WBBL | Wyatt-Hodge's patch in purple continues as Hurricanes pull off nervy chase against Strikers

Asked to bat first, Adelaide Strikers got off to a cautious start against the swinging new ball with just three runs coming off the first two overs. Laur Wolvdaart finally breathed soe lfe into proceedings with the first boundary of the game in the third over, but the accumulating pressure could not keep Tammy Beaumont from succumbing for six off 12 in the final over of the powerplay with the score 19/1 after four. The scoring stranglehold continued with the spread of field and took both incumbent batters victim in successive overs as the Strikers slid further to 38/3 in eight overs. New batter in Bridget Patterson nearly made it five when a miscommunication with skipper Tahlia McGrath left her straded across the pitch but Lizelle Lee goofed up the simply opportunity to give the visitors a lifeline. The Strikers duly capitalized as the stand ticked over to 27 by the 12th over, and found the moment opportune to opt for their power surge. McGrath got the two-over powerplay off to a rollicking start with back-to-back boundaries but Hayley Silver-Holmes had the last laugh when the veteran holed out for 21 off 16. Nevertheless, Patterson took over the mantle with a six and four to begin the next over and even though Nicola Carey got the better of Ellie Johnston, the Hurricanes managed to take 20 of the over. However, the wicket-keeper batter herself followed suit quickly for a 22-ball 24 once the field spread again, leaving Amanda-Jade Wellington and Sophie Ecclestone with the task of getting them to a competitive score from 94/6 after 15. The duo responded with a boundary each in the next over, before Wellington struck a couple more in the 18th to keep things on track. Ecclestone's stumping in the penultimate over meant there were a slight curb in the fireworks, but Wellington managed to stay unbeaten on 33 off 21 as Adelaide posted a defendable 134/7.

In response, Hobart Hurricanes continued to get things rolling from the get go as Lizelle Lee struck a maximum off the fourth ball she faced before the tournament's leading run-scorer Danni Wyatt-Hodge smashed 19-year-old WBBL debutant Eleanor Larosa for a quartet of fours. It took a two-run over from Darcie Brown, including the wicket of Lee on the final delivery, to keep the Hurricanes to 33/1 in their four-over powerplay but the required rate had already reached close to six. Brown continued to hammer down the hosts' momentum as she struck timber against Natalie-Sciver Brunt and then dispatched Nicola Carey in her next over to suddenly leave the Hurricanes in a spot of bother at 53/3 after eight. Even so, Wyatt motored along with confidence, making sure she kept the boundaries coming to stay at par with the required run rate. Heather Graham tried to play a support role with a 13-ball stay for 10 as her English partner brought up a 33-ball half-century but Brown returned again to sound Graham the death rattle, finishing with astonishing figures of 4/16. With 51 required off 48 and big-hitter Elyse Villani now out in the middle, the Hurricanes opted for the power surge. Little could they have imagined Ecclestone holding down Wyatt for five successive dots as the Hurricanes managed just 11 from the two-over period, despite Villani smashing a maximum on the penultimate ball. The duo allayed some nerves with a couple of boundaries in the next over but just when the Hurricanes were headed for victory, some poor running had Villani heading back for 15 with 30 required in as many balls. The Strikers continued to hit excellent lines and lengths as three boundare-less overs went for just 16 before Wellington further introduced jeopardy by sending Rachel Tranaman packing. Ultimately, it boiled down to eight off the final over and then seven off four with Silver-Holmes on strike. In a bizarre finish, a top-edge followed by misfield earned the Hurricanes two boundaries, securing them a four-wicket win to maintain the perfect start to the season.

Tense finish.  more than a tad fortunate more than once.  (maybe because of the damp?) misfields on the boundary to gift the game. Conditions may not have been easy.  again central. 

— Rick Walton (@sportslaureate) 

Nice

Silver holmes had more intent than beaumont and ecclestone . What a washed bunch fucking dumbfucks play for adelaide . MY GOD schutt is dreadful 

— syed johar ali (@syedjohara43716) 

Superb

Whoever dominated 25 mins ..come to win or come low    

— kp Astro Cricket Astrology (@astro_cric77) 

Defeat one

Excellent  🤩 

— Sudeshna (@BhatraiSudeshna)