Meredith blow for Hurricanes as Hughes guides Sixers to second win
The visitors' seamers were impressive on a tricky surface in Launceston
AAP
11-Dec-2023
Daniel Hughes anchored Sydney Sixers' chase • Getty Images
Sydney Sixers 139 for 4 (Hughes 60*) beat Hobart Hurricanes 135 for 8 (Jewell 42, Curran 3-19)
Injury-plagued Hobart Hurricanes quick Riley Meredith suffered an apparent side strain as his side went down by six wickets to a Daniel Hughes-led Sydney Sixers.
Sixers, who are 2-0 to start the BBL season, chased down the Hurricanes' 135 for 8 with four balls to spare in Launceston on Monday night.
Hughes top scored with an unbeaten 60 from 50 balls after replacing Steven Smith who left the squad ahead of Thursday's first Test against Pakistan.
He shared a 47-run partnership with Moises Henriques (20 from 24) to iron out a decent chunk of the chase.
Jordan Silk chipped in with 23 before falling in the second last over. With Sydney needing seven from six deliveries, Hughes put the result beyond doubt with a towering leg-side six off Nathan Ellis. Tom Curran then iced the game with a boundary through the covers.
Meredith pulled up sore gesturing to his side halfway through the third over of the chase after sending down a 152kph delivery. It was his first game back at domestic level since suffering a side strain in a one-day cup game for Tasmania in September. Hurricanes coach Jeff Vaughan told Channel 7 Meredith would have scans on Tuesday.
Earlier, Hurricanes opener Caleb Jewell got his side off to a flyer before the wheels fell off after the powerplay.
Curran started the damage when he had Jewell caught at mid-off in the sixth over. Left-arm quick Ben Dwarshuis then picked up England import Sam Hain and Australia representative Tim David for single figures in his first over.
Young allrounder Jack Edwards got in on the action, with wicketkeeper Josh Philippe snaffling a one-handed diving catch at full stretch to grab the edge of Ben McDermott.
Edwards, who finished with 2 for 18 from four overs, had only bowled one over in his 30 previous BBL matches.
Hurricanes fell to 69 for 5 in the ninth over before imports Chris Jordan and Corey Anderson stemmed the bleeding.
Former New Zealand allrounder Anderson was the pick of Hurricanes' bowlers with a career-best 2 for 10.