- A pitch invader tried to distract Daniel Hughes
- But it didn't work when Sydney Sixers defeated Hobart
- Hughes replaced Steve Smith for the BBL team
Desperate times call for desperate measures but for a daring pitch invader his attempt to distract Daniel Hughes ended in misery as the Sixers star powered his side to victory over Hobart Hurricanes.
Hughes, who has replaced Steve Smith after the superstar was called up to the Australia Test squad, top scored with a 50-ball knock of 60 runs.
That was despite the best efforts of a field invader who entered the field wearing only his boxers before performing a bizarre dance. He was taken away by security.
Another bare-chested intruder also entered the field and was tackled with rugby.
The Sixers, who are 2-0 to start the BBL season, chased down the Hurricanes' 8-135 with four balls to spare and six wickets in hand in Launceston on Monday evening.
Hughes shared a 47-run partnership with Moises Henriques (20 off 24) to smooth out a fair amount of the chase.
A pitch invader failed to distract Steve Smith's replacement in the Big Bash League
Daniel Hughes hit 60 runs off 50 balls to seal back-to-back wins for the Sixers
With Sydney needing seven off six deliveries, Hughes leveled the scores with a towering maximum off Nathan Ellis' leg side.
Tom Curran then closed out the game with a boundary through the covers.
'Those small totals can be difficult. But it was always only 7.5 (runs per) more than (required),” Hughes told Channel 7.
“He hit the holes and ran hard. It was good to get the job done.”
Hobart suffered a blow when Meredith stopped painfully to his side midway through the third chase after sending a 92mph delivery.
It was his first match back at national level since suffering a side strain during a one-day cup match for Tasmania in September.
Hurricanes coach Jeff Vaughan said Meredith will have scans on Tuesday.
'It's really a shame for him. He hasn't had much luck lately. Hopefully it's not too bad and we get him back as soon as possible,” Hobart opener Caleb Jewell said.
Jewell (42 of 24) got his side on a flier earlier before the wheels fell off on the power play.
Curran (3-19) started the damage when he had Jewell caught midway through the sixth over.
Fellow quick Ben Dwarshuis (2-21) then picked up English import Sam Hain and Australian representative Tim David for single figures in his first over.
But there were a few pitch invaders that caused problems in Launceston
It did little to distract Hughes, who stood in for the superstar batsman superbly
Young all-rounder Jack Edwards was in action, with wicketkeeper Josh Philippe making a one-handed diving catch at full strength to grab the edge of Ben McDermott.
Edwards, who finished with 2-18 from four overs, had bowled just one over in his 30 previous BBL matches.
Hobart fell to 5-69 in the ninth, before imports Chris Jordan (16 of 21) and Corey Anderson (17 of 27) stopped the bleeding.
New Zealand's Anderson was the favorite of the Hobart bowlers at 2-10.