WBBL | Wyatt-Hodge lights up AB Field to earn Hobart Hurricanes win over Sydney Thunder in season opener

Gantavya Adukia

ByGantavya Adukia,SportsCafe Editor

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Sydney Thunder failed to contain the Hobart Hurricanes at Allan Border Field on Sunday as Danny Wyatt-Hodge's 52-ball 90 saw them chase down 182 with six wickets to spare. Nicola Carey remained unbeaten on 58 off 43 while Shabnim Ismail's brilliant returns of 2/22 in four overs went in vain.

Danni Wyatt-Hodge's 52-ball 90 led Hobart Hurricanes to a six-wicket win over Sydney Thunder in their WBBL season opener

Asked to bat first, Sydney Thunder got off to a lightning start with two Georgia Voll boundaries in the opening over. Tahlia Wilson joined the party with a four of her own in the second over, followed by three strikes in a single Lauren Smith over as the side raced to 33/0 at the end of the first poweprlay. The duo brought up the half-century stand in the sixth over with a bunchload of extras to thank when heather Graham finally struck to dispatch Wilson for a less than run-a-ball 22. Lauren Smith got rid of her partner four balls later to seize further momentum for the Hurricanes but opposition skipper Phoebe Litchfield walked in with intent and struck two fours and a maximum in her six-ball stay for 16 before ultimately holing out off Strano. With both Heather Knight and Chamari Athapaththu struggling for rhythm, Hurricanes piled on the pressure again as the score read 89/3 after 12. However, the Sri Lankan finally broke free with a hattrick of boundaries against Nicola Carey, inspiring Knight to smash two maximums in the next over and get proceedings back on track. Athapaththu brought up the 50-run mark in the partnership with another four but fell just two balls later for a 22-ball 32, bringing new recruit Laura Harris to the crease. The veteran instantly likened herself to the fans by smashing a six off her second ball followed by a boundary, and anothe rpair followed soon after as she raced away to 20 off seven before falling victim to Silver-Holmes. Nevertheless, Knight took on the aggregator role at the other end with another hattrick of fours in the 18th over before also departing to Silver-Holmes for a 31-ball 39 as a tidy alst two overs restricted the Thunder to 181/8.

In response, Lizelle Lee and Danni Whatt-Hodge began confidently by smashing a boundary each in the first over against Shabnim Ismail. Lee upped her tally to three against Suzie Bates but her hurrah did not last long as Ismail had the final laugh to send her packing for 13. Bates also opened her account with the big wicket of Nat Sciver-Brunt in the next over as Hobart ended the mandatory powerplay on 27/2. Wyatt-Hodge and Carey dug in thereafter to bring the chase back on track, the duo making sure to keep the odd boundary coming as the score reached 78/2 at the halfway stage, leaving them 104 to get off the final 10. Carey began the hurry on with another boundary off Voll but her English partner elevated to another gear as she smashed debutant Hasrat Gill for two maximums in a 16-run over. Carey added to the misery with five boundaries across the next three overs, bringing the equation down to 42 in the final five. Wyatt-Hodge though was not content waiting that long as she struck Peshcel for a couple of boundaries to begin the 16th over, and capped it off with another four and a maximum in a 20-run effort. Even though Bates denied her the opportunity of staying through to the end and completing a ton, Carey made sure it was smooth sailing at the death to seal a six-wicket ton. 

Hurricanes Win 💜

Thunder Fails

Power Hitting

Boundary Fest

Victorious Begin

Wyatt Magic

Half-Century

Big Stand

Chamari Returns

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