Watch: Matthew Wade blitzed a sensational BBL half-century, breaking the record for Hobart Hurricanes’ fastest fifty.
Taking advantage of the short boundaries at Albury, he ramped three sixes in his first over at the crease before bringing up his half-century off 19 balls, giving his side an electric start in a big chase.
After being set 229 to win, with Alex Hales and Ollie Davies both smashing fifties, the Hobart Hurricanes chase got off to a tricky start. They were only able to manage seven runs off the first two overs, with D’Arcy Short falling to the first ball of the third over.
However, that dismissal brought Wade to the crease, and he upped the ante immediately, hitting 22 runs off his first five balls, with two twos and three sixes, all ramped over the keeper for six. The first almost travelled out of the stadium, clearing the sightscreen and hitting the stands behind it.
Wade went boundaryless for the rest of the powerplay, but repeated the trick of hitting three sixes in an over when Daniel Sams was introduced to the attack. This time he opted for a more conventional approach, pulling twice over mid-wicket, before delivering a stroke as textbook as the come, stepping outside leg-stump to launch high and handsome over extra cover. The last six brought him to a 19-ball fifty, the fastest ever by a Hobart Hurricanes batter, beating the 20 balls taken by Ben Dunk against Brisbane Heat in 2013.
Wade was dismissed not long after, adding two more boundaries to finish on 67 off 30 balls. He has had an up and down BBL 12 campaign, previously copping a ban for an accumulation of demerit points.
Watch the three Wade ramps below:
MATTY WADE!! 🔥
3 sixes off ramps in an OVER 🤯#BBL12 pic.twitter.com/5mKly4eiNT
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) December 31, 2022
Watch the Wade extra-cover six below:
What a shot to go to 50 for Matthew Wade! 😍 #BBL12 pic.twitter.com/OpG0gHYAAn
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 31, 2022