The Adelaide Strikers have beaten the Hobart Hurricanes by 38 runs on a hot afternoon at Adelaide Oval.
Bowling first, the Hurricane bowlers continued their torment of the Strikers batters at Ninja Stadium, bowling full with regular change ups to restrict the top order. Smriti Mandhana (6) and Katie Mack (6) were both out early, with mistimed sweep shots having them out caught and LBW respectively.
The Adelaide Strikers were 2-26 at the end of the powerplay, finishing with a powerful shot through cover by Tahlia McGrath. However, the momentum continued in the favour of the Hurricanes, with McGrath dismissed LBW for 6 runs.
The Hurricanes quickly set out to target the stumps with full and straight deliveries. Mack, McGrath, and Wolvaardt were all dismissed missing balls shooting off a length.
Consolidation was needed when Patterson and Penna met out in the middle; they worked to survive to drinks, setting a platform of 4-54. Replicating their efforts at the Gabba earlier in the year, Patterson and Penna begun to strike the boundary regularly, thanks to the activation of the power-surge.
The Hurricane bowlers lost their rhythm when Penna begun to attack, with full-tosses and short deliveries relieving any pressure being built on the batters. The dismissal of Patterson (13) didn’t impact her partner, who continued to go after the bowlers who were losing their length.
Penna pounced as the bowler’s consistency failed, guiding the Strikers with wickets failing around her. The loss of Prendergast (4) wrestled the game back into the Hurricanes favour, with Penna and Wellington swinging hard but not finding spaces in the outfield.
A late flurry saw the Adelaide Strikers finish on 7-140, with Penna run-out on the final ball.
Prendergast got the massive wicket of Lee (8) in her first over, with a rearing ball catching the edge as Lee advanced.
A struggling Villani (44), forced herself back into a flow, muscling length deliveries over mid-on and through square-leg to help the Hurricanes be 1-26 at the end of the powerplay.
Carey (18) and Villani kept the scoreboard moving with classy shots through cover and down the ground – swinging through the line as the Strikers took pace off the ball.
The introduction of Mushangwe had Carey chopping on a full delivery before Tahlia McGrath removed Heather Graham (1) caught and bowled an over later, keeping the Adelaide Strikers in the game.
Inside the power surge, Megan Schutt dismissed Villani and Tryon (0) in consecutive deliveries before Wellington removed the dangerous Suzie Bates (15) LBW.
The momentum carried on in favour of the Strikers, with Strano (0), Bryce (5), A Smith (4), and Wilson (0) failing to contend with the bowlers as a strong wind blowed into Adelaide Oval.
McGrath was the main wicket taker in the end, finishing with figures of 4-13, as the Hurricanes were bowled out for 102 – the Adelaide Strikers winning by 38 runs.
The Adelaide Strikers will play next Tuesday 19 November at Karen Rolton Oval.