Big Bash League: Adelaide Strikers too strong for Hobart Hurricanes

Cameron Boyce: celebrates one of his three wickets with wicketkeeper Tim Ludeman

Michael Klinger: hit eight fours in his 61-ball knock of 71 for the Strikers

Adelaide Strikers boosted their hopes of making the knockout stages of the Big Bash League with a 38-run win over the Hobart Hurricanes.

Opener Michael Klinger top-scored with an unbeaten 71 as the Strikers, having opted to bat first after winning the toss, overcame a rocky start to post 162-4 from their 20 overs.

Tim Ludeman (three) and Kieron Pollard (nine) both fell early for Adelaide before Klinger and Cameron Ferguson, who made 32, combined in a crucial 59-run stand for the third wicket.

Klinger - who hit eight fours in his 61-ball knock - then added a further 70 with Nathan Reardon, New Zealander Sctot Stryis coming in for some particularly harsh punishment from the pair as his four overs cost 42 runs.

Hobart's reply saw Aiden Blizzard fall for a duck at the end of the second over, but wicketkeeper Tim Paine (33) and Ricky Ponting (26) put on 46.

However, Cameron Boyce turned the game in Adelaide's favour, dismissing both well-set batsmen in back-to-back overs.

The leg-spinner also had Travis Burt caught for a single two balls after removing Ponting, meaning he finished with impressive figures of 3-17 from three overs.

Kane Richardson weighed in with 2-26 as the Hurricanes collapsed from 56-1 to 94-7. They eventually finished on 124-8, well adrift of their required total, meaning they drop out of the top four in the standings.