Nikhil Chaudhary stars despite Jackson Bird`s 4-fer
The Sydney Sixers’ good start to the 2024-25 Big Bash season ended with a whimper on New Year’s Day with a big loss to the Hobart Hurricanes at Bellerive Oval in Hobart. Starting with a set target of 162 runs for the Sixers, the Hurricanes were able to get them bowled out for a paltry 111, hence winning by 50 runs.
Hobart Hurricanes triumphed over the late withdrawal of their captain, Nathan Ellis, to inflict the first defeat of the season on the Sydney Sixers in the BBL.
Despite Ellis’s absence due to illness from Wednesday afternoon’s match at Ninja Stadium, his fellow bowlers rose to the occasion against the league-leading Sixers.
The Hurricanes’ six bowlers were the reason for the team’s victory, as they kept taking wickets and did not let any of the Sixers’ batsmen get going. Nikhil Chaudhary started the breakthrough by getting Joshua Philippe out in the third over, while Chris Jordan dismissed James Vince. Soon after, Waqar Salamkheil managed to get Kurtis Patterson out.
Hurricanes scored 161 runs for the loss of 6 wickets and then bowled out Sydney for 111 runs in just 19.3 overs, which took them to fourth position in the points table with their third successive win. Chris Jordan was the man who made it happen for them, taking 3 wickets for 22 runs, which included the two important wickets of James Vince at the start of the innings and the highly rated finisher Jordan Silk in the middle overs. He also received fine support from overseas player Waqar Salamkheil, who grabbed 2 wickets for 22 runs and got the scalp of Kurtis Patterson with one that turned very much unexpectedly.
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The Sixers, having scored only 28 for three within five overs, try to restore order with the partnership of Moises Henriques and Jordan Silk. A 35-run partnership followed but the Sixers collapsed, losing five wickets for 21 runs and a succession of events saw them going from 63 for three to 84 for eight. The fifth and last wicket stands gave the sixers a little above 100 but the hosts made a win with Jackson Bird’s wicket.
The sixers having batted first, got off to a comfortable middle form when they chased 45 runs in 4.5 overs. This was aided by Mitchell Owen with who was not out at 33 on 17 balls. He also hit Dwarshuis for a three continuous fours in succession. But owing to Bird and Hayden Kerr picking up three quick wickets, the sixers made a good comeback while the Hurricanes were on 55.
With a well-made stand of 70 runs in about eight overs, Ben McDermott (34) and Nikhil Chaudhary (42) revived the innings. The two took full advantage of the power surge and piled on 33 runs in those two overs that included a 21-run over of Kerr. However, both fell in quick succession and, as with the Sixers, the screws tightened around the Hurricanes as they only scored 161 for 6 in their 20 overs, which proved to be more than enough in the end.
Jackson Bird from the Sixers took his career-best T20 figures of 4 for 16 on familiar turf in Hobart after his side had won the toss and chose to bowl.
