Match no. 30 of the ongoing 2023 edition of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) will feature a clash between Sydney Thunder and Hobart Hurricanes at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney. The game is scheduled to be played on the 9th of November, 2023, at 9:30 AM Indian Standard Time (IST).
Squads:
Sydney Thunder – Marizanne Kapp, Heather Knight (C), Lauren Bell, Samantha Bates, Paris Bowdler, Hannah Darlington, Saskia Horley, Ebony Hoskin, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Anika Learoyd, Phoebe Litchfield, Claire Moore, Olivia Porter, Lauren Smith, Tahlia Wilson, Chamari Athapaththu
Hobart Hurricanes – Nicola Carey, Julia Cavanough, Maisy Gibson, Heather Graham, Shabnim Ismail, Ruth Johnston, Lizelle Lee, Emma Manix-Geeves, Tabatha Saville, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Amy Smith, Bryony Smith, Molly Strano, Elyse Villani (C), Naomi Stalenberg
Players to watch out:
Sammy-Jo Johnson
The 31-year-old pacer has scored 807 runs from 73 batting outings and taken 98 wickets in 100 WBBL outings. Sammy missed the initial few games for the side, and since her return, she has been effective. She started her season with figures of 2/23 and followed up with figures of 1/29 and 1/38. It’ll be expected of the pacer to carry forward this momentum.
Hannah Darlington
The 23-year-old bowling all-rounder has scored 203 runs from 33 innings and taken 67 wickets from 51 innings in the WBBL. Hannah has been impressive for the side this season. Following a decent start, Hannah’s campaign picked up pace, and she produced figures of 4/33, 2/13, and 2/53 in her 3 recent WBBL outings. With a focus on her economy rate, the Thunder will want her to continue delivering good performances.
Elyse Villani
The 34-year-old all-rounder has scored 3296 runs, including the highest of 100*, from 117 WBBL outings, with an average of 32.31. Elyse missed the season opener, and in her 5 outings thus far, she has showcased great consistency. She has registered scores of 39, 39*, 40, 41, and 58*, and she’ll look to lead her side from the front, riding on this momentum.
Molly Strano
The 31-year-old bowling all-rounder has contributed with the bat, scoring 533 runs from 57 bowling innings, while also taking 144 wickets from 118 bowling innings in Bash cricket. Molly, as ever, is having another stellar year in the WBBL. She has picked up 7 wickets in 6 outings this summer and, capitalizing on her confidence, Molly returned figures of 2/14, 2/14, and 1/23 in her previous 3 outings. She will be relied upon to make the most of her form.
Pitch:
The Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, provides a well-balanced wicket, one that pleases both batters and bowlers. The 22-yard strip offers enough assistance to spinners, as a result, the average score at the venue ranges in the 130s.
Weather:
With a high chance of rain on the forecast and showers expected during match hours, there could likely be a delayed start and interruptions during the game. The temperature is forecasted to be around 23°C, with humidity at 78% and light winds.
Fantasy playing XI:
Lizelle Lee, Tahlia Wilson, Heather Knight, Elyse Villani, Phoebe Litchfield, Naomi Stalenberg, Chamari Athapaththu, Nicola Carey, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Molly Strano, Hannah Darlington
Match details:
Date – November 9, 2023
Time – 9:30 AM IST
Venue – Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on the FanCode app and website.
