Sydney Thunder vs Hobart Hurricanes Prediction

HBH Team News

Afghanistan’s teenage leg-spinner Qais Ahmad has been flown over from the BPL in Bangladesh to replace the retired Johan Botha in Hobart’s bowling attack. He took 2-34 last time out, on his first appearance. James Faulkner was rested last time out and will be again, with concerns about his knee injury. He will therefore return for the semi-finals. Australia test captain Tim Paine is available and could replace Caleb Jewell.

HBH Key Players

Hobart Hurricanes boast the two best batsmen in this year’s competition, with D’Arcy Short and Matthew Wade in superb form at the top of the order. Short has hit six half-centuries in a total of 595 runs from 13 innings – including a high score of 96 not out. He also took 2-20 with the ball last time out.

Wade, on the other hand, has scored 84*, 64, 12, 88 and 58 in his last five innings. He has moved to 545 runs for the season – again with six half-centuries. Wade’s 88 against Adelaide Strikers was the highest T20 score of his career.

There are runs in the middle order too, with 279 in 11 innings from Ben McDermott, including an unbeaten 39 last time out, and 273 in ten from George Bailey.

With the ball, Hobart’s leading wicket taker is the now rested James Faulkner but there are still plenty of wickets in this team. Jofra Archer has provided 16 of them – including 2-19 last time out – while Riley Meredith has 15.

HBH Team Form

Hobart have only lost three matches this season but two of those defeats have come in their last four matches. They have bounced back on both occasions, however.

The first of those defeats was against Sydney Sixers, despite Matthew Wade’s 64 in a total of 172/4 – the Hurricanes failing to defend it in a nine-wicket defeat that took just 17.1 overs.

Hobart bounced back, as D’Arcy Short (68*) and Caleb Jewell (61*) shared an unbeaten 132-run partnership in a nine-wicket win against Brisbane Heat – reaching 146 to win in just 14.2 overs.

Another defeat followed, this time to Adelaide Strikers, despite Wade’s 88 from 54 balls in a total of 169/7. In reply, the Strikers lost just three wickets and reached their target with 13 balls to spare.
Once again, however, Hobart got back to winning ways as Wade hit yet another half-century. His 58 from 30 balls helped the Hurricanes to 183/6 against Melbourne Renegades and Jofra Archer (2-19), Short (2-20) and Qais Ahmad (2-34) all chipped in as the Gades closed on 167/8.