History awaits the Hurricanes as they approach their last game of the regular Weber WBBL|11 season against the Strikers on their home deck
Hobart Hurricanes are one win away from their first Weber WBBL|11 Final, as they prepare to take on a Laura Wolvaardt-less Adelaide Strikers outfit on Friday night.
The Hurricanes are three points clear in top spot with a game to play, and only third-ranked Sydney Sixers, who have a game in hand, are capable of getting between them and a home final at Ninja Stadium on December 13.
Victory over the Strikers will put it beyond doubt, and in scary signs for the rest of the competition, Natalie Sciver-Brunt is rediscovering her best after a quiet start to the tournament.
Hobart Hurricanes squad v Strikers: Elyse Villani (c), Nicola Carey, Heather Graham, Ruth Johnston, Lizelle Lee, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Lauren Smith, Linsey Smith, Molly Strano, Rachel Trenaman, Callie Wilson, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Kathryn Bryce (travelling associate)
Sciver-Brunt hit a quickfire 31 off 20 in the Hurricanes’ most recent match, following up her 48-ball 81 in a record-chase against the Scorchers last weekend.
Those displays signalled a shift in form, after knocks of 4, 21, 4, 0, 2 and 27 to start WBBL|11, and the 33-year-old said it had taken her time to adjust back to T20 mode after a long ODI World Cup stint in India.
“(I’m feeling) good, a lot more confident after the last two games – form is funny that way,” Sciver-Brunt said in Hobart on Thursday.
“I try and stay as level as possible throughout, I tried to train in the same way and prepare for each game, and just try and trust (the process) as much as possible.
“It does get difficult the more time goes on and you don’t get a score … but I had the backing from the group so really happy to repay that.
“Coming from a 50-over comp there is a little bit of adjustment, in my technique I was set up for playing a bit of a longer innings rather than taking the game on earlier, so working through a few things like that.
“Coming in off a World Cup where I was pretty fatigued and looking for a bit of enjoyment and fun, and I’ve found that here, and the group has been really welcoming to me (wife) and Katherine and (son) Theo as well.”
Sciver-Brunt finds form with match-winning innings
The Hurricanes are one of just two teams to have never lifted the WBBL trophy alongside the Melbourne Stars, and have never won a knockout match in their four finals appearances.
The unique nature of the WBBL finals format means finishing on top negates the need to win a knockout, securing the direct path to the big dance.
As arguably the competition’s most experienced team, with a first-choice XI made up of eight players with international experience – England internationals Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Linsey Smith, former South African Lizelle Lee, and internationally capped Australians Elyse Villani, Nicola Carey, Heather Graham and Molly Strano – alongside Aussie A rep Rachel Trenaman, 144-gamer Lauren Smith and the up-and-coming Hayley Silver-Holmes, the ‘Canes have never been better set up for a tilt at the title.
Maintaining momentum may be the biggest challenge for the Hurricanes.
If they do finish on top, they will have another eight-day break waiting for the decider, and would have played just one game in the 12 days leading into the final – a schedule unheard of in such a whirlwind tournament.
“That’s the plan going over to Adelaide,” Sciver-Brunt said of claiming the home final.
“Starting this competition, we knew that we had a really good group and a great environment that was really created last year now and is continuing now.
“We’ll have to be really on it (against Adelaide), in T20 cricket things can change so quickly.
“I think that’s something we’ve done really well throughout the competition.”
The Hurricanes will meet a Strikers side still in the running for finals on Friday night, but without the services of star South African Laura Wolvaardt who has returned home for international duties.
Adelaide Strikers squad v Hurricanes: Tahlia McGrath (c), Jemma Barsby, Tammy Beaumont, Darcie Brown, Sophie Ecclestone, Emmerson Filsell, Ellie Johnston, Eleanor Larosa, Anesu Mushangwe, Bridget Patterson, Maddie Penna, Tabatha Saville, Amanda-Jade Wellington
Interestingly, the Strikers have opted against drafting in an overseas replacement player for their two final regular-season matches, and will instead look within their existing squad for a new opening partner for Tammy Beaumont.
The primary candidate is captain Tahlia McGrath, who has opened for Adelaide on 15 previous occasions, but not since 2020. Bridget Patterson opened back in WBBL|01, while Ellie Johnston opened in a rain-shorted game earlier this season.
Seamer Emmerson Filsell has come into their gameday squad, while Australia star Megan Schutt remains sidelined by a hamstring injury.
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
9
7
2
0
0
0.662
0
14
2
STA
9
5
3
0
1
0.863
0
11
3
SIX
9
5
3
0
1
-0.365
0
11
4
REN
10
5
5
0
0
0.121
0
10
5
SCO
9
5
4
0
0
-0.189
0
10
6
STR
8
3
3
0
2
0.097
0
8
7
THU
9
3
5
0
1
-0.296
0
7
8
HEA
9
0
8
0
1
-0.944
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
