Five takes from Brisbane Heat vs Hobart Hurricanes

The Hurricanes made it four straight wins with a controversial three-run victory over the Heat at The Gabba last night.

Here is my recap including my thoughts on the decision to give Alex Ross out Obstructing the Field.

1. Hurricanes hang on for fourth straight win
The Hobart Hurricanes won their fourth game in a row with a tense three-run victory over the Brisbane Heat at The Gabba last night. The Hurricanes were propelled to another big score of 4/179 thanks solely to another astonishing 122 not out from D’Arcy Short, before the Heat ran them close, eventually finishing on 8/176.

The win for the Hurricanes takes them level with the Heat on four wins, right on the edge of the finals equation, with these teams meeting again on Sunday in Hobart in what is sure to be a fiery affair.

2. Short’s career about to change after stunning 122*
D’Arcy Short’s career is about to change after another blitzkrieg performance last night at The Gabba.

Short made the highest score in BBL history, blazing 122 not out from just 65 balls. He also took a crucial 1/20 from four overs with his left arm wrist spin.

I assume he is now a near certainty to be picked for the Australian T20 side, and could well be right in the frame for a very lucrative payday in the upcoming IPL auction.

Short was stunning here once again, and his innings featured a remarkable eight sixes and eight fours. It accounted for 68 per cent of the Hurricanes’ total, with no other player reaching 20.

(AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)

3. Third umpire howler creates tension between captains
I’m sorry, but the decision to give Alex Ross out obstructing the field by the third umpire was a huge leap of faith and a very poor decision.

Ross, for me, was already going to make his ground and was simply trying to avoid being hit by the ball on his way back to his crease. Brendon McCullum, a real stickler for the spirit of the game, was incensed, and he let Hurricanes’ captain George Bailey know it in a terse on-field interview between the pair after the game.

I think Bailey may well live to regret the decision to uphold the appeal, although Ross did clearly change his line in running. However, in Bailey’s defense, cricket captains sometimes don’t deserve criticism for making decisions, in the heat of the moment that could help their team.

The Hurricanes have not made the finals in four years and, in front of a hostile Brisbane crowd, this game was right in the balance. For me, most the blame should be on the third umpire whose decision lacked all common sense.

4. Archer the action man
Having lampooned Jofra Archer earlier this season as a liability in the field, he made me eat my words last night with three brilliant catches that helped turn the tide of the game.

Archer silenced the big home crowd with a barely believable one-handed return catch off a flat-batted rocket from Ben Cutting. He also plucked a ball, heading for six, calmly on the long on boundary like an AFL full forward nonchalantly making an above head mark.

His final act was to dive forward to take the winning catch off the final ball. Archer had a rare unhappy night with the ball last night, however still managed to find a way to have a huge bearing on the result, which is exactly what you want from one of your overseas signings.

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5. Hurricanes spinners providing impact
Most of the headlines from the Hurricanes four-game winning streak have rightly gone to D’Arcy Short and his ability to put up big totals.

However, going under the radar is their spin attack and how the likes of Clive Rose, Cameron Boyce and Short are elevating this team after struggling with the ball last season. Boyce and Short changed the whole momentum of the run chase last night, taking 3/34 in six straight overs of combined wrist spin.

Boyce played for Australia in T20 cricket back in 2014, but has fallen off the radar since then. However, it looks like he is rediscovering the confidence which made him such a strike weapon, as well as a bowler capable of containing sides.