McGrath finds form as Strikers claim crucial win

Tahlia McGrath has returned to form in stunning fashion, producing her best knock of the Weber WBBL season to lead her side to a crucial eight-wicket win over Hobart Hurricanes.

Strikers captain McGrath hammered an unbeaten 93 from 51 deliveries as her side chased down the Hurricanes’ 154 all out at North Sydney Oval with 31 balls to spare.

The win lifted the Strikers back into the top four; they sit in fourth spot, level on 15 points with the third-placed Hurricanes, and one point behind the second-ranked Heat.

The comfortable win handed Adelaide a very handy net run rate boost, they now sit on 0.31 behind the hurricanes on 0.31.

The result also confirmed the Sydney Sixers will finish on top of the table and progress directly to the WBBL|08 final, which they will host at North Sydney Oval on November 26.

Adelaide, Hobart, Brisbane and Perth all remain in the running to finish second and host The Challenger and The Eliminator finals next week.

Melbourne Stars now cannot make finals, while the fifth-ranked Perth Scorchers remain on 13 points, but with two games left to play against the two Melbourne sides.

The Hurricanes play the top-ranked Sixers on Sunday while the Strikers take on Sydney Thunder, and the battle for the final four could well come down to net run rate or even the weather, with rain forecast for the three matches in Moe.

Star Australia allrounder McGrath had scored just 119 runs from 10 innings this season coming into the match, with a top score of 35, while she also missed two matches with a back injury.

But it was McGrath at her best on Friday afternoon, as she hammered the Hurricanes attack around North Sydney Oval, hitting four sixes and 12 fours.

While South Africa star Laura Wolvaardt (0) fell in the first over, McGrath was joined by Katie Mack (29) in a 77-run second-wicket stand that laid the foundation for the successful chase.

When she departed, Deandra Dottin (20no) joined McGrath to ice the match.

Earlier, Mignon du Preez played a lone hand, hitting 75 off 47 balls as the Hurricanes were bowled out for 154 in 19.4 overs.

Opener Lizelle Lee (13) threatened early, hitting three boundaries, but was caught by debutant Anesu Mushangwe off the bowling of Dottin in the fourth over.

Leg-spinner Mushangwe, who is the first Zimbabwean player to feature in the WBBL, then picked up her first scalp, with Rachel Trenaman (6) falling to a full toss.

Elyse Villani (9), Heather Graham (1) and Nicola Carey (2) departed in quick succession, and while Ruth Johnston played a handy cameo of 25 off 17, no other batter was able to stick around to assist du Preez, who eventually fell to a sharp diving catch by Mushangwe.

Jemma Barsby (3-27) was the pick of the bowlers. 

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