Injury struck the Hobart Hurricanes as Riley Meredith, plagued by fitness issues, suffered an apparent side strain during the team’s loss by six wickets to the Daniel Hughes-led Sydney Sixers. Despite the setback, the Sixers, maintaining a perfect 2-0 start to the BBL season, successfully chased down the Hurricanes’ score of 135 for 8 with four balls to spare in Launceston on Monday night.
Hughes showcased his batting prowess, leading the charge with an unbeaten 60 from 50 balls after stepping in for Steven Smith, who departed the squad ahead of the first Test against Pakistan. He forged a crucial 47-run partnership with Moises Henriques (20 from 24), steering the Sixers’ pursuit of the target.
Jordan Silk contributed 23 runs before his dismissal in the penultimate over. With Sydney needing seven from six deliveries, Hughes emphatically sealed the win with a towering leg-side six off Nathan Ellis. Tom Curran then clinched the victory with a boundary through the covers.
Meredith, returning to domestic action since sustaining a side strain in September’s one-day cup game for Tasmania, encountered discomfort while bowling the third over of the chase. Coach Jeff Vaughan mentioned to Channel 7 that Meredith would undergo scans on Tuesday to assess the extent of his injury.
Earlier in the match, Hurricanes’ opener Caleb Jewell provided a strong start before the team stumbled post-powerplay. Curran initiated the downturn by dismissing Jewell in the sixth over. Left-arm quick Ben Dwarshuis further dented the Hurricanes’ batting lineup, claiming the wickets of Sam Hain and Tim David cheaply in his initial over.
Young all-rounder Jack Edwards also made an impact, with wicketkeeper Josh Philippe executing a remarkable one-handed diving catch to dismiss Ben McDermott. Edwards, who finished with figures of 2 for 18 from four overs, displayed unexpected bowling prowess, having bowled only one over in his 30 previous BBL matches.
The Hurricanes found themselves reeling at 69 for 5 in the ninth over before Chris Jordan and Corey Anderson stabilized the innings. Anderson, the former New Zealand all-rounder, delivered an impressive performance, achieving a career-best 2 for 10 with the ball.
