Sixers blow away Hurricanes as Van Niekerk hat-trick spins it victory

It might have been a different story if Ellyse Perry had found the hands of slip when she was just on one. As it was it was yet another fifty for the Sydney Sixers captain. It was an all-round effort as the bowlers who ensured the win as Dane van Niekerk took the third ever WBBL hat-trick. The Hobart Hurricanes couldn’t find an answer as they lost by 33 runs.

Alyssa Healy was looking to take on the bowler Katelyn Fryett when she clipped a ball off leg stump and smashed it straight to Hayley Matthews. Fryett had failed to get her line right and had conceded two wides at the start of her spell.

Erin Burns was stumped by Georgia Redmayne as Veronica Pyke bowled one across the batter and was out of the ground as Redmayne calmly did the rest.

When Marizanne Kapp was bowled for 11 by Matthews, the Sixers were 54 for 3 and were in danger of letting a decent start get away from them. It brought in the New Zealander Sara McGlashan to join Perry.

Perry and McGlashan set about building the innings and they were able to put on 66 for the fourth wicket. When McGlashan was run out by a direct hit by the debutant Stefanie Daffara for 44 the Sixers were on top.

It took some composure from Matthews in the final over to see a clatter of wicket. From the first ball Perry was run out; looking to get on strike she didn’t back up and when Angela Reakes hit it back to the bowler Perry was short of her ground.

It was a repeat next ball as Matthews hit the stumps again. Reakes had time to give Lauren Winfield a catch as ten runs came from the over and the Sixers posted 152 for 8.

It was going to be a tough task for the Hurricanes, who lost Winfield for 13 as she was bowled by Sarah Aley. The Hurricanes had needed their England international to have carried on as her open partner Redmayne had struggled to get going, but it was not to be.

Matthews also made a start but was controversially given out to what must have been the finest of edges as she tried a slog shot that saw the West Indian international lose her shape. It was a poor shot that did her side few favours.

It was then up to the player of the match van Niekerk to rip the heart out of the Hurricanes middle-order with a hat-trick and four wickets in total. Veda Krishnamurthy played all around the leg-spinners delivery.

Corinne Hall tried to give herself room to guide the ball through point but van Niekerk was just too good for her. Daffara tried to paddle her first ball but missed and it gave van Nierkerk a hat-trick.

The Hurricanes never recovered a 35 not out from Pyke was too late as the sixers completed a 33-run win that never really looked in doubt. It leaves the Hurricanes with no wins from their first three games. They will have to go away and assess what is going wrong. They now need one of their international players to prove their billing, while the Sixers look on course to the finals.

Hobart Hurricanes v Sydney Sixers

Sydney Sixers 152 for 8 (Perry 65, Matthews 2 for 29)

Hobart Hurricanes 119 for 8 (Pyke 35*, van Niekerk 4 for 20)