The lead up to this game was more or less hijacked by the return after nine months suspension of Cameron Bancroft to top level cricket, and the reaction to this both at the ground and around the world seemed to be of more interest than the match itself. Perhaps for the Scorchers that was a good thing as it drew attention away from their batting woes so far this season and perhaps would turn out to be good for them. It did not.
If it wasn’t bad enough losing a wicket off the first ball of the match, then the collapse to be 4/19 after four overs was enough to rip the heart out of any glad tidings that may have existed for the return of Bancroft to cricket. Indeed, his innings of dot ball, turn to leg for two, then edge to keeper was less than glorious. Better days will come. A sensible partnership between Hilton Cartwright (29 off 35) and Ashton Agar (32 off 37) restored some vigour to the innings, but both fell to the left arm chinaman of D’Arcy Short – Cartwright putting a half tracker straight down deep mid-wicket’s throat, and Agar doing the same to a full toss. A wrist spinner’s two greatest wicket taking deliveries. A typical express pummelling by Nathan Coulter-Nile helped to raise what looked like a double digit total to a slightly more defendable one of 8/107.
The Hurricanes took zero chances in looking to win the game, with not one six hit in the reply. Wade and Short both played steady innings before being dismissed, while Alex Doolan showed his class and some sparkling drives in his score of 41 not out off 36 deliveries. The Hurricanes passed the score four wickets down with a little over two overs remaining to once again hand the crowd a less than exhilarating match in regards to exciting cricket, but was exemplary in regards to competently bowling a team out and then chasing the total without any dramas. As entertainment it was less than would have been hoped for.
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