The Hobart Hurricanes pulled off an improbable 31-run victory as the Scorchers self-destructed in their Big Bash League opener at the WACA ground in Perth on Sunday.
Dismissed for just 140 on a slow WACA wicket, the Hurricanes silenced a parochial Perth crowd to bowl out the Scorchers for 109 off 19.5 overs in reply.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Hurricanes well placed at 3 for 101 before collapsing to lose their next seven wickets for just 39 runs in the face of relentless pressure in the field.
English import Paul Collingwood reeled off run-outs to remove his countryman Owais Shah and the big-hitting Rhett Lockyear, as Hobart's middle-order failed to fire with the exception of Travis Birt's 40 off 30 balls.
Perth quick Ben Edmondson chimed in with the figures of 4 for 40 as the Scorchers looked well on top at the change off innings.
However, the Hurricanes began their fightback early when Ben Hilfenhaus had the dangerous Herschelle Gibbs caught behind for 2 in the second over.
Man-of-the-match Hilfenhaus finished with the impressive figures of 2 for 10 off four overs and Xavier Doherty was equally economical in his maximum spell of 1 for 15.
"I guess we identified we needed to start very well and taking early wickets was the key," Hilfenhaus said.
"Tonight I was lucky enough to get a couple of early ones and put some pressure on them."
Deputising for injured captain Tim Paine, Doherty's precise field placements and accurate off-spin slowly suffocated the life out of Perth's lacklustre batsmen.
Gibbs, Simon Katich (8), Mike Hussey (0) and Collingwood (4) all failed as Perth's experienced batting line-up fell cheaply, leaving Mitchell Marsh to carry the load with a-run-a-ball 35.
Some lusty late-innings hitting from Nathan Rimmington gave the Scorchers a glimmer of hope, but it was snuffed out when he was caught by Birt in the deep off the bowling of Doherty after blasting 22 off 14 balls.
Hobart's cult hero Rana Naved cleaned up the tail, finishing with 2 for 27 and effecting the run out of Ben Laughlin to end the innings.
"I thought the way be bowled was excellent, the way we fielded was good," North said.
"I thought 140 was below-par so at half-time we were in a good position. But in this format if you get reduced to 4-20, the game gets on top of you and there's too much work to do."
AAP
Tags: sport, twenty20, cricket, perth-6000, wa, australia, hobart-7000, tas First posted December 19, 2011 00:38:40
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