BBL 2016-17, Match 14 Review: Daniel Christian picks five as Hobart Hurricanes coast to victory

It was a day of rejoicing in the Bellerive Oval in Hobart when Daniel Christian and D’Arcy Short ensured that the Hobart Hurricanes secured a rather comfortable win over the Adelaide Strikers. This performance came despite the fact that Brad Hodge slammed an impressive half-century on what was a rather slow wicket in Hobart.

Tim Paine, the skipper of the Hurricanes won the toss and opted to field first. This decision came at perhaps the perfect time given the fact that the Hurricanes were left licking their wounds following a few unsavory results in recent times.

Moreover, with the wicket playing for a bit of spin, it was clear that the likes of Clive Rose and Daniel Christian would play a role in the future of the innings. However, the first powerplay of the innings saw the team in purple chase the game for the most part. Ben Dunk and Jake Weatherald were simply in no mood to give any bowler any sort of respite.

While it was Clive Rose who was economical in the first couple of overs, Ben Dunk was simply swinging the bat with impressive results. His innings of 31 came from just 17 deliveries while smashing five hits to the fence. These cracks to the fence accounted for 24 of those 31 runs. Even Weatherald smashed a boundary and a six in his compilation.

The Hurricanes skipper Tim Paine then went on to make the decision that would eventually turn the innings on its head. Daniel Christian’s first of five wickets came when he cleaned up Jono Dean as the latter simply had no answer to the 31-year old.

What came next was an impressive partnership between Travis Head and Brad Hodge. While the duo batted with supreme responsibility whilst showing tremendous batting acumen, it was clear that they had to step on the accelerator if they wanted to give the Hurricanes something to chase.

This ‘foot on the pedal’ motive from the duo would eventually go on to account for both their wickets. Daniel Christian has made inroads previously and he was beginning to cash in. This ensured that he picked up the wicket of Travis Head. The collapse began from here on out with skipper Hodge the one left to make amends with the bat.

In fact, it was Hodge who was dismissed for 55 in the final over when once again it was Christian who was able to make amends for the rest of his side as well. With Christian’s fantastic figures of 5/14, it was the Strikers who were bowled out for a par score of 143.

In acute similarity with the Strikers’ innings, it was the blitz of D’Arcy Short that ensured that the hosts were well on their way to victory within the first over itself when he signaled his intentions by smashing the ball through point to the third man fence.

While Short would go on to whack the ball to different parts, including a massive 101 meter six into the Bellerive Oval roof, it was Tim Paine who weighed down the anchor and went on to impress with a decent second-fiddle performance. The duo stitched a rare 100-run partnership in the overall context of the Big Bash League.

It would be a late upheaval from Billy Stanlake who would go on to capture the wicket of D’Arcy Short after the latter would chip the ball to the keeper soon after. In spite of Tim Paine also being dismissed a few short minutes later, it would be the uncanny Kumar Sangakkara who would eventually lead the Hurricanes to an impressive win.

Brief Scores:

Adelaide Strikers: 143 all out in 20 overs (B Hodge 55; D Christina 5/14)

Hobart Hurricanes: 147/2 in 17.4 overs (D Short 60; B Stanlake 1/17)

Man of the Match: Daniel Christian

Watch: Short goes long at Bellerive Oval, Hobart

New ball please! What a shot from Short to bring up the 100 partnership with Paine #BBL06 pic.twitter.com/u4FL1mGnxP

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 2, 2017