Magic’s return move Molly Strano highlights Thunder vs. WBBL Hurricanes clash

A magical catch from Hobart Hurricanes spinner Molly Strano wasn’t enough as impressive innings from imports Heather Knight and Chamari Atapattu and some bowling savvy from Hannah Darlington helped Sydney Thunder gain revenge on their early-season WBBL title on Thursday.

However, the capture of Hurricanes spinner Strano was the highlight and one of the early contenders for the catch of the season.

The 32-year-old dived to her right to take a spectacular catch from her own bowling and dismiss Atapatta.

“I haven’t had much time to think about it,” Strano told Seven and Fox.

“It was a tracer bullet, so I was really glad it just stuck.”

It wasn’t enough to spark a revival, however, with the Thunder claiming a 33-run win in a match shortened to 17 overs a side after rain delayed the start at North Sydney Oval for 30 minutes on Thursday, just three days after the Hurricanes’ win. for 31 runs in Hobart,

Atapattu (38 from 29) and Knight (48 from 28) helped the Thunder reach 5-146.

Hobart hit 18 of their first seven balls but were bowled out for 5-13 in the last few overs to finish with 8-113.

Darlington (3-16 from 4) claimed the big wickets of Liesel Lee (18 from 22) and Heather Graham (30 from 21), while Atapattu completed a good all-round performance, taking 1-11 from three overs of neat spin, removing England star Danny Wyatt- Hodge.

England captain Knight, who missed the first game between the two teams, played some beautiful shots and provided impetus in the second half of the innings.

She hit 14 of the last three balls in one Power Surge shot bowled by Molly Strano, sending the first ball wide and adding two fours in the same area.

“It was really nice to go into the competition to hit the ground running and I thought Atta was great too,” Knight told Seven and Fox.

“We were able to form a little partnership there and things worked out in the end.”

Atapattu, who was out off the first ball on Sunday, was dropped at deep mid-wicket in the fifth over.

Her delivery included sixes at deep midwicket and long before she fell to a wonderful return catch by Strano.

In response, Lee hit the first two balls of the Hurricanes’ chase and three of the over, while Wyatt-Hodge scored six runs back from the first ball of the second over.

Thunder struck back and Atapattu caught Wyatt-Hodge at backward point.

Nicola Carey, who scored 50 in last weekend’s game, then hit Shabnim Ismail on her stump, the ball after the South African speedster hit her on the helmet.

Lee (18 off 22) was unable to maintain her initial momentum and was adjudged LBW first ball after the mid-innings break, although had she used DRS she would have been given a reprieve.

A lively 43-run fourth-wicket stand between Graham and Elise Villani (25 off 25) gave the Hurricanes hope before they were dismissed in successive overs to trigger a decisive collapse.

AARP