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The new Bash Bros? 'Canes duo blast off

Matthew Wade and D’Arcy Short are the top two batters in BBL08 – have they now taken over the mantle as the most feared too?

Move over Bash Brothers, there’s a new batting duo taking the league by storm.

The fire-and-ice pairing of Matthew Wade (84 not out off 49 balls) and D'Arcy Short (73 not out off 52) swept away the Adelaide Strikers on Monday, recording just the second 10-wicket win in the KFC BBL's short history to avenge the Hobart Hurricanes’ final defeat last season.

The Brisbane Heat’s Chris Lynn and Brendon McCullum have been the competition's most feared batting combination in recent seasons, but the Short-Wade union is fast closing the gap. 

The Hurricanes have been BBL08's standout side by a wide margin and a good chunk of their success can be put down to their explosive opening pair. 

Not only have they both had stunning seasons individually – Short and Wade occupy the top two spots on this season's run-scoring charts – but they've also been remarkably consistent in concert. They've now put on 50 or more five times from nine games in BBL08, while their average first-wicket stand is 62.

Wade believes their vastly contrasting styles have played a key part in their success; Short has emerged as a batting force through a simple plan of hitting straight back down the ground, while the smaller Wade is one of the league's most adept at hitting square of the wicket.

Short sizzles in Adelaide run-fest

Their respective strengths leaves bowlers with the unenviable task of having to constantly change where they bowl. 

"We both play completely different," said Wade. "Sometimes they look to tuck D'Arcy up full, sometimes they look to go wide to me.

"We hit the ball in completely different areas which makes a massive difference."

Their bond has also developed with the recognition that they can't simultaneously be the aggressor.

"When I used to bat with Aaron Finch (at Victoria), we used to have the ability to go up and down the gears together and I think me and D'Arcy do that," said Wade. 

"A lot of the times I'm the one taking the back seat, letting him to do his thing in the first six (overs) and he did that for me tonight. 

"I think that's a massive part of opening the batting together – if you can change your game a little bit depending on how the guy at the other end is going, it makes a big difference out there."

Monday night was a case in point; Adelaide Oval's short square boundaries suited Wade's powerful cross-bat game to a tee and Short recognised that by feeding his partner the strike.

So dominant was Wade that at one stage he'd more than doubled the score of Short, disarming what has been the BBL's most well-rounded bowling attach with a series of draw-dropping shots, a sweep for six off paceman Michael Neser to bring up his fifty perhaps the most impressive.

"I played with him for 11 years, I've never seen him bat better," former Victoria and Australia quick John Hastings said on commentary for Fox Cricket.

In-form Wade whacks unbeaten 84

The most important element in Wade and Short's success story might have been their side’s realisation it was possible.  

The Hurricanes last season followed conventional cricket wisdom in mainly deploying a right-hander alongside Short at the top of the order.

But the success of the Strikers' dual lefty openers Alex Carey and Jake Weatherald – Carey was second only to Short among BBL07's most prolific run-scorers, while Weatherald sunk the Hurricanes with a match-winning century in the final – convinced Hobart their own version of that could work. 

"I think we learnt from last year as well," Wade continued. "We didn't think two lefties was the go up the top of the order. 

"We probably learnt from these guys that they opened the batting with two lefties and did really well. 

"We just bit the bullet this year and went for it."