Hobart Hurricanes rise into top four with win over Adelaide Strikers

Heather Graham made fifty for Hurricanes, who defended their total with relative ease

Adelaide: Hobart Hurricanes 152-4, Adelaide Strikers 129-4 - Hobart Hurricanes win by 23 runs

Scorecard

Hobart Hurricanes have climbed into the Women's Big Bash playoff positions, usurping reigning champions Perth Scorchers, by beating Adelaide Strikers comfortably.

The result – founded on Heather Graham's half century and a fine bowling display in reply – closes the gap between the two sides to just a single point, with Hobart also holding onto a game in hand.

Having not finished higher than sixth since the second edition of the competition, Elyse Villani's charges look primed to at the very least be involved in a race to the knockout stages.

They successfully defended a total of 152 with relative ease as Graham, Molly Strano, Amy Smith and Nicola Carey stifled Strikers' big-name run-chase.

Strano accounted for Katie Mack (10) and Laura Wolvaardt (45), while Carey picked up Deandra Dottin – well caught in the deep by Graham – and Tahlia McGrath.

^{Laura Wolvaardt made 45 for Adelaide Strikers (Sarah Reed/Getty Images)}

Strikers, playing in familiar surroundings at the Karen Rolton Oval, only lost four wickets but couldn't find the impetus to launch a late assault, with 51 runs needed from the final four overs. Instead, Bridget Patterson and Madeline Penna managed just two fours between them in 28 deliveries as Adelaide came up well short.

Earlier, Villani (47) had anchored the first half of Hobart's innings after Lizelle Lee had given her side a decent start in the powerplay. Both experienced internationals fell to Amanda-Jade Wellington, however, while Lee's South African teammate Mignon du Preez was cleaned up by Darcie Brown for just three.

But Graham hit six fours and a six in her 34-ball innings, falling in the final over for exactly fifty as Hurricanes set up a crucial victory.

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