Sophie Ecclestone struck a boundary off the final delivery to guide Adelaide Strikers to a dramatic four-wicket victory over Hobart Hurricanes in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) 2026 on Tuesday, extending the defending champions’ losing streak to five matches.
Chasing a target of 139 in Hobart, Adelaide appeared to be in control for much of their innings before a middle-order slowdown brought the Hurricanes back into contention. With four runs required from the final ball, Ecclestone held her nerve to secure victory and leave Hobart still searching for their first win of the season.
Hurricanes captain Nicola Carey had earlier produced another impressive batting performance, scoring an unbeaten 66 off 53 deliveries to lift her side to 138/5. However, her efforts were not enough as Emma de Broughe’s 41 and Ecclestone’s late contribution helped Adelaide finish on 139/6 in 20 overs.
The result continued a difficult start to Hobart’s title defence, despite another determined performance from their captain.
Nicola Carey Rescues Hobart Hurricanes With Unbeaten 66
Hobart Hurricanes struggled to establish momentum against Adelaide’s bowling attack.
Opener Lizelle Lee began positively, striking a boundary early in her innings and attacking Ecclestone during the powerplay. However, the England left-arm spinner recovered from conceding two fours in her opening over to dismiss Lee lbw.
Rachel Trenaman also failed to make a significant contribution, falling to Madeline Penna as the Hurricanes found themselves under pressure.
Chamari Athapaththu endured a particularly difficult innings, struggling to rotate the strike or find boundaries. The Sri Lankan international had reached only eight from 20 deliveries before eventually being retired out for 10 off 26 balls.
Carey initially found scoring difficult as well, reaching 15 from 23 deliveries before beginning to accelerate.
The Hurricanes captain gradually increased her scoring rate, relying on well-timed boundaries rather than sixes to keep the innings moving.
Her most productive spell came in the 19th over, when she struck three fours from five deliveries bowled by Tahlia McGrath to bring up her half-century.
Carey finished unbeaten on 66, while no other Hobart batter reached 20.
The Hurricanes added 54 runs in their final five overs, recovering from 84/3 to post 138/5 after 20 overs.
Although the late acceleration gave Hobart a total to defend, their slow start ultimately limited their scoring opportunities.
Emma de Broughe Gives Adelaide Strikers a Strong Start
Adelaide Strikers began the chase with greater urgency, immediately putting pressure on the Hurricanes bowlers.
Maia Bouchier struck three boundaries in Chinelle Henry’s opening over, helping Adelaide establish an early advantage.
The Strikers reached 43/1 at the end of the powerplay, with Bouchier dismissed by Linsey Smith from the final delivery of the sixth over.
Emma de Broughe continued to anchor the innings alongside Laura Wolvaardt, ensuring Adelaide maintained a manageable required run rate.
The pair guided the Strikers to 71/1 after ten overs, putting the visitors in a strong position to complete the chase comfortably.
However, de Broughe’s dismissal for 41 off 37 balls in the following over gave Hobart an opportunity to regain control.
Smith then removed McGrath as the Hurricanes tightened their bowling and fielding.
Adelaide managed only 27 runs between the 10th and 15th overs, allowing the required scoring rate to increase.
Molly Strano and Heather Graham contributed to the pressure, restricting boundaries and forcing the Strikers to take greater risks.
Wolvaardt remained at the crease, but Adelaide’s momentum had slowed considerably as the match approached its final stages.
Hobart Hurricanes Fight Back Before Dramatic Final Over
With 17 runs required from the last two overs, Adelaide faced a more difficult finish than their strong start had suggested.
Carey bowled the penultimate over and claimed an important wicket, leaving the Strikers needing 12 runs from the final six deliveries.
The Hurricanes captain then entrusted experienced spinner Molly Strano with the last over.
Wolvaardt, who had reached 25, began with two runs from the opening delivery, reducing the requirement to ten from five balls.
Strano responded immediately by dismissing the South African batter for 27, bringing Hobart closer to ending their losing streak.
However, Ecclestone arrived at the crease and quickly changed the direction of the contest.
The England international struck a boundary with a switch hit before taking a single to keep Adelaide’s hopes alive.
Amanda-Jade Wellington then added another single, leaving the Strikers needing four runs from the final delivery.
With the match on the line, Ecclestone found the boundary again to complete the chase.
Adelaide finished on 139/6 from their full allocation of 20 overs, securing victory by four wickets off the final delivery.
Ecclestone’s brief but decisive contribution proved enough to overturn Hobart’s late advantage and deliver a memorable win for the visitors.
Hobart Hurricanes Suffer Fifth Consecutive WBBL 2026 Defeat
The defeat was particularly frustrating for Hobart, who had worked their way back into the contest after struggling with the bat.
Carey’s unbeaten half-century gave the Hurricanes a competitive total, while their bowlers nearly defended it through disciplined middle-over spells.
Lauren Smith returned impressive figures of 2/6, while Strano claimed 2/30.
Despite those efforts, Hobart could not prevent Adelaide from scoring the required runs in the final over.
The Hurricanes have now lost all five of their opening matches, placing their title defence under increasing pressure.
Carey’s individual form has been one of the few encouraging aspects of their campaign. Her 66 against Adelaide followed another half-century in the previous fixture, demonstrating her consistency despite the team’s difficulties.
For the Strikers, the result ended a two-match losing run and provided a welcome boost after a closely contested encounter.
De Broughe was named Player of the Match for her 41-run innings, which laid the foundation for the successful chase.
What’s Next for Adelaide Strikers and Hobart Hurricanes?
Both teams will return to action on November 14 as the WBBL 2026 season continues. Adelaide Strikers are scheduled to face Perth Scorchers, while Hobart Hurricanes will meet Brisbane Heat in Hobart.
For the Hurricanes, the immediate priority will be converting competitive performances into victories after five consecutive defeats.
Their latest setback demonstrated that even an improved bowling display and another significant contribution from Carey were not enough to secure their first win of the campaign.
Adelaide, meanwhile, will take confidence from their ability to complete a difficult chase under pressure, with Ecclestone’s final-ball boundary providing one of the most dramatic finishes of the season.
