The pressure can get a better of best of the sides and that is what happened with the Northern Knights in Raipur against the Hobart Hurricanes on Tuesday. In the Trans-Tasman tie, the Hurricanes defeated the Knights by 86 runs and stopped Knights winning juggernaut, with a fine display in all departments.
The famous batting of the Knights crumbled like a cookie and never recovered from the early jolts given by pacer Ben Hilfenhaus and bundled inside 20 overs for 92. Hilfenhaus ripped through the Knights’ top-order and dismissed dangerous Kane Williamson (2), Daniel Flynn (0) and BJ Watling (9) cheaply to put the kiwi side on the back foot.
Scott Styris, however, tried to keep his side in the hunt but he never received support from the other end and he ultimately lost his wicket. The Knights batting collapsed after the dismissal of Styris (37), as they lost last four wickets for just five runs. Tim Southee (21) played a 12-ball cameo but it proved too little for them.
Only Styris and Southee managed to touch the double digit mark as the New Zealanders succumbed to their first defeat of the tournament. Hilfenhaus was the wrecker-in-chief, while Doug Bollinger also finished with three. Joe Mennie and Xavier Doherty took two wickets each and were instrumental in Hurricanes second win of the Champions League T20 tournament.
Earlier, put into bat, the Hurricanes lost opener Ben Dunk (12) early but skipper Tim Paine and Aiden Blizzard played well to help the Australian side recover from early blow. Paine (43) and Blizzard stitched a 47-run partnership for the second wicket to put the Hurricanes on a driving seat. After Paine’s departure, Blizzard launched an onslaught.
Blizzard made hundred runs stand with Shoaib Malik for the third wicket and helped his side cross the 150-run mark and post a more than competitive total on the board. Malik made an unbeaten 22-ball 45, featuring two sixes and five fours, while Blizzard made a 43-ball 62 to guide his team to 178 in 20 overs.
