The Sydney Thunder roll on after topping off a winning weekend, with a 37 run victory against the Hobart Hurricanes. Image: Sydney Thunder - Twitter
The Sydney Thunder have won consecutive matches to get their WBBL|07 rolling, defeating the Hobart Hurricanes by 37 runs in Launceston.
After notching up their first win of the season against the Melbourne Stars yesterday, the Thunder pressed on with a convincing bowling performance to defend their 146-run total.
Post-match, Thunder head coach Trevor Griffin was “really pleased for the girls” as they got their season rolling this weekend.
“It was a tough start… our preparation was slightly different to normal and the girls were getting better and better as the competition went on,” Griffin said.
“We knew that someone in the top four needed to stand up and in the last two games, we’ve seen that.
“I thought Smriti (Mandhana) today batted really well, and sensibly, on a wicket that was getting a bit lower and slow as it went on…
“I’m delighted for the girls and the things that we’ve been speaking about working on, they’ve been going out and putting that into practice.”
Yesterday it was Tahlia Wilson, today it was Smriti who stood up with the bat. Her half-century included some cracking shots to the boundary and even one that cleared the rope for six.
After notching up her 50, Smriti departed, mistiming the pull shot to deep backward square leg where she was caught by Moloney.
Handy hitting by Sammy-Jo Johnson and Deepti Sharma off some loose Nicola Carey bowling in the 19th over helped get the total up to over 140.
The Thunder bowling contingent is deserving of every praise this weekend, they executed their plans brilliantly and took another early Powerplay wicket to build the pressure on the Hurricanes.
“I think one of the things that we recognised with the bowlers is in that Scorchers game and probably even the Strikers game right at the beginning, is we bowled well but there was just a poor ball in every over.
“The last few games we’ve been very tight… they’re very clear on their plans and they are going out and executing them.”
That Powerplay wicket was taken by England International bowler Issy Wong, who is impressing with the ball in her first season in lime green.
After the match, she spoke of the plans in place to bowl to the likes of Rachel Priest, though the ball that got her was not Wong’s best.
“It was a bit short and wide, really. I was lucky Deepti (Sharma) hung onto it,” Wong said post-match.
“I think something we talked about is really being aggressive early on and trying to take wickets in that Powerplay, which is something we’ve done for our last couple of games.
“So, it all comes to pressure, built pressure, and taking wickets, that’s really pleasing we’ve had those plans and we’ve been able to execute them.”
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Priest has been in form with the bat early this season and the Thunder knew she was a key early wicket.
“Her record speaks for itself, we saw her thrash a hundred earlier this season, so you know we certainly knew what she was capable of and there was massive planning going into her.
“Coincidently not giving her too much width, but you know I think that’s a massive strength of hers through the covers, but it can also be a weakness, so she showed that today.
“She’s a top player so it really good to send her back to the sheds early.”
Deepti took 3/13 in her four overs, which was rewarded with Player of the Match honours.
The strong work by Sydney Thunder in the field supported the executing of bowling plans and resulted in the comfortable 37-run victory.
After starting the season in Tasmania, the Thunder now travel to Adelaide where they will face Brisbane Heat next Sunday.
“It’s a bit of a strange one (having a week off), we’ve got momentum, we fly down to Adelaide on Tuesday,” Griffin said.
“So, we enjoy a couple of days break, and then it’s about switching back on and a few things that we fix upon as coaches, that we’ll be working with the players in our training sessions…
“Just keep on doing what we’re doing and keep getting better and better as the game goes on.”
The Sydney Thunder now head to Adelaide, where they will face the Brisbane Heat on Sunday, November 7 at 10:15 am AEDT.
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