Big Bash League: Reed runs through Thunder as Hurricanes win pushes them into semi-final spots
Friday 9 January 2015 13:49, UK
Seamer Jake Reed claimed 4-11 as the Hobart Hurricanes boosted their semi-final chances with a five-wicket victory over Sydney Thunder.
Reed ripped through the Thunder’s top-order to help restrict the home side to 77-7 off 17 overs in their rain-affected innings, including Surrey’s Jason Roy (4) in his first Big Bash game.
The Hurricanes were set a revised target of 82 off 17 overs and got there in 13.3 overs on the back of a solid start from openers Ben Dunk (22) and Michael Hill (24).
The Thunder struggled from the off after being put into bat at the Spotless Stadium in the first cricket match to be staged at the venue.
Roy – replacing Eoin Morgan who has joined up with the England ODI team – was dropped at slip on the second ball but couldn’t make the most of the lifeline, picking out mid-off to give Reed his first victim.
Jacques Kallis could only add a solitary boundary to the total before he miscued Ben Hilfenhaus to Xavier Doherty at cover and a bad start became worse for the Thunder when Reed picked up his second wicket, bowling Blizzard off the inside edge to make it 16-3.
Even Mike Hussey – limping with a hamstring injury – couldn’t turn the tide, becoming the fourth batsman to fall for single figures, dragging Evan Gulbis on.
The task of saving face fell to Mark Cosgrove (22) – who fell to Tim Brsenan for his first Big Bash wicket – and Daniel Hughes (26), who put on a fifth-wicket partnership of 48 off 7.4 overs.
But their Duckworth-Lewis-adjusted target of 82 was always likely to be too small and so it proved, with Ben Dunk striking three fours in his 18-ball stay at the crease to give his side a good start.
Pat Cummins cleaned out Jonathan Wells for a second-ball duck with a yorker after Dunk departed to give the Thunder some hope.
And although the Hurricanes somewhat stuttered over the line with three wickets falling for 12 runs later in the innings – Kallis accounting for two of them – captain George Bailey saw them over the line.
The win moves the Hurricanes above the Thunder and in to the semi-final spots in the BBL table.
Watch the next Big Bash match between Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades live on Sky Sports 2 from 7.45am on Saturday.
