Hurricanes reach CLT20 semi-finals

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Scorecard: Hurricanes v Tridents 

Kolkata Knight Riders, Kings Punjab XI ... and Hobart Hurricanes.

Last year's KFC T20 Big Bash League runners-up have continued their impressive run at the Oppo Champions League Twenty20 with qualification for the semi-finals of the lucrative tournament.

A brilliant all-round display in the field set up the crucial win against Barbados Tridents, before the men in purple overcame some nerves with the bat to win by six wickets.

Pakistani Shoaib Mailk top-scored for Hobart with an unbeaten 39, but it was the Hurricanes bowlers who rightly received the plaudits.

Set up by Doug Bollinger and Ben Hilfenhaus and finished off by another former Test player, left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty, the Hurricanes took wickets at regular intervals to bowl the Tridents out with two balls remaining in their innings.

After Bollinger and Hilfenhaus had reduced the Tridents to 3-28 from the first six overs, including a double-wicket maiden from Hilfenhaus, Doherty was introduced into the attack and picked up the wicket of James Franklin with his very first ball.

Only Jonathan Carter provided any resistance with the bat, but his innings of 42 was not enough as the Tridents were bowled out for just 113.

Doherty finished with 4-27 from his four overs, while Hilfenhaus (2-14 from four overs) continued his good form ahead of Australia's series against Pakistan in the UAE next month.

While happy to advance to the final four, Hurricanes captain Tim Paine lamented yet another mixed performance with the bat.

"We haven't got off to the starts we would have liked and we've put our middle order under pressure," the opener said.

"Luckily enough we've got some class players in there who have got us out of trouble and played well again like they did tonight.

"We've got a fantastic bowling attack.

"We've got lots of options at the start to take wickets and we close out pretty well with a few guys.

"If we can get our batting in order we can trouble some teams, no doubt."

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The Hurricanes join Indian Premier League giants Kings XI and the Knight Riders in the semi-finals, while another IPL franchise, Chennai Super Kings, are in a good position to complete the quartet of teams who will battle it out for a place in the final on Saturday.

Hobart's pursuit of 114 for victory was not without some nervous moments, however, with Ben Dunk dismissed in the opening over before two dropped catches compounded a poor day for the Caribbean side.

Aiden Blizzard (21) and Paine (18) got themselves set on a slow pitch, but both were dismissed before the end of the 10th over.

However, the required run rate hovered around a run-a-ball for most of the innings, allowing Mailk and Jonathan Wells (23 not out) to take few risks in guiding the Hurricanes to victory with 10 balls to spare.

After losing their opening match of the tournament against Kings XI, the Hurricanes have now won three matches in a row and will fancy themselves to produce another upset against the star-studded IPL franchises in the semi-finals.

Everything you need to know, including broadcast details, can be found here