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Hobart Hurricanes, missing their regular captain Nathan Ellis, managed to defeat Sydney Sixers, handing them their first loss of the BBL season. Nikhil Chaudhary starred with the bat as the top scorer, while Chris Jordan led a disciplined bowling attack to secure the win. Catch up on new blogs at IPLbookmakers. Hurricanes dominate Sixers despite […]
Hobart Hurricanes, missing their regular captain Nathan Ellis, managed to defeat Sydney Sixers, handing them their first loss of the BBL season. Nikhil Chaudhary starred with the bat as the top scorer, while Chris Jordan led a disciplined bowling attack to secure the win.
Catch up on new blogs at IPLbookmakers.
Nathan Ellis withdrew from Wednesday’s match at Ninja Stadium due to illness, but his bowling colleagues stepped up to deliver a dominant performance against the table-topping Sydney Sixers. The Hurricanes posted 161/6 and then bowled out the Sixers for just 111 in 19.3 overs, securing their third consecutive victory and moving up to fourth on the ladder.
Chris Jordan starred with the ball, claiming 3 for 22, including the key wickets of James Vince early on and Jordan Silk in the middle overs. He was well-supported by fellow import Waqar Salamkheil, who took 2 for 22, dismissing Kurtis Patterson with a delivery that turned the other way. All-rounder Nikhil Chaudhary impressed with both bat and ball, top-scoring with 42 off 31 balls and taking 1 for 15 with the ball.
Despite the loss, the Sixers, who remain in first place, had been unbeaten in their first four matches. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes, who had suffered a heavy defeat to Melbourne Renegades in their opening game, have found form. Earlier, veteran Sixers bowler Jackson Bird delivered career-best T20 figures of 4 for 16 after his side won the toss and chose to bowl.
Jackson Bird, the 38-year-old who spent over a decade with Tasmania, was the star for the Sixers, removing big hitters Matthew Wade, Shai Hope, Ben McDermott, and Tim David. Opener Mitchell Owen gave the Hurricanes a fast start, scoring 33 off 17 balls, but fell short of a big knock.
Returning from a calf injury, Wade struggled with 15 off 16 balls before becoming Bird’s first victim with a smart caught and bowled. Bird quickly followed up by dismissing West Indian Hope for a caught behind, leaving the Hurricanes reeling at 38 for 3. McDermott (34 from 25) found form in the power surge, blasting 20 off one Hayden Kerr over, but Bird struck again, removing him. Bird returned later to dismiss David with a top edge.
The Sixers’ chase had a brief spark when English opener Vince launched a delivery from Billy Stanlake over the hill, but they faltered, reaching 28 for 3 in the first five overs and struggling to recover. Hurricanes’ spinner Peter Hatzoglou, who was replacing Ellis and making his season debut, finished with impressive figures of 1 for 15.
Melbourne Stars broke their eight-game BBL losing streak with a five-wicket win over defending champions Brisbane Heat, thanks to an exceptional batting display by Marcus Stoinis and a stunning catch by Glenn Maxwell. This victory ended the Stars’ tough run, which included their opening five games this season and the final three of last year’s campaign, while also condemning Heat to a third consecutive defeat.
Heat set a challenging total of 149 for 7, driven by a blistering unbeaten 77 from 48 balls by Max Bryant. However, the innings will be remembered for Maxwell’s extraordinary fielding. The veteran leapt meters over the long-on boundary to take one of the greatest catches seen in BBL history. He caught the ball one-handed while airborne, threw it back into the field of play, then stepped over the boundary rope to complete the remarkable dismissal of Will Prestwidge.
The Stars faced an early collapse in their chase, reduced to 14 for 3 after fast bowlers Xavier Bartlett and Spencer Johnson rocked the top order. With the pressure mounting, Stoinis (62 off 48) and England’s Dan Lawrence (64* off 38) came together to rebuild the innings. The duo put on a crucial 132-run partnership for the third wicket, with Stoinis hitting four fours off one over from Paul Walter and pacing the chase perfectly. Lawrence played a vital supporting role, accelerating towards the end of the innings to ease the pressure on Stoinis.
Maxwell’s heroics in the field and Stoinis’ leadership with the bat sealed the win for the Stars. Brisbane’s bowlers had tried to put the game out of reach, but Stoinis and Lawrence stood firm. Despite Heat’s strong start with Bryant’s fiery knock, the Stars’ resilience and superb individual performances led them to a breakthrough victory, while the defending champions were left to reflect on their third straight loss.