Nat Sciver-Brunt found form with the bat, combining with fellow England batter Danni Wyatt-Hodge in a 135-run partnership to take home a record-breaking win over the Scorchers
The Hobart Hurricanes have reclaimed top spot on of the Weber WBBL|11 table in emphatic fashion, pulling off the highest run chase in tournament history by seven wickets over the Perth Scorchers.
The Hurricanes were temporarily dethroned by the Melbourne Stars in top spot earlier in the day, and one point separates the rivals who will meet in a blockbuster game at Ninja Stadium on Monday night.
Led superbly from English duo Nat Sciver-Brunt (81 from 48 deliveries) and Danni Wyatt-Hodge (55 off 38), the Hurricanes chased down their target of 186 with five deliveries spare, as the former found form after a patchy start to the season.
Beth Mooney had top-scored for Perth with a near-unbeaten 75 having been run out on the last ball of the Scorchers’ innings, pairing well with a fast-finishing Paige Scholfield (26no from 13) after the visitors were put on the back foot early with two wickets lost in the opening over.
It was Mooney’s 45th WBBL half-century in her milestone 150th game and their total seemed to have perhaps enough to challenge even the Hurricanes’ loaded line-up.
But the ‘Canes big hitters lay in reserve as the 135-run partnership between Wyatt-Hodge and Sciver-Brunt sapped the energy out of the Scorchers and put the home side in the box seat to chase down their lofty target with ease.
It was fittingly skipper Ellyse Villani in the club’s Pride Game fixture who hit the winning runs with a maximum to send the Hurricanes back on top of the ladder.
Earlier, the Hurricanes rued missed chances in the field as dropped catches, a swathe of misfields and botched run-outs littered their innings.
Nicola Carey, who narrowly missed out on two particularly difficult chances throughout the night, steadied the ship with a classy catch on the boundary line which removed Freya Kemp.
However the Scorchers couldn’t recreate such magic in the field or with the ball, save for a trademark Mooney catch keeping close to the stumps to dismiss the dangerous Lizelle Lee.
Her departure only opened the door for Wyatt-Hodge and Sciver-Brunt, the latter eventually overtaking the total made by her English counterpart as she put the foot on the gas with 13 boundaries in her welcome knock of 81.
Weber WBBL|11 Standings
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Ties
T
No results
N/R
Net Run Rate
NRR
Deductions
Ded.
Total points
PTS
1
HUR
8
6
2
0
0
0.171
0
12
2
STA
7
5
1
0
1
2.175
0
11
3
SIX
7
4
2
0
1
-0.341
0
9
4
REN
8
4
4
0
0
0.14
0
8
5
STR
8
3
3
0
2
0.097
0
8
6
SCO
8
4
4
0
0
-0.44
0
8
7
THU
8
2
5
0
1
-0.52
0
5
8
HEA
8
0
7
0
1
-0.911
0
1
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points
