Mitchell Marsh century helps Perth Scorchers crush Hobart Hurricanes

Marsh scored an unbeaten 100 off 60 balls as Perth Scorchers while Tymal Mills impressed on debut with the ball, picking up 3 for 23

Hobart: Perth Scorchers 182-5, Hobart Hurricanes 129 – Perth Scorchers won by 53 runs

Mitchell Marsh scored an unbeaten century in Tasmania as Perth Scorchers defeated Hobart Hurricanes by 53 runs to climb to the top of the Big Bash table.

In his first appearance for Perth since picking up player of the match honours in the T20 World Cup final, Marsh scored 100 not out from 60 balls, including six fours and five sixes, to help his side set Hobart a target of 183 to win. The knock was the 30-year-old’s maiden T20 century and the second of BBL11 following Colin Munro’s 114 not out against Adelaide Strikers.  

England international Tymal Mills then impressed with the ball on his Scorchers debut, picking up 3 for 23 as the Hurricanes were all out for 129 with an over to spare.

Batting first, Perth Scorchers lost Munro for a two-ball duck in the opening over before losing Kurtis Patterson (13) and Josh Inglis (2) soon after to slip to 40 for 3. A 34-run partnership between Marsh and Ashton Turner then steadied the ship before a 67-run fifth-wicket stand with Laurie Evans off 45 balls propelled the Scorchers beyond the 140-mark.

^{Tymal Mills [Steve Bell/Getty Images]}

Evans departed in the 18th over, removed by Nathan Ellis (caught Ben McDermott) for 40 (24 balls), but that did little to halt Perth’s momentum, with Marsh adding 31 off just 10 balls as part of a 41-run partnership with Ashton Agar to finish the innings with a bang.

The three-time champions then got their defence off to a strong start, removing Matthew Wade (4) and Caleb Jewell (2) inside the opening eight balls before a 69-run stand between D’Arcy Short and McDermott snatched the Bash Boost point for the Hurricanes and appeared to be blossoming into a threatening chase.

Mills, however, had other ideas, removing McDermott one ball before drinks to pick up his second wicket of the day and spark a collapse which would see Hobart lose five wickets for just 12 runs.

Tailenders Tim David and Scott Boland put on 18 runs for the eighth wicket to drag the Hurricanes into triple figures but all hope of victory was gone and the home side were bundled out for 129.

Mills was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3 for 23, while Agar and Andrew Tye each picked up two wickets, the latter becoming just the fourth player to take 100 BBL wickets in the process.