Big Bash League 2014/15: Ben Dunk and Tim Paine power Hobart Hurricanes to victory over Brisbane Heat
Friday 2 January 2015 14:00, UK
Openers Ben Dunk and Tim Paine blasted quick-fire fifties as the Hobart Hurricanes chased down a testing target of 209 to beat Brisbane Heat by six wickets at Bellerive Oval.
The pair plundered 120 off nine overs to put the Hurricanes on track for a win that elevates them to fifth in the table, Alex Hales weighing in with 34 off 22 balls before captain George Bailey saw his side across the line with an unbeaten 26 off just 11 balls.
The Heat slipped down to seventh spot in the standings despite posting their own century opening stand as Jimmy Peirson (57 off 35) and Peter Forrest (62 off 43) cashed in after being asked to bat.
The pair notched 119 before Darren Sammy bowled Peirson leg-stump with a slower-ball cutter as the opener aimed to go up and over cover in the 13th over.
Forrest followed three balls later aiming to smash Jake Reed over midwicket but the run-rate didn’t dip as Daniel Christian collected successive sixes off Sammy on his way to 34 from just nine balls.
The 31-year-old’s onslaught came to an end when he was stumped off the bowling of Cameron Boyce (3-40), who picked up a couple of wickets at the start of the 19th over.
Ben Cutting weighed in with 19 off five balls before his downfall brought in Andrew Flintoff in the final over, but the former England all-rounder didn’t get the chance to face a ball.
Chasing the joint-highest score of this year's tournament and the fifth highest in the history of the competition, the Hurricanes got the positive start they needed as 50 runs came up off 4.4 overs.
Flintoff’s first over went for 18 as Dunk launched the former Lancastrian over midwicket for six and collected a brace of fours through the off-side.
Dunk reached his 50 off 26 balls but was bettered by Paine, who got there off 23 balls courtesy of a six off Jason Floros.
Paine (55 off 25) fell a couple of balls after posting his sixth T20 fifty, miscuing a heave to leg, the wicket bringing in Hales, who launched Daniel Vettori for six early in his innings.
The game was still in the balance when Dunk picked out deep midwicket to go for 67 off 40 but Bailey, having backed his batsmen to chase, was in no mood to let up.
Flintoff returned to the attack with the Hurricanes needing 34 runs to win off 18 balls; Hales swung his first ball away for four but then picked out mid-on with the next.
The chase was completed with an over to spare after Bailey struck two fours and a six off Ryan Duffield, the skipper hugging Sammy in triumph after hitting the winning runs through the covers.
Join us for the first Melbourne derby of the competition on Saturday as the Renegades take on the Stars live from 8am on Sky Sports 4.
