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Adelaide can still play BBL finals after comfortably beating Hobart by five wickets at the Adelaide Oval.
The Strikers were set 166 for victory on Tuesday night after Hurricanes opener Ben McDermott made a brilliant 95 not out.
Adelaide cruised through their run chase, with captain Matt Short and Chris Lynn both firing.
They never looked like falling short, despite winning with just four balls to spare.
Moving to fifth on the table, the Strikers are a solitary point outside the top four and could overtake the Melbourne Stars if they win their remaining contests against the Hurricanes and the Sydney Thunder.
Hobart, who would have gone into the top four with a win, are now a point behind in sixth.
Tuesday night’s encounter was a must-win contest for both outfits as finals approach in a shortened tournament.
“It’s huge … obviously the boys are starting to believe now,” Adelaide spinner Cameron Boyce told Seven.
“Another couple of big games for us but hopefully we get those two wins and we will be on the roll … bring on finals if we can make it.
“”We didn’t really nail things early on in the tournament, which is disappointing and put us in this position that we’re in … we just need to keep believing and keep surging on.”
The Hurricanes slumped to 5-35 inside seven overs on their way to a middling 7-165 while the Strikers blasted 57 off their first four powerplay overs to break the back of their run chase.
Matt Short (45 off 32) smashed two sixes in the first over to set the tone, continuing the stunning form that has him leading the competition for runs scored.
By the time he, D’Arcy Short (28 of nine) and Lynn (37 off 26) departed the Strikers were 3-109, leaving Australian Test keeper Alex Carey to guide them home with a crisp 26-ball 36.
The Hurricanes weren’t up for the occasion, only posting a respectable total courtesy of McDermott’s classy knock, which contained four punishing sixes.
Power-hitter Chris Jordan (30 off 15 balls) put on a 76-run partnership with McDermott, who ran out of time to post his fourth BBL century.
Carey marked his first BBL appearance for the season with two catches and a brilliant leg-side stumping to get rid of Hobart dangerman Nikhil Chaudhary.
Jamie Overton took 43-23 while veteran spinner Boyce looked nearly unplayable, taking 2-13 off his four overs including Chaudhary.
Boyce contrasted his side’s speedy opening with the bat with the struggles the Hurricanes had faced.
“It almost seems like it’s happening so quickly, the boys are getting to 40 and 50 no worries,” he said.
“It was an unbelievable innings by Benny McDermott, so we knew it was going to be a tough chase either way, but the boys are flying up top, so we’re always confident.”
Hobart quick Riley Meredith left the contest early with a side strain, one ball after taking Lynn’s wicket.
The sides meet again on Thursday on Hobart.
© AAP
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