Hobart Hurricanes suffered a massive batting collapse against Adelaide Strikers. The Hurricanes lost half the side for just 35 runs but opener Ben McDermott stood tall and saved his best for the slog overs to guide them to a fighting total. But McDermott's unbeaten 95 went in vain as the Strikers chased down the target in the final over.
Earlier, Strikers captain Matthew Short won the toss and opted to bowl first. David Payne struck off the first ball he bowled in the innings. Caleb Jewell departed after scoring just five runs. After a couple of boundaries, Macalister Wright became Jamie Overton's first victim of the evening. Overton struck again to dismiss Sam Hain for a two-ball duck. After powerplay overs, the Hurricanes were 35/3.
In the seventh over, Cameron Boyce struck twice to dismiss Corey Anderson and Nikhil Chaudhary. McDermott and Tim David tried to do some damage control. At the halfway stage, they were 53/5. McDermott hit the first six of his knock in the 11th over. But Lloyd Pope made a comeback with the wicket David. He managed to score just 15 runs from 18 balls. In the 14th over, Chris Jordan decided to take on Payne. He hit him for two sixes and a four. Then McDermott joined the party with two consecutive four. Payne leaked 25 runs in the 14th over.
After Boyce completed his spell, McDermott targetted Pope and hit him for two sixes and a four. He reached his half-century from 38 balls. In the 18th over, McDermott and Jordan hit Overton for one six each. But Overton got the breakthrough with the wicket of Jordan who contributed with a 15-ball 30 cameo. McDermott kept most of the strike to himself in the final two overs. He remained unbeaten for 95 off 61 balls including seven fours and five sixes. His knock helped the Hurricanes post 165/7 on the board.
Skipper Matthew kicked off the run chase in style. He smashed two sixes as Riley Meredith conceded 20 runs from the over. D Arcy Short went after Nathan Ellis in the third over with three fours off the first four balls. But Nathan Ellis managed to get his wicket to break the opening partnership. Matthew and Chris Lynn used the powerplay overs well and the Strikers were 68/1 after six overs. The attacking display continued and Strikers had 100 runs on the board after 10 overs. Patrick Dooley dismissed Matthew caught and bowled. The opener's 32-ball 45 included a couple of fours and three sixes.
In the next over, Meredith dismissed Lynn. The hard hitter scored 37 runs from 26 balls including four fours and a six. In the 14th over, Ellis made Adam Hose his second victim of the match. Alex Carey took control of the run chase and hit a few boundaries. When only six runs were left in the run chase, Carey lost his wicket to Jordan. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 36 runs from 26 balls including four fours and a six. In the final over, Overton hit the winning runs off the second ball. Strikers won the match by five wickets with four balls to spare.
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