Ben McDermott fires on return as Hurricanes thrash Thunder

Melbourne, Jan 1
Ben McDermott has returned from concussion to steer Hobart Hurricanes to a confidence-boosting seven-wicket BBL win over Sydney Thunder.
McDermott, who missed two matches after a training mishap, top scored with an unbeaten 53 from 34 deliveries as his side chased down a target of 151 with 11 balls to spare at Blundstone Arena on Monday night.
Stoinis sets off the fireworks on New Year’s Eve as Stars mow down 206 The victory, Hobart’s second of the season from five matches, lifts them to fifth spot on the ladder, two points outside the top four. McDermott shared an 85-run partnership with the in-form Macalister Wright, who fell late in the chase for 34 from 25 balls.
Wright’s knock came on the back of an impressive 36-ball 63 against Renegades and 33 from 19 against Stars.
The pair took 22 runs from the two-over power surge taken in the 13th over to get the chase down to roughly a run a ball. Thunder are long odds to make the finals, with just one win from six starts in a 10-games-per-team competition. Earlier, captain Chris Green gave Thunder’s innings a late boost with an unbeaten 33 from just 17 deliveries after coming to the crease at 92 for 6.
Thunder lost regular wickets throughout, including English import Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who was run out without facing a ball. Kohler-Cadmore, who has a career strike rate of 140 at an average of almost 30, unsuccessfully took on the arm of Wright in the deep in the fourth over.
Chris Jordan, Nikhil Chaudhary and Patrick Dooley shared the spoils for Hurricanes with two wickets each. The experienced Jordan picked up an economical 2 for 20 from four overs, including the wicket of the dangerous Oliver Davies (20 off 17) during the power surge.
Chaudhary (2 for 26 from four) had opener Cameron Bancroft (21 from 20) caught and bowled with his spin, then returned in the 15th over to trap Nathan McAndrew lbw.
Caleb Jewell (31 from 20) got Hurricanes’ chase off to a strong start but was out in the eighth over to a low outfield catch by Daniel Sams, ruled by the third umpire to have been held just above the grass.