- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
This summer’s Big Bash League (BBL) kicked off with a flying start for the Hobart Hurricanes, seeing them win five consecutive games.
After this initial success, the team lost to Aaron Finch’s side, the Renegades, and began to drop off, losing four games out of their last six of the tournament.
The last match was the decisive game for the Hurricanes because if they lost they could not progress into the finals; the Canes were to be cleaned up by the Stars by six wickets.
Speaking about the competition more broadly, there was a variety of performances, with some games being close and others being a snooze fest. This was one of the biggest competitions in the history of the BBL, with 59 games being played across 13 different venues, and the final being hosted at the renowned MCG.
Highlights of the tournament included D’Arcy Short, the opening batsman for Hobart Hurricanes, producing a top score of 96no* and 637 runs throughout the tournament. To add to his impressive summer, he was named the best player of the tournament for a second consecutive season.
What are we, the fans, meant to take away from this season? Was this a season of unmet expectations? Or is the golden age of the Canes to come in the near future?
In what follows, I will be explaining the team’s general performance over the summer, pointing out some of the highlights and lowlights amongst the players, and touching upon what the future might hold for the Hurricanes.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Team performance
The Canes came out of the gates strongly, losing only one game out of their first nine. Much of this was due to the significant role played by the two openers for the Hurricanes throughout the tournament.
Matthew Wade and Short would regularly lay the foundation down for the team so that the middle order could regularly come in and finish the innings off with success. This was, by my lights, the best opening duo in the tournament.
By the end of the tournament, Short was averaging 42 runs a game, while Wade himself was posting an honourable 39.
On the bowling front, the Hurricanes carried a total of three pace bowlers and three spinners for a majority of the games played.
Young gun Qais Ahmad was transferred into the Hurricanes late in the season and was given the opportunity to bowl in the last three games, taking an impressive seven wickets. If Ahmad keeps up his skills and applies them to the tournament format he will, as far as I am concerned, be of great use to the Hurricanes in the coming years.
Despite the various displays of talent amongst the team, there were, however, a few standout errors for the Canes, particularly in the field. Three fairly routine catches were dropped in one of the final games against Sydney Thunder, ultimately costing them the match.
Nonetheless, in general, the Hurricanes maintained a very solid standard this season, and have thus made themselves into an imposing threat to the other teams for next summer.
The players: Highlights and lowlights
As mentioned previously, the two openers for Hobart started with a bang this season, knocking some very impressive scores with the bat, and have certainly constituted the highlight of the Hurricanes season for 2018-19.
One particular game in which the mighty duo stepped up to show some class was the Hurricanes’ thrilling first victory against the Adelaide Strikers. Wade smashed an impressive 84no* and Short likewise made a respectable 73no* to guide their team home to a convincing 10-wicket victory. The pair ended up finding the rope 21 times that innings and, as such, no other batsman were required to step to the crease.
On the other hand, one of their last games against the Melbourne Renegades saw Riley Meredith bowl a mere three overs. Whilst getting hit for a whopping 43 runs; bowling five wides and three no-balls certainly did not help the cause.
This game aside, Meredith did provide the Hurricanes with some outstanding bowling figures and spells in some very crucial times. What this goes to show if you ask me: the name of the game for the Canes next season is consistency.
If the Canes want to make the finals next season, the bowlers will have to find themselves hitting more regularly.
What the future holds
The Hurricanes’ team this season was one to remember for many reasons. As one saw throughout his last few games, Qais Ahmad was brought into the side and made a great first impression taking an astounding seven wickets in three games. This 18-year old rising star is one to watch and get excited about in the coming season; the future for the Hurricanes looks to be in good form.
However, not only are things looking positive for the players, but for the rest of the club as well. With great staff on hand and a facility upgrade to the club, the team looks to have all the support it needs for success next year. So, despite the team’s occasional inconsistency, we look with anticipation for what is in store for BBL09.
Final thoughts
After such a strong and positive start for the Canes, it was sad to see them lose the semis and fail to progress any further.
However, it will be interesting to see the effect of this past seasons’ results on next summer and, with luck, we might see the Hurricanes stride to the top of the ladder with some confidence under their belt.
With a few players in top form this season, one can see how much of a difference that makes for the team. And with the addition of a young talent or two, the Canes’ fans can certainly hope for the maintaining of this form into next summer’s BBL.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.