Australia's T20 World Cup 2021 semi-final hero Matthew Wade was on fire in match 47 of the Big Bash League (BBL) as he steered his side Hobart Hurricanes home with an unbeaten 83 off 54 deliveries against Sydney Thunders. Last week, the player had taken an indefinite break from the game and missed the last two matches.
It was Wade's second fifty of the BBL season, earlier he had smashed 93 runs against Sydney Sixers. Wade's match-winning knock saw the Hurricanes cement their place in the fourth position as they won by nine runs to thrash their opponents.
Sensational return after indefinite break
Earlier, Wade had taken an indefinite break from the game and was struggling with form. In his last four innings he had registered scores of 1, 1, 0 and 6. He was not part of the team for their last two BBL matches against Sydney Thunder and Brisbane Heat. The break though has helped him recharge his batteries as he looked fresher than ever in Melbourne. The skipper made sure he marked his return to the team with a sensational batting display. The 83-run knock consisting of eight fours and two sixes, could not have come at a better time for the veteran.
89-run stand with Caleb Jewell for second wicket
Despite a slow start, Wade made sure there was no hesitancy as he along with Caleb Jewell (51 off 32), put together a second-wicket stand of 89 runs to put Hurricanes in a commanding position. The pair managed to see off Gurinder Sandhu and Daniel Sams and scored boundaries whenever the opportunity was presented. With wickets falling at regular intervals on the other end, Wade continued with his impressive show to remain unbeaten and guide his team to 177/6 in their 20 overs.
Despite a bad start, the Thunders managed to give Hurricanes' bowlers a real tough time and were well on their course to a win when they won the Bash boost point. With 78 needed off 60 deliveries, it was a lack of concentration for the Thunders that cost them the match. Ultimately they fell short of the target by 10 runs, managing to score 168/9 in their 20 overs. Alex Hales (38) and Jason Sangha's (31) knocks were not enough for the Sydney-based franchise to secure a victory in the BBL.
The win sees Hobart go on 24 points and almost guarantees a berth in the top four as the business end of the BBL 2021-22 approaches. For Wade though, this could be a perfect time to show why he is still one of the best Australian players in the shortest format of the game. So far, he has smashed 260 runs in 10 matches and he is gearing up for the playoffs to guide the Hurricanes to their maiden BBL title.
