Davies and Hales power resurgent Sydney Thunder to big win
Matthew Wade cut loose with a six-laden half-century but Hurricanes collapsed after he was dismissed
AAP
31-Dec-2022
Ollie Davies hit a 24-ball half-century • Getty Images
Sydney Thunder 228 for 6 (Hales 77, Davies 65, Ellis 4-37) beat Sydney Thunder 166 (Wade 67, Dogget 4-35) by 62 runs
Stellar knocks from Oliver Davies and Alex Hales helped Sydney Thunder post the fourth-largest total in BBL history and storm to a 62-run defeat of Hobart Hurricanes.
Thunder finished 228 for 6 before Matthew Wade's own rapid-fire effort had Hurricanes in the contest up to their necks and ready to break the record for largest-ever BBL chase.
But after forgotten allrounder Ben Cutting took Wade's wicket and Brendan Doggett ripped through the tail, Thunder closed in on their third consecutive win and put their disappointing start to the summer firmly in the past.
On an extremely batter-friendly wicket at Albury's Lavington Sports Ground, Davies fired away to the first half-century of his young BBL career, while English opener Hales was the steady hand after the Thunder were sent in.
Only Nathan Ellis was able to consistently trouble the batting order as Davies proved especially keen to exploit the short boundaries down the ground.
Six of his ten boundaries went over either long-on or long-off before he was caught by Paddy Dooley at backward point from Ellis' bowling.
Hales became the first man to surpass 200 runs for the tournament and appeared set to finish the innings unbeaten until he was caught on the boundary rope by Tim David on the first ball of the final over.
Davies caught the destructive D'Arcy Short at point from Doggett's bowling to get Hurricanes' chase off to a meek start but Wade wasted no time making amends.
The skipper hit three sixes from ramp shots in the same over Short was dismissed and equalled his own record for fastest 50 by a Hurricanes player. Wade hit six sixes as he reached his half-century from only 19 deliveries.
Called in to replace the injured Gurinder Sandhu, Cutting enticed Wade into toeing the ball to Rilee Rossouw at backward point on only his second delivery of the BBL summer.
Wade reviewed the decision, hoping it was a bump ball, but the wicket stood after multiple replays and the Hurricanes fell to 105 for 3.
Promoted up the batting order, Tim David found himself run out after a pin-point throw from substitute Joel Davies, who was fielding in the BBL for the very first time.
Davies, younger brother of Oliver, threw straight to wicketkeeper Matthew Gilkes from midwicket to spring David as he tried to sneak back for a second run.
Hurricanes were officially in trouble when their last two recognised batters, Asif Ali and Shadab Khan, were both caught in the space of seven deliveries and it faded away quickly.