Carey and Graham Shine as Hurricanes Defeat Thunder in WBBL Opener

Nicola Carey and Heather Graham delivered standout performances to lead the Hobart Hurricanes to a strong 31-run victory over the Sydney Thunder in their opening match of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) season. The Hurricanes, defending a total of 141 for 7, restricted Thunder to 110, securing their first win at the newly named Ninja Stadium.

Batting at No. 3, Carey capitalized on her new role, scoring a quick 52 off 38 balls, hitting seven boundaries. Reflecting on the promotion, Carey told Fox Cricket, “I've had various roles with the bat over the last few years, so it's nice to get more time in the middle.” Despite not being a big hitter, Carey found ways to accumulate runs, especially during the two-over power surge, where she hit four boundaries, boosting the Hurricanes to 92 for 2.

Carey’s impact extended to her bowling, where she claimed the wicket of Anika Learoyd, Thunder’s second-highest scorer with 29 runs. Learoyd had formed a promising 52-run partnership with captain Phoebe Litchfield, who led Thunder’s chase with a solid 51. However, Litchfield’s dismissal in the 14th over, stumped off Graham's bowling by a sharp piece of wicketkeeping from Lizelle Lee, turned the tide in the Hurricanes’ favor.

The Thunder struggled to recover, particularly after opener Chamari Athapaththu was dismissed lbw by Molly Strano on the first ball of the innings. A middle-order collapse followed as Samantha Bates and Athapaththu tightened their bowling, causing the Hurricanes to lose 4 for 12 after Carey’s departure.

Sydney Thunder will have a chance to redeem themselves against the Hurricanes when the two sides meet again on Thursday night at North Sydney Oval.