More pain for Canes

THE batting cracks from last year’s disappointing WBBL campaign have again surfaced as Hobart slipped to another tight loss in the T20 format.

After starting the tournament with a pair of victories against the Melbourne Stars last weekend, the Hurricanes leave Brisbane with a 2- 2 record after coming up emptyhanded against Adelaide on Saturday and the Brisbane Heat yesterday.

Having failed to chase down 114 against the Strikers, the Hurricanes could only muster 8-123 against the Heat — thanks largely to a brilliant knock from England captain Heather Knight.

Knight finished unbeaten on 61 from 49 balls (four boundaries, two sixes) but Nicola Carey (20) was the only other top-order batter to provide a meaningful contribution.

Brisbane overhauled the target on the penultimate ball of the match to register a fivewicket win, with opener Beth Mooney (44 not out) and Amelia Kerr (28 not out from 18) combining for a 42-run stand to guide the hosts home.

The Hurricanes were in the box seat with 29 runs required from the last 18 balls but Kerr opened her shoulders to crunch four boundaries from Belinda Vakarewa in the 18th over to snatch the momentum.

Ultimately though it was Hobart’s under-par total which proved its undoing, with Jess Jonassen (4-20) ripping the heart out of the middle order with three wickets in the 15th over, including English international Fran Wilson and South African star Chloe Tryon in consecutive balls.

The Hurricanes will play their first matches on home soil next weekend against the Sydney Thunder at West Park.