Hobart drop star import in last-ditch bid to save season

Hobart Hurricanes have made the big call to axe opener Chamari Athapaththu as they look to keep their slim chances of making the Weber WBBL|12 finals alive.

England spinner Linsey Smith will make her return from the quad injury that ruled her out of the opening five matches of the summer on Saturday night against the Brisbane Heat.

Hobart will also retain New Zealand middle-order batter Maddy Green, who was signed as a fourth overseas option ahead of the start of the tournament, and will instead shift Athapaththu off their contract list.

The veteran Sri Lanka opener, who was player of the tournament while playing for the Sydney Thunder in 2023, has struggled after signing on as a late replacement for England opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge.

In five innings, Athapaththu has scored 39 runs at 7.8 and striking at 59. That included a particularly grim showing against the Strikers at Ninja Stadium on Tuesday, where she hit 10 from 26 balls before retiring out.

"It was a tough innings, and to be honest, it was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make as a coach," Hurricanes coach Jude Coleman said on Friday when asked about the decision to retire Athapaththu.

Coleman further elaborated on the call to drop Athapaththu and keep Green, who has been promising with limited opportunities batting down the order, scoring 88 runs at an average of 29.

"No one's position is safe in the team, no matter who you are, when you're not performing," she said.

"But we're just trying to throw our support around her as best we can, and trying to help her as much as we can.

"It's disappointing for us (and) it's hard as an international player. You come over here, and the expectations are so high.

"I feel for her because she's trying her hardest out there, but it just hasn't come off and unfortunately, this is a performance sport, a performance environment and if you're not performing, your role's in jeopardy.

"It was terribly difficult (telling her), the worst part of the job. Everybody wants to perform their best, and it's never fun when you're not.

"But she was a true professional and took it really well, but it was a really difficult conversation to have."

The Hurricanes are 0-5 halfway through the regular season and need to beat the resurgent Heat, who are on a three-game winning streak, to keep their hopes of making the finals alive.

Coleman said she was backing her team to respond, with two of their defeats coming on the last ball of the match.

Rachel Trenaman, who had been elevated to No.3 this season in place of Natalie Sciver-Brunt, is expected to replace Athapaththu at the top of the order, while Coleman said a further defeat on Saturday could see the club change its approach for the remainder of the season.

"Our number one priority is to win tomorrow to keep our finals race alive, but if that doesn't eventuate, we'll be looking to the future," Coleman said.

The Hurricanes coach praised the work of captain Nicola Carey, who has been in career-best form during her first season in charge of the club.

Carey has been flying the flag in the middle-order, scoring 161 runs from four innings, averaging 53.66 and striking at 129, while she has also picked up six wickets.

"Nic will probably admit herself she had not had leadership aspirations early on in her career, but she's just taken to it like a duck to water," Coleman said.

"She's been great around the group, and her performance on the field has been one of the best she's produced at WBBL level.

"I couldn't be more proud of her, and she's been well supported by Heather (Graham). She's certainly stepped up, and she's filled the shoes of Elyse (Villani), which are difficult shoes to fill, but she's done it in her own authentic way, which is what I'm most proud of."

Hurricanes squad to play Heat: Nicola Carey (c), Heather Graham, Maddy Green, Chinelle Henry, Ruth Johnston, Lizelle Lee, Isa Malgioglio, Kate Pelle, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Lauren Smith, Linsey Smith, Molly Strano, Rachel Trenaman

Weber WBBL|12 Standings

Round 1

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	Drawn D	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Batting Bonus Bat	Bowling Bonus Bowl	Total points PTS
1 Perth Scorchers Women SCO	5	5	0	0	0	0	1.469	0	0	0	10
2 Sydney Sixers Women SIX	5	5	0	0	0	0	1.156	0	0	0	10
3 Brisbane Heat Women HEA	5	3	2	0	0	0	0.092	0	0	0	6
4 Sydney Thunder Women THU	5	2	3	0	0	0	0.215	0	0	0	4
5 Adelaide Strikers Women STR	4	2	2	0	0	0	-0.35	0	0	0	4
6 Melbourne Renegades Women REN	5	2	3	0	0	0	-0.528	0	0	0	4
7 Melbourne Stars Women STA	6	1	5	0	0	0	-0.602	0	0	0	2
8 Hobart Hurricanes Women HUR	5	0	5	0	0	0	-1.25	0	0	0	0

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

D: Drawn

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

Bat: Batting Bonus

Bowl: Bowling Bonus

PTS: Total points