Cricket

What a difference a Wade makes as Canes beat Renegades

Dec 29, 2025

Matthew Wade of the Hurricanes. — Some lusty late hitting by Matthew Wade sealed victory for the Hurricanes. -AAP Image

A fuss-free Matthew Wade bucked the trend on a night of wasted starts as Hobart beat the Melbourne Renegades for the second time in eight days.

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The Hurricanes veteran was unbeaten on 43 off 30 balls, hitting a six and four off consecutive balls to end the innings and get the hosts past the 164-run target with six balls and four wickets remaining on Monday.

No other batter scored more than 30 on Monday night, but Wade held his nerve as Adam Zampa (3-25), Hassan Khan (1-11) and AJ Tye (1-29) contributed to put the visitors in the box seat.

Beau Webster (27 off 20) enjoyed some game time after spending four Ashes Tests on the pine, climbing into two big sixes before departing with plenty of work still to be done.

Zampa had already dismissed Tim Ward and Ben McDermott in the same over, but a 38-run, sixth-wicket stand between Wade and Rehan Ahmed (23) breathed life into the host's chase.

Hours after star Hurricanes batter Tim David was ruled out of the tournament with a hamstring injury, a nerveless Wade filled the void with three sixes and a four from the last eight balls of the innings.

Victory followed a Hobart win a week ago and pushed the Hurricanes to 4-1, while the Renegades (1-2) remain rooted to the bottom of the ladder.

"Nice to contribute and get another win down here; we're a hard team to beat down here when we get it right," Wade said.

"The conditions certainly tested us and they bowled really well...with the new ball, it seamed around."

The Renegades exploded into their innings, Josh Brown (26 off 13) taking 16 off the first over and Tim Seifert (26 off 14) matching him in an ominous one-two punch.

Brown was out-foxed by a back-of-the-hand slower ball from Nathan Ellis (3-30), but Muhammad Rizwan (16 off 12) deposited his first delivery to the mid-wicket fence to keep up the pace.

Jake Fraser-McGurk (14 off eight) and Oliver Peake (29 off 22) also looked dangerous, but like the top three, neither could kick on.

It meant the Renegades couldn't truly launch, instead grinding to 9-162 from their 20 overs.

Delhi-born big hitter Nikhil Chaudhary looked set to join David on the sidelines when he clutched at his shoulder after spilling a catch on the rope.

But, after significant attention from medical staff, he returned to bat in the second innings and allay fears of serious injury.