Hobart Hurricanes Start WBBL 2024 Campaign with Victory
Nicola Carey played a pivotal role in leading the Hobart Hurricanes to a successful start in their WBBL 2024 campaign, scoring a brisk half-century against Sydney Thunder. Her 38-ball innings of 52 runs anchored the team’s total of 141, a target that ultimately proved too challenging for the Thunder despite a spirited effort from rising star Phoebe Litchfield, who scored a quick 51.
Strong Bowling Performance Supports Hurricanes’ Total
After opting to bowl first, Sydney Thunder made a promising start with Samantha Bates dismissing Lizelle Lee cheaply. However, Carey, alongside Danni Wyatt-Hodge, countered the early setback with a crucial 44-run partnership. Carey then built another significant partnership of 39 runs with captain Elyse Villani, putting the Hurricanes in a strong position at 92 for 2 after 12 overs. Despite a middle-order collapse that saw them slip to 120 for 7, Tabatha Saville’s late cameo helped push the Hurricanes past the 140-run mark.
Thunder Collapse Under Pressure in Chase
Sydney Thunder’s chase got off to a disastrous start when veteran Chamari Athapaththu was dismissed LBW to Molly Strano off the very first ball. The Thunder struggled further as Lauren Smith took two wickets in the PowerPlay, leaving them reeling at 38 for 4. Litchfield, in partnership with Anika Learoyd, briefly revived the innings with a 52-run stand, but their efforts fell short when Heather Graham’s breakthrough dismissals of Litchfield and Sammy-Jo Johnson sparked a dramatic collapse. Ultimately, Thunder lost their last six wickets for just 20 runs, leading to a 31-run defeat.
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