Hobart Hurricanes beat Sydney Thunder by four runs to avoid wooden spoon

South African batter Mignon du Preez struck 87 off just 61 deliveries to help her side to 147 for 5, before Thunder fell agonisingly short in reply

Mackay: Hobart Hurricanes 147-5, Sydney Thunder 143-9 - Hobart Hurricanes win by four runs

Scorecard

Belinda Vakarewa and Mignon du Preez ensured that Hobart Hurricanes ended their Women’s Big Bash campaign with a victory.

They can finish no higher than fifth, but a four-run success over Sydney Thunder meant that they leapfrogged their opponents in the final standings.

South African batter du Preez struck 87 off just 61 deliveries to help her side to 147 for 5, before Thunder fell agonisingly short in reply.

Vakarewa, the third-leading wicket-taker in the tournament two years ago, was central in that regard, claiming figures of 3 for 8 in four overs, including the wickets of Smriti Mandhana, Tahlia Wilson and Anika Learoyd.

She had only taken four wickets this season until Saturday, but her display meant that du Preez was rewarded for her third fifty of the competition with a win.

^{Deepti Sharma made 31 for Sydney Thunder}

She smashed 11 fours and a six, with Molly Strano the next-biggest contributor in the Hobart line-up with an unbeaten 23. Earlier, Issy Wong had bowled Rachel Priest without scoring, with Ruth Johnston, Nicola Carey and Richa Ghosh all falling cheaply.

But after Mandhana went for nought, it was an uphill struggle for a Thunder side that this year has missed the experience of Rachael Haynes and Heather Knight from last year’s title-winning squad.

Sammy-Jo Johnson struck 39 off just 21 balls to offset Mandhana’s early departure, while Learoyd added 34 and Deepti Sharma made 31.

But a late cameo from Phoebe Litchfield, who struck 18 in just 10 balls, was not enough to see Sydney over the line – a result that means Hurricanes are safe from bottom spot, where they had finished in three of the previous four seasons.