David, Ingram fire Hurricanes to victory in BBL10 opener

The match in a tweet: Hurricanes take down defending champions in opening match of #BBL10 as recruits David and Ingram hammer half-centuries

The scores: Hobart Hurricanes 8-178 (David 58, Ingram 55; Christian 3-36, Dwarshuis 3-38) defeated Sydney Sixers 6-162 (Vince 67, Edwards 47; Faulkner 2-22, Meredith 2-29) by 16 runs

The hero: An unlikely hero! You would have got long odds on Tim David to top-score for Hobart Hurricanes before the first ball was bowled. But the allrounder showcased his hitting power in his first outing for his new BBL club after crossing from Perth Scorchers, belting 58 from 33 deliveries with eight boundaries and a six after arriving at the crease in the 12th over with his team wobbling at 4-76. He brought up his first BBL half-century in style from 28 balls with a crushing six over long on, with David’s onslaught allowing the Hurricanes to post what proved a winning total. While it was the right-hander’s best BBL contribution with the bat came after he hit an unbeaten 92 for Singapore in a T20 international fixture in March and he looks a shrewd addition to Hobart’s line-up.

The supporting cast: South African power hitter Colin Ingram is also a key inclusion for the Hurricanes and steadied his new club after entering at 1-0 in the first over of the match. Ingram, who has represented the Proteas 40 times, showed all his experience in compiling 55 from 42 balls as he struck seven fours and a six. Former Australia allrounder James Faulkner landed two big blows for the Hurricanes, removing dangerman Josh Philippe (for just one from three balls) before dismissing James Vince (67) at a crucial stage of the match. He returned 2-22 from four overs and sent down 11 dot balls to help squeeze the Sixers when they appeared on track for victory. He was well supported by fiery paceman Riley Meredith who bowled a fast and frugal four overs to finish with 2-29.

The Superman: Jordan Silk is rated among the leading fieldsmen in the country and he showcased his ability with a spectacular diving save on the deep mid-wicket boundary in the 15th over of the Hurricanes’ innings. Ingram had every reason to think his well-timed shot was heading over the rope before the athletic Silk intervened to ensure only two runs were conceded.

The consolation act: Classy English right-hander Vince has been a consistent BBL run-scorer for several years and he started the 10th edition in red-hot form, hammering 67 from 41 balls in a losing cause. It was Vince’s fifth BBL half-century and he is again available for the whole tournament in a boost to the Sixers’ chances of back-to-back titles. He shared a 116-run stand for the second wicket with 20-year-old opener Jack Edwards, who made 47 from 39.

The big moment:Vince’s dismissal triggered a collapse after the Sixers appeared to be cruising at 1-118 in the 14th over. But after the import was trapped by Faulkner, the required run rate continued to climb as wickets tumbled.

The new rules: The three new rules – the ‘Power Surge’, ‘X-Factor player’ and ‘Bash Boost’ have created plenty of discussion since being announced last month and were rolled out for the first time at Blundstone Arena on Thursday. The Hurricanes used their Power Surge in the 15th and 16th overs, with set batsmen Ingram and David at the crease. The pair took advantage of two overs with two fielders outside the circle, with Hobart scoring 25, including 19 from a Steven O’Keefe over, though they also lost the wicket of Ingram. The Sixers did not score as heavily but did not lose a wicket, with Vince and Edwards adding 18 to the total across the 12th and 13th overs. Neither side used an X-Factor sub, while the Sixers claimed a bonus point as part of the Bash Boost after they were above the equivalent score of their opponents after 10 overs of the second innings.

The openers: The Hurricanes look a much-improved outfit early in the tournament as they took the points despite their potent opening pair of D’Arcy Short and Will Jakes failing to score. The duo faced just three balls between them to leave Hobart 2-4 before they recovered.

The next stop:  Both teams will be back in action for a Sunday double-header at Blundstone Arena, with the Hurricanes facing Adelaide Strikers and the Sixers tackling Melbourne Renegades.