Two sides to top story
THEY are the Hurricanes’ deadly duo, but despite appearances it is the differences rather than the similarities that make Matthew Wade and D’Arcy Short such a dangerous combination.
The two power-packed lefthanders have formed the most dangerous opening partnership in BBL history.
Wade and Short are the only pair to record four century stands, following their 145-run partnership in the win over the Sydney Sixers on Sunday night.
Their average of 58.86 is only bettered by Aaron Finch and Brad Hodge (60.7) and Hilton Cartwright
and Marcus Stoinis (59.8) in BBL history — but both those combinations haven’t even scored half the runs of the Hurricanes duo.
So important are the pair to the ‘Canes success that Hobart has an 80 per cent victory rate from their 10 50-run plus opening partnerships. Wade said despite both being left-handers, their different styles complimented each other beautifully.
“We’ve gone OK at times, me and Darce,” Wade said.
“He’s a terrific player.
“The way D’Arcy plays off-side and I play leg-side probably helps our partnership quite a bit.
“He backs away and tends to give the off-side away with his shots and I go the other way, so that helps. He feeds off what I do and I feed off him.
“He tends to get me on strike if I’m going, which is nice, but we were about the same score for the first 10 overs.
“It is nice to get back and get in the runs with him.”
But while Wade and Short have flourished, the same cannot be said of English import Will Jacks.
The 22-year-old, in his first BBL season, is averaging just nine runs a hit, but Hobart coach Adam Griffith said they would stick with the Englishman. “I think he will play a role for us and win us a game at some stage, hopefully that’s in the next few games,” Griffith said.