Liam Scott's 91* in vain as Hurricanes ease past Strikers
Hurricanes' Riley Meredith and Nathan Ellis reduced Strikers to 8 for 4 in 179 chase
AAP
09-Jan-2026 • 14 hrs ago
Liam Scott's career-best 91* wasn't enough for Adelaide Strikers • Getty Images
Hobart Hurricanes 178 for 6 (Owen 33, Overton 2-13, Shamsi 1-19) beat Adelaide Strikers 141 for 9 (Scott 91*, Rishad 3-26, Ellis 2-7, Meredith 2-16) by 37 runs
Speedsters Riley Meredith and Nathan Ellis ripped through Adelaide Strikers as the table-topping Hobart Hurricanes posted a dominant 37-run Big Bash League win. Chasing Hurricanes' 178 for 6, Strikers were left reeling at 8 for 4 after Meredith and Ellis took two scalps each in the space of 12 deliveries at the Ninja Stadium on Friday night.
Short on wickets this season, Meredith (2 for 16) had Strikers skipper Matthew Short (2) caught at cover, before bowling Mackenzie Harvey for a duck two balls later. Ellis (2 for 7) came to the party in the next over, getting rid of the dangerous Chris Lynn after a successful review for caught behind, and then also accounting for Jason Sangha.
Liam Scott played a lone hand for Strikers with an unbeaten career-best 91 from 58 balls as his side finished at 141 for 9. Only one of his team-mates made it to double figures.
The result means reigning champions Hurricanes (with six wins, and two losses) pull two wins clear at the top of the table, with finals looming. Fifth-placed Strikers' hopes of making the top four have taken a hit, with three regular season games to play.
After being sent in, Hurricanes came flying out of the blocks on the back of a stunning 33 off nine balls by Mitchell Owen. The opener, who has reached double figures only four times this season, hit two fours and four sixes before being caught in the deep in the third over off quick Luke Wood.
Hurricanes passed 50 in the third over, before Strikers pulled back the run rate with their spinners. Paceman Jamie Overton took the big scalps of Nikhil Chaudhary (23 from 17 balls) and Ben McDermott (18 from 23) in the 14th over.
South African tweaker Tabraiz Shamsi finished with 1 for 19 from four overs, including a second-last over that went for just five runs.
Rehan Ahmed (29 from 17 deliveries) had some moments early for Hurricanes, and veteran Matthew Wade hit 27 from 19 at the back end.
Hurricanes will have Ashes squad members Jake Weatherald and Beau Webster available for selection against Sydney Sixers on Sunday. Strikers will have Alex Carey available when they host Perth Scorchers on the same day.