Wade’s faith in lower order

DESPITE being starved of opportunities so far in BBL08, Hobart’s lower-order batsmen are unlikely to be promoted at any stage to spend some time in the middle.

Instead captain Matthew Wade will back the likes of Simon Milenko, James Faulkner and Johan Botha to produce if and when they are required regardless of whether the side locks away a finals berth with matches still remaining in the tournament.

Such has been the irresistible form of Wade and opening partner D’Arcy Short — aside from the team’s sole loss against the Melbourne Renegades when Ben McDermott and George Bailey had to re- build from 3-11 — the Hurricanes’ vaunted batting depth has not been called upon.

Milenko has provided a pair of cameos but has only faced 46 balls in six innings, while Faulkner (eight balls) and Botha (one) have barely been used at all.

Jofra Archer, who averages 16.5 in Twenty20 cricket at a strike rate of 135.8, and Clive Rose, who is no mug with the bat himself, are yet to even get to the crease this Big Bash.

“I think we will keep it pretty much the same. The Renegades game, as bad a start as we had, it was nice to see the guys rebuild the innings,” Wade said ahead of the contest against Perth tonight.

“Milenko got a little bit of a hit and Jimmy got out there to run between the wickets so that was good.

“We don’t want to flirt with it too much, we know it can go the other way really quickly in T20 so we just have to continue to do what we are doing and if those guys need to make runs in games down the track, I’m sure they will.”