The Hobart Hurricanes made 8-156 from 20 overs in reply to the Sydney Sixers’ 7-180 at Blundstone Arena, with Sean Abbott becoming the first man to reach 150 BBL wickets and Steve Smith starring with the bat again.
Smith set up the win with a brutal 66 from 33 balls, despite dropping a catch on the final ball of the night, while Abbott had figures of 2-32 in a milestone night to remember.
MATCH CENTRE: Hurricanes vs Sixers teams, scorecard, videos, updates
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Smith’s SENSATIONAL night of SIXERS! | 02:39
The Sixers made 7-180 from their 20 overs after being sent in by the Hurricanes at Blundstone Arena, with Steve Smith (66) and Ben Dwarshuis (30) starring for the visitors.
The Sixers lost 5-34 after Smith got out, but an unlikely 30 from 14 balls from Ben Dwarshuis saw them set a tough total for the Hurricanes to chase.
Smith blasted 66 from just 33 balls, including four fours and six sixes, but fell short of a third straight ton, after being trapped lbw by a Nathan Ellis full toss.
“I’m shocked he missed this,” Brad Haddin said on Fox Cricket.
Earlier Smith was dropped in the fifth over off Riley Meredith and the ball was spilt over the rope for six in a costly blunder from the Hurricanes.
Smith smashed three fours and five sixes on his half century to take him to the leaderboard for most sixes in the tournament with 24, despite playing just four games, with the next best player Matt Short on 18 maximums.
“He is in career-best form, certainly in this format of the game … His bat swing is back,” Brett Lee told Fox Cricket.
“He’s dining out in the BBL.”
Steve Smith fell short of his third straight ton.Source: Getty Images
Isa Guha added: “It’s absolutely astonishing … It’s pent-up frustration for Steve Smith.”
Fellow commentator Brad Haddin said it was “brutal batting” by Smith.
Josh Philippe struggled to 8 from 16 balls, before he was caught by Nathan Ellis at mid-off to give Faheem Ashraf the first wicket of the night.
Hayden Kerr was promoted up the batting order, but made just 2, before he was caught in the deep by a ripping catch from ben McDermott off Paddy Dooley.
Fresh off his retirement announcement, Dan Christian only managed 8, before he was caught in the deep again by McDermott off Riley Meredith.
Kurtis Patterson made 18 off 20, before he was caught behind by Matthew Wade to give Joel Paris his first wicket of the night.
Jordan Silk made just 2, before he was caught behind giving Dooley his second scalp as the Sixers collapse continued.
“That is 5-34 the Sixers have lost since Steve Smith got out,” Lee said.
Ben Dwarshuis smashed 30 from 14 balls, including four fours and a six in the power surge over off Dooley, before he was caught after skying one in an over that went for 18.
Moises Henriques (23) and Sean Abbott (13) finished unbeaten to push the total to the 180 mark.
Steve Smith top scored with 66.Source: Getty Images
Ben McDermott hit three fours in his 13, before he was caught behind by Josh Philippe off Jackson Bird after a successful review from the Sixers.
Caleb Jewell managed just 7, before he was caught in the deep by Kurtis Patterson to give Sean Abbott his 149th wicket in BBL and first for the night.
Matthew Wade could only manage 14, before he was Bird’s second scalp caught by Dwarshuis in the deep.
Tim David smashed four fours in his 24 from 13 balls, before he was caught by Jordan Silk off Hayden Kerr.
It was Silk’s 17th catch of BBL12, seven more than the next best player.
D’Arcy Short made 15, before he was clean bowled to give Kerr his second scalp of the night.
Sean Abbott became the first to 150 BBL wickets.Source: Getty Images
Next ball Faheem Ashraf was caught by Bird, but despite the soft signal being out, the decision was reversed on review.
“I don’t agree with that,” Haddin told Fox Cricket.
“That’s out everyday of the week. They were trying to find excuses to give that not out. That’s landed on the top of his right hand, bounced up into his left.
“We’ve seen that a couple of times this summer.”
Lee added: “The more you look at that, you’re trying to find a reason to probably not give it out. But I believe the fingers were underneath the ball and that should be out.”
This catch from Jackson Bird was disallowed by the third umpire.Source: FOX SPORTS
Zak Crawley made 49 from 45, before he was caught Abbott off Izharulhaq Naveed ending the Hurricanes’ hopes.
Abbot then had Faheem Ashraf caught in the deep by Silk to become the first man to bring up 150 BBL wickets.
Abbott also finished with a run out of Joel Paris for 3, while nathan Ellis (20) and Paddy Dooley (1) were not out at the end, with Steve Smith dropping a sitter on the last ball, but it wasn’t enough to take away man-of-the-match honours.
MATCH PREVIEW
The Hobart Hurricanes host the Sydney Sixers in a crucial clash at Blundstone Arena.
The Hurricanes won the bat flip and chose to bowl first sending the Sixers in.
The second placed Sixers are a lock to finish in the top two no matter the result of their last game of the regular season, but the seventh places Hurricanes need to win their final two games to keep their finals hopes alive.
The Hurricanes are coming off a narrow loss to the Brisbane Heat in their last start, while the Sixers thrashed the Thunder to make it five wins in a row.
Matthew Wade and Caleb have been in hot form with the bat for the Hurricanes, while Nathan Ellis and Riley Meredith are the danger men with the ball.
Steve Smith has been in epic form for the Sixers with the bat and will be looking for a third straight century, while skipper Moises Henriques has also been in good form with the willow.
Sean Abbott and ben Dwarshuis will be the key wicket takers.
It sets the scene for a blockbuster clash with the Hurricanes desperate to upset the Sixers to keep their season alive.
TEAMS
Hurricanes XI: Ben McDermott, Caleb Jewell, Zak Crawley, Tim David, Matthew Wade (c), D’Arcy Short, Faheem Ashraf, Joel Paris, Nathan Ellis, Paddy Dooley, Riley Meredith
Sixers XI: Josh Philippe, Steve Smith, Kurtis Patterson, Moises Henriques (c), Jordan Silk, Hayden Kerr, Dan Christian, Ben Dwarshuis, Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Izharulhuq Naveed
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