Ground: | Bellerive Oval, Hobart |
Scorecard: | Tasmania v Western Australia |
Player: | TR Birt, Naved-ul-Hasan |
Event: | KFC Twenty20 Big Bash 2009/10 |
Foreign recruit Naved-ul-Rana Hasan proved too hot to handle for the Warriors as he was instrumental in scripting a thrilling win for the Tasmania Tigers. Tasmania in their stipulated 20 overs scored 167 while the Warriors in reply scored 150 in 18.5 overs as they were all out. Despite being smashed for 16 runs off his first over, Rana returned fire in style as he claimed 3 wickets for 6 runs from his next two overs to go with two incredible run-outs as the Warriors were bowled out for 150 in 18.5 overs.
 
Tasmanian skipper George Bailey elected to bat first and the hosts were off to a worse start as they lost their opener Lockyear for a duck in the second ball of the innings. Wickets continued to fall before Rana joined forces with Birt when the score read 74 for 5 in the eleventh over. Birt and Rana took to the Warriors attack, putting on a 74-run stand that swung the momentum back in the Tigers favour. 
Birt started cautiously but once he got into his groove he showed just how devastating he can be as he smashed 54 off 42 deliveries. Rana proved the firebrand as he smashed 47 off 27, while Heal proved the best of the visiting bowlers, claiming 2-15 from his four overs. Birt eventually lost his wicket to Nathan Coulter-Nile in the 18th over, with Rana following the very next ball, but Brett Geeves and Brendan Drew took the Tigers through to a defendable total. 
The Warriors in reply got off to an explosive start as the openers added 40 in four overs before Ronchi edged to Paine of Drew. Despite losing their first three wickets, the Warriors appeared to be cruising to victory as skipper Adam Voges (31) and Mitchell Marsh (21) built a steady partnership. 
But it was all downhill after Jason Krejza had Voges trapped in front with the score on 95 before Rana came into the act. In bizarre circumstances he managed to run out Mitchell Marsh as the bowler jumped high to block a shot from Theo Doropoulos that was hit hard into the pitch. The ball miraculously came off Rana's hand onto the stumps with Marsh caught short of his ground. 
Two balls later, Rana trapped Bradley Porter in front for a golden duck as the 15th over saw two wickets fall. 
Rana's very next over, the 17th of the innings, saw him trapping Ashley Noffke (4) before bowling the dangerous Theo Doropoulos for 18. Drew had Aaron Heal (3) caught at mid-wicket in the 18th over for his third wicket of the evening, leaving the Warriors needing 37 runs from 15 deliveries to produce a miracle win. Number 11 bat Brad Knowles provided some hope as he clubbed 14 off five deliveries, before falling victim to Rana's second miraculous run-out, the batsman charging down the pitch and colliding with the bowler as Rana attempted to field. With Knowles off balance, Rana took a shy at the stumps, ending Western Australia's charge.