Devine's blistering knocks tame the Hurricanes

In an exciting match that was tied on the last delivery, thanks to heroics by Sophie Devine, Adelaide Strikers defeated Hobart Hurricanes in the super over.

In the tied matches often the first inning is forgotten and only the drama that unfolds in the second inning that gets registered in the memory. So when the chance came, Sophie Devine made full use of her powers to carve out her name to ensure that her heroics will never be forgotten.

After winning the toss and opting to field, little did the Hobart Hurricanes know that the real hurricane was opening for the Adelaide Strikers in the form of Sophie Devine. Almost single-handedly Devine blasted Hurricanes bowlers all around the park in a blistering knock of 99* off 53 balls out of which 22 runs came of Heather Knight’s final over of the inning.

Batting first Strikers’ captain and the opener Bates was caught by Knight off Hepburn as she attempted a mighty shot to smash Hepburn out of park for 6 (11). McGrath joined Devine at the crease and played a gem of a knock herself scoring 63 (42) in which she hit 9 fours and 2 sixes. Devine played a second fiddle by rotating the strike while dispatching bad balls for four. Once Knight removed McGrath in 13^thover, the responsibility of posting a good target fell on Devine who was still batting on 49 in 31 balls. It was only after the 17^thover did Devine let herself loose on the Hurricanes bowling and scored 41 runs in 3 overs. She remained unbeaten on 99 as Strikers posted a substantial score of 189/5 at the end of the inning.

However, Hurricanes started their reply positively as Mandhana and Fazackerley hit a boundary each in the first over. But Fazackerley fell immediately in the 3^rdover after lasting for just 3 balls. After a blistering start, it seemed that the Hurricanes mean the business and chase was on track but Daffara departed in the 4^thover off Hazel for 0. Mandhana launched the offensive and in the 5^thover completed her half-century in only 23 balls by dispatching Hazell for six. Hurricanes lost 2 quick wickets in Mandhana and Knight scoring 52 (26) and 9 (9) respectively. The Hurricanes challenge appeared to have phased out but Hall and Redmayne along with Molony rebuilt the inning.

It all came down to Fryett as the Hurricanes needed 5 to win off the last ball. She dispatched the ball to the extra cover boundary in the gap to miraculously tie the match and take it to the super over.

Knight and Mandhana came to bat for Hurricanes but managed to post only 12 runs despite Mandhana hitting the first ball for a six.

Having to chase 13 in the super over, Bates and Devine walked to the crease and this is where Devine rewrote the script all by herself. She achieved the target only in first 2 balls by hitting Hepburn for consecutive sixes and won the match for Strikres by dispatching the third ball for a boundary.