Wade says Stars belting had no impact on finals loss

Hobart Hurricanes captain Matthew Wade says dropped catches against the Adelaide Strikers and not their 106-run belting by the Melbourne Stars two nights earlier was the reason behind their loss in the Eliminator final at the MCG.

The Hurricanes were knocked out of the tournament after falling 22 runs short of Adelaide's 6-188, with Test wicketkeeper Alex Carey (67) and Matt Short (89) putting on 145-run opening stand.

It was Hobart's fourth straight loss at the MCG and follows their huge defeat to the Stars on Wednesday night where Glenn Maxwell smashed 154 not out – the highest score in KFC BBL history – as his side posted a mammoth 2-273.

It was third-highest total ever in T20 cricket worldwide, the highest at domestic level globally and the highest in the Big Bash by 41 runs, but it came against a second-string Hurricanes attack that was missing the rested Scott Boland, Riley Meredith and Tom Rogers.

"If we lost tonight everyone was going ask the question about that but that's the way it goes. I don't think it had any impact on the game (tonight)," Wade told cricket.com.au.

"The impact was in the field; we dropped three catches early and one of them got 80 and the other 70. In T20 cricket, you can't afford to do that." 

Rogers dropped a simple chance off Short, who skied a ball straight to mid-off in the fourth over when he was on 15, while Boland spilled a chance offered by Carey, as did young leg-spinner Wil Parker, who couldn't hang onto a tough caught and bowled.

But England great Michael Vaughan was less forgiving in commentary on Fox Cricket, saying their mentality in the previous game may have cost them against the Strikers. 

"So far tonight I've seen a Hurricanes team that have not quite been on it," he said after they'd conceded 62 from the first six overs. 

"I don't believe you should ever switch off intensity and they switched off (against the Stars). I don't think they're a good enough team to go 'we'll turn it on today and not turn it on the next day'." 

Wade said it had been the hardest BBL tournament he had been involved in during his 10 seasons in the competition.

"All the moving parts with COVID and then players coming in and out and no crowds, it's been tough," the 34-year-old said. 

"Personally, same thing, it's been a little bit up and down, the same as the team. We'll learn from this, and we'll get better, hopefully, we're not in this situation this time next year, but it's certainly been mentally challenging for all boys." 

Wade now has three weeks off before Australia's five-match Dettol T20I series against Sri Lanka that begins in Sydney on February 11.