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Nicola Carey's promotion up the batting order and Heather Graham's effective bowling propelled the Hobart Hurricanes to a decisive 31-run victory over the Sydney Thunder in the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), marking a strong season opener for the Hurricanes.
The win on Monday night at the newly-named Ninja Stadium in Hobart handed the Thunder their fifth consecutive defeat. Batting at No. 3, Carey anchored the Hurricanes' innings with a crucial 52 off 38 balls, punctuated by seven boundaries. "I've had a few different roles with the bat over the last few years. It's nice to get a bit more time out in the middle," the all-rounder told Fox Cricket, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. "I'm not someone who is going to clear the rope, so it might look a little bit different," she added. Carey stepped in to steady the innings after opener Lizelle Lee was dismissed in the second over. Her aggressive play during the power surge helped the Hurricanes build momentum, reaching 92 for 2 before she was eventually dismissed. However, her wicket triggered a collapse as the Hurricanes lost 4 for 12, with tight bowling from Samantha Bates and Chamari Athapaththu. The Thunder's chase began disastrously, with Athapaththu trapped lbw by Molly Strano on the first ball. Despite this early setback, a 52-run partnership between Anika Learoyd (29) and captain Phoebe Litchfield (51) revived their hopes. Litchfield, the 21-year-old skipper, appeared poised to take the Thunder across the line but was stumped in the 14th over due to sharp glovework by Lee off Heather Graham's delivery. Carey also contributed with the ball, dismissing Learoyd, the Thunder's second-highest scorer, to cement the Hurricanes' control over the game. Sydney Thunder will look to bounce back when they face the Hurricanes again on Thursday at North Sydney Oval. (ANI)
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