Archer inspires Hobart to first win

Barbadian seamer Jofra Archer.

SYDNEY, Australia, CMC – Barbadian seamer Jofra Archer’s brace of wickets proved vital as Hobart Hurricanes earned their first points of the Australian Big Bash with a nine-run victory over Sydney Thunder.

Defending 190 at the Sydney Showground Stadium on New Year’s Day, Hurricanes held the hosts to 180 for eight off their 20 overs, with right-armer Archer finishing with two for 42 from his four overs. England’s Jos Buttler struck 81 from 43 balls and opener Kurtis Patterson and Shane Watson both hit 36, but the Thunder batting fell away badly thereafter.

Buttler put on 69 for the first wicket with Patterson before adding a further 56 for the second with Watson but once the latter perished in the 15th over, Thunder lost seven wickets for 42 runs.

With 41 required from 21 balls, Archer bowled Arjun Nair off stump without scoring to stall Sydney’s progress and then with 23 needed from seven balls, removed Chris Green for five to leave the batting side with an uphill task in the final over. Earlier, opener D’Arcy Short narrowly missed out on three figures with 97 off 63 balls while Ben McDermott got an unbeaten 49 off 25 deliveries, as Hobart got up to 189 for three off their 20 overs.

Short slammed nine fours and counted four sixes, adding 58 for the second wicket with Matthew Wade (27), and a further 104 for the second wicket with McDermott.