CANE TRAIN RECORD COMING UP SHORT
THE prized wicket of sixmachine D’Arcy Short is the key to tonight’s Big Bash semifinal, with Hobart’s record plummeting when Short fails.
Across Short’s career the Hurricanes have lost 82 per cent of matches when their leading run-scorer falls for 0-20 runs, while they win 73 per cent of games where Short scores more than 20.
Melbourne Stars opening batsman Ben Dunk has the surprise career figures of 2-10 from seven balls against Short.
Strike bowler Jackson Bird yesterday said the focus was on limiting Short and Matthew Wade’s boundary options in the early overs at Blundstone Arena.
“The challenge is to take wickets with the new ball and get their middle order in, because over the last couple of weeks they haven’t got much of a hit,” Bird said.
“Without giving too much away, if we can limit their boundary options early in the over and then late in the over hopefully they’ll take a few more risks than what they have been doing in the (power-play).
“Those guys will probably come hard the first couple of balls of the over so it’s up to us to bowl our best ball for that particular field.”
Bird, 32, has had success against both Wade (2-45 off 34 balls) and Short (0-14 off 17 balls).
Hobart will host Sunday’s grand final if they win, while the Stars would head to either the SCG or Marvel Stadium if they triumph tonight.