CANES FALL AGONISINGLY SHORT
Miller finds form ... but it’s all too late
THE Hobart Hurricanes’ BBL season is now all but over.
The Adelaide Strikers yesterday survived a David Miller onslaught to beat Hobart in their match in Launceston.
Test batsman Travis Head hit 79 from 40 balls to set up his side’s 10-run victory and lift them to second on the ladder.
But it was bettered by South African Miller, who put a season of woe behind him with an unbeaten 90 from just 48 balls.
The Hurricanes, chasing 187 to win to keep their season alive, required 21 runs off the final over, but veteran Peter Siddle held his nerve with the ball.
HURRICANES import David Miller has described his breakthrough Big Bash knock as bittersweet after just failing to drag the side across the line against Adelaide.
The South African star entered yesterday’s clash in Launceston averaging just 13 from a total of 91 runs all tournament, but nearly doubled that with his blistering unbeaten 90 from only 48 balls.
However the Strikers’ ground record of 5-186 proved 10 too many for Hobart, which has almost certainly had its remote finals aspirations sunk following a fifth straight match without victory.
Despite needing more than 12 runs an over in the second half of the chase Miller’s brilliant display — which contained eight boundaries and five sixes — remarkably kept the hosts in the hunt up until the final over.
The equation was 51 from the last three overs and 21 from the final six balls, but veteran Peter Siddle held his nerve to close out the contest for the visitors.
“I don’t think it was too much pressure personally, I have just been a bit frustrated to be honest,” Miller said of his sub-par tournament.
“I’ve let myself down in a few areas but there has also been other [games] where I haven’t had the greatest opportunity and other times when I have.
“It has been a bit up and down and has been frustrating.
“It was a really nice flowing game for me batting, but the third-to-last ball was a full toss and I clocked it to cow corner, I think if it had gone [for six], you need 13 off three and it’s a different game.
“But obviously it was nice to get out and smack a few.”
Adelaide built its total on the back of the blazing bat of captain Travis Head (79 off 40 balls, five boundaries and six sixes).
But it could have been a far different story had Miller not dropped a straightforward chance at deep midwicket when Head was on 21.
The Australian middle-order star cashed in on his life, going on a rampage to blast his next
58 runs from just 25 balls to make the Hurricanes pay dearly.
Matt Short (33 from
20) and homegrown Tasmanian Jon Wells (45 not out) finished off Head’s work before Michael Neser immediately put the Hurricanes on the back foot by removing captain Matthew Wade in the opening over.
His dismissal was a huge blow and despite Miller’s heroics and a cameo from Ben McDermott (31 off 17) the task proved too great.
“Little half-chances here and there, I dropped Heady — those kind of things make a big difference in the game,” Miller said of Hobart’s sloppy fielding effort.