Hall's Hurricanes rampage on

Bat, bowl, field - this tight-knit group of Hobart Hurricanes continues to deliver.

On a blustery day in Bellerive, the home side scampered their way to a competitive and ultimately dominant total of 130 after Corinne Hall had cut, pulled and stole her way through to a top score of 39no. The Heat meanwhile, so clinical in many a run chase past, stuttered through their innings to end up well short on 97 all out.

How naively the islanders were written off in the initial pre-tournament assumptions, a theory based on WNCL form (Cripps Tasmanian Roar failed to register a single win in the 50-over format), a lack of individual star power and just, well, not having anything that stood out on paper. 

"Watch out for us," warned the Hurricanes’ Australian international and opening bowler Julie Hunter before the start of the Rebel Women’s Big Bash League.

"I think we might be the dark horses of the tournament."

Hunter’s warnings were brushed aside as attention instead turned towards the star-studded line-ups of the Perth Scorchers and Melbourne Stars. Both teams have stuttered in their campaigns and the Scorchers are now all but out of finals contention.

The Hurricanes, meanwhile, march on.

For those that thought cricket was a game played by eleven individuals, the Hurricanes have proved that it takes a team to win consistently.  

Just as the Heat’s strength this season has been in its explosive starts with the bat, the Hurricanes’ forte has been in tying down teams with its clinical opening bowling. With runs on the board for the Hurricanes, the stage was set for the second innings showdown.

After nine runs off the opening over from Hunter, the powerful batting duo of the Heat’s Grace Harris and Beth Mooney fancied their chances. 

Not for long. Once again Hunter (2-15) and her partner in crime, the experienced left-arm seamer Veronica Pyke (3-30), continued about their work unflustered.

WATCH: Pyke takes three as Heat crumble

Pyke struck in her first and the innings’ second over, coaxing Harris down the track and into the hands of long-on. When Hunter then took two more the following over, the tables had turned, with Harris, Mooney and the dangerous Jess Jonassen back in the hutch. 

From there wickets continued to tumble; only a 31-run partnership between former Southern Stars’ captain Jodie Fields (21) and England international Lauren Winfield (19) formed any possibility of a fight back. 

Just one of the Heat’s ten wickets was taken by a bowler alone in a Hurricanes bowling scorecard that reflected their strong fielding display. Two run-outs – one a direct hit – and seven catches were taken in all. 

The Tasmanian side’s own batting innings was another pick-and-mix accumulator job as woman after woman came in and contributed; Heather Knight (25), Hayley Matthews (22) and Erin Burns (24) all adding useful scores at the top of the order.

The stand out performance however went to Hall, whose impressive tournament form continues to improve with every match. Admitting that runs were hard to come by at first, and that her strokeplay down the ground isn’t her strength, Hall demonstrated that it’s not all about the power-hitting and sixes in Twenty20 cricket. 

Clean strokes punctuated by drop-and-runs were the hallmark of her innings. Any width and Hall was pulling and cutting the ball towards the Ricky Ponting Stand as quickly as the great man himself. A 34-ball period in the middle of the innings without a single boundary failed to fluster Hall, whose 39 runs came at almost a run-a-ball despite only hitting three fours. 

Hall is the definition of a busy cricketer, making things happen when she needs to, and none more so than in the final over.

Knowing that the Heat’s captain Delissa Kimmince is one of the best death bowlers around, Hall opted for innovation and timing to prevail. With five runs from the first four balls, Hall got into position early on the fifth, and with a deft flick of the wrists ramped the ball towards the fine leg boundary.

WATCH: Hall gets inventive in the final over

The final ball was more orthodox – a straight lofted drive back over the bowler’s head to put the momentum back into the Hurricanes' hands going into the innings break.

Hall isn’t an international, but she’s an all-round talent that is effective when it matters. Her fielding has already been a talking point of the tournament so it was appropriate that, in the 19th over and with the Heat nine wickets down, it was Hall who ran backward of her position at extra cover and dived full length to take the final catch and with it the game.

WATCH: Hall stunner secures the win

There are more star-studded line-ups in the tournament than the Hurricanes, of that there is no doubt. Yet there is something about Tasmania in Australian sport – whatever the pursuit - that sets them apart.

There’s a parochial feel about this fiercely proud group, so often mocked by the stronger, better funded and more populous mainland states.

It’s notable how many of the 4,283-strong crowd were decked in purple; if you’re Tasmanian and you’re coming to the cricket, it’s all-or-nothing, us against the world. 

The Hurricanes’ form leading into the New Year surprised us all, but as they continue their path to finals, the underdog tag has been shed, whether they like it or not.

This group of girls aren’t here for the ride; under the astute captaincy of England international Knight, the Hurricanes now expect nothing less than total domination.  

The squads

.@HurricanesWBBL XI: Knight (c), Pyke, Burns, Hall, Hepburn, Hunter, Matthews, Moloney, Phillips, Smith (wk), Thompson #WBBL01

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 1, 2016