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BBL Big Bash live scores, blog: Sydney Thunder vs Hobart Hurricanes

1st January, 2018
Start Time: Monday 1st January 6:10pm AEDT
Venue: Spotless Stadium (Sydney)
TV: Channel 10 - Live
Betting: Sydney Thunder $1.62, Hobart Hurricanes $2.30
Shane Watson of the Thunder plays a shot during the Big Bash League (BBL) cricket match between the Sydney Thunder and Sydney Sixers at the Spotless Stadium in Sydney, Tuesday, December 19, 2017. (AAP Image/David Moir)
Roar Guru
1st January, 2018
156

Happy New Year everyone! What better way to kick off 2018 than with a double dose of the Big Bash? In game one of the double header, the Hobart Hurricanes will be out to register their first win of the season as they look to exact revenge against the Sydney Thunder.

Join The Roar for live scores from 6:10pm (AEDT).

Just two days ago, the Hobart Hurricanes were embarrassed by the Sydney Thunder in Launceston.

Beaten in every facet of the game, the home side were never in the hunt to chase down the 167 run total set by the visitors.

Jos Butler and Shane Watson bludgeoned the bowlers, while spin trio Fawad Ahmed, Arjun Nair and Chris Green wreaked havoc, taking six wickets between them.

However, there were some positives to take away from Saturday’s loss.

The Hurricanes import Jofra Archer looks to be a star in the making – conceding just 22 runs in his four overs, while also picking up a wicket. Due to his combination of express pace and bounce, Archer has proven difficult to score of – boasting the third best economy rate (4.88 rpo) in the competition.

The young quick also showed he can handle the willow, finishing Hobart’s innings with an unbeaten 25 of just 16 deliveries.

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Archer was ably supported by Clive Rose who completed his four overs with the miserly figures of 2/20. Despite conceding eight runs an over and remaining wicketless, English paceman Tymal Mills and wrist spinner Cameron Boyce both bowled well but without luck.

But in both matches so far, the Hurricanes have struggled with their fifth and sixth bowlers.

Superstar import Jos Butler had a breakthrough game on Saturday, bludgeoning 67 from just 41 deliveries.

24 four of those runs came from Tom Rogers as Butler dismantled the debutant, smashing him for four 6’s in one over – the last of which was hit out of the ground.

With experienced all-rounder Dan Christian conceding ten runs in his only over of the match, Hobart skipper George Bailey had little alternative but to bowl the inexperienced Rogers as he finished with ugly figures of 0/50 from his three overs.

Prediction
The Thunder enter the contest as strong favourites over the Hurricanes and deservedly so. Just 48 hours after a thumping win, Sydney have a great chance to register their third win from five matches.

However, Sydney are still overly reliant on their top order – specifically Shane Watson and Jos Butler.

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Despite surpassing 150 for the first time in the previous match, the Thunder squandered the opportunity to post a total in excess of 180, but failed to do so after Watson and Butler were dismissed.

The Hurricanes were uncharacteristically poor with the bat on Saturday, but have too much talent in their line-up for it to become a trend.

Coupled with the emergence of Archer as a strike bowler, expect Hobart to bounce back.

Hurricanes to cause an upset.

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