few of our issues with both bat and ball.

“It has been nice to have a bit of a lead-up to these two games and to get some good training under our belt and hopefully we can come out and put on two good shows over the weekend.”

Molly Strano has used her experience of playing with the Renegades to help formulate a plan of attack for this weekend’s game. Picture: Getty

Strano has plenty of history with the Renegades.

“I played the first five editions with them so I still have quite a strong emotional connection with the team,” she said.

“This will be the second time I’ve played them this season. I was incredibly nervous when we played them in round one, but I’m excited for this contest and hopefully we can come out on top.”

Hurricanes hope to blow Adelaide away in WBBL

THE Hobart Hurricanes hope to break their three-game losing streak against Adelaide in their WBBL contest in Far North Queensland on Saturday as the Strikers also attempt to end their run of three consecutive losses.

Hurricanes all-rounder Molly Strano says a change of fortune is just around the corner for the Canes, who have a win-loss ratio of 3-7 going into their match in McKay.

“We’ve had a few games that got away on us, and we’ve had some close losses, so we’re a little bit disappointed with how the season has played out thus far,” Strano said.

“We are really excited to get back on the park this weekend and hopefully finish this campaign in a winning fashion.”

After Adelaide, the Hurricanes play the Melbourne Renegades and Sydney Thunder to round out their frustrating campaign.

Strano said skipper Rachel Priest, the team’s opening batter and wicketkeeper, had been “brave”.

“She broke her finger early on but she has managed to keep playing through it,” she said.

“She has been huge for us both from a leadership perspective and the way she has been able to perform under such duress.

“We are all really proud of “Priesty” and hopefully she can finish the season strongly as well.”

Queensland teenager Ruth Johnston, who plays for Queensland Fire in the WNCL, will be back in action on home soil.

“Ruth has been awesome in her first year of Big Bash cricket,” Strano said.

“She has been phenomenal with both bat and ball.

“We saw how destructive she can be with the bat and she has done so well bowling her off-breaks, and been really economical as well.

“She has been a great find for us. She has fitted in seamlessly. She’s easy-going, a typical Queensland character, so she has fitted in nicely and we love having her in the purple with us.

“Hopefully she sticks around in purple for a few years to come.”

Hobart Hurricanes _ Rachel Priest (c), Maddison Brooks, Nicola Carey, Mignon du Preez, Angelina Genford, Richa Ghosh, Ruth Johnston, Sasha Moloney, Chloe Rafferty, Amy Smith, Naomi Stalenberg, Molly Strano, Belinda Vakarewa, Tayla Vlaeminck.