WBBL 2023: Hobart Hurricanes Chase A Convenient Score Against Melbourne Stars, Nicola Carey Leads From The Front

Hobart Hurricanes have secured another win by chasing down the required target against Melbourne Stars in the WBBL 2023. With a decent score to chase, Nicola Carey and Elyse Villani led the team from the front in the second innings and secured a win with 4 balls to spare.

The game at Hobart witnessed more bowling miracles than batting. While in the first inning, Meg Lanning gave her all with bat in hand, the 8 wickets secured by the Hobart Hurricanes with impressive fielding remained a major highlight in the WBBL 2023.

Hurricanes seemed to have dominated the visiting team of Melbourne Stars. Stars won the toss and they elected to bat first. A poor opening with Sophie Reid going back to the pavilion on her fourth delivery itself, securing nothing for the team. Soon after her wicket, Stars were shocked by Alice Capsey’s catch on Shabnim Ismail’s delivery.

The game was off to a disappointing start for the Melbourne Stars and yet Meg Lanning held ground. With wickets on the striker’s end, Lanning didn’t get the partnership she deserved. She singlehandedly seemed to have lifted the team to the scoreboard, securing a total of 75 runs off just 50 deliveries. With a strike rate of 150, the player was an absolute spectacle to witness.

But no positive response from the other end. While Lanning played her game, middle-order batters were crashed. Maia Bouchier, Annabel Sutherland and Sophia Dunkley all were lost too early. Losing the major batters, who were able to secure meagre runs for the team was not a good sight in the WBBL 2023.

Agile fielding, brilliant bowling efforts and constantly picked wickets, were the highlights from the Hobart Hurricanes today. They had won the match in the first inning itself, with their dominant approach on the field with the ball in hand.

The Melbourne Stars were able to secure 142 runs off 20 deliveries losing 8 wickets. Ismail had picked 3 wickets, while Molly Strano bowled at a brilliant economy picking 2 wickets, herself. Maisy Gibson also picked two major players while Amy Smith picked one.

With 143 runs to chase, Hobart seemed to have a convenient score to chase. They made the chase seem simpler with their breezy shots off the boundary especially strokes by Nicola Carey and Naomi Stalenberg. Lizelle Lee opened the bat with Elyse Villani. The two laid the required foundation and after Lee was lost, Villani played an easy, reliable game, that toned the chase towards victory.

Villani secured a total of 41 runs off 36 deliveries, which was a brilliant start to the game. She was later backed by Carey, who batted at a strike rate of 136 securing 41 off 30 deliveries. While some fine batters like Heather Graham and Bryony Smith were lost too early, their loss wasn’t felt much by the team, due to Carey’s responsible batting and eye-catching strokes.

With a few winning runs coming off Stalenberg’s bat, the team secured the game in the last over. Stalenberg too played at a strike rate of 132, which presented a fine finish to the game. The team secured 143 runs at a loss of 4 wickets and won by 6 wickets in the WBBl 2023.

Annabel Sutherland bowled brilliantly well for the Melbourne Stars. She did all that she could, picking 2 wickets and was backed by Sophie Day and Sasha Moloney.

Alice Carey won the Player of the Match for her 41 runs and 2 catches held in the first inning.

WBBL 2023: Melbourne Stars Hobart Hurricanes vs Brief Scores

Melbourne Stars 142/8 (Meg Lanning 75 (50), Shabnim Ismail 3/34) lost to Hobart Hurricanes 143/4 (Nicola Carey 41 (30), Elyse Villani 41 (36), Annabel Sutherland 2/32) by 6 wickets.

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