Ecclestone's last-ball boundary sends Strikers past Hurricanes

Adelaide Strikers beat Hobart Hurricanes by four wickets on Tuesday night, with Sophie Ecclestone hitting the winning boundary off the final ball, Cricket Australia said in a statement.

The Hurricanes needed four runs from the last delivery, and Ecclestone drove spinner Molly Strano over mid-off for four to end the match at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.

Earlier in the same over, Ecclestone had hit a reverse-sweep for four off her first ball, which swung the momentum back toward the Strikers.

The reigning champions have now lost five matches in a row this season, extending their winless run after the defeat.

Hobart can still mathematically finish in the top four, but it would likely need to win all five of its remaining games to have any real chance, Cricket Australia said.

The loss was the second last-ball defeat in a row for the Hurricanes, following a controversial finish against the Melbourne Renegades last Wednesday.

In that match, the scores were tied at 154 when wicketkeeper Lizelle Lee caught the ball just in front of the stumps, which was ruled a no-ball and denied Hobart a super over.

Hobart captain Nicola Carey made 66 not out off 53 balls and took 1-30, lifting the home side to 5-138 in a total described as defendable but sub-par.

Lee scored 19 off 18 balls before Ecclestone, who finished with 1-37, trapped her in front in the following over.

Rachel Trenaman was out for nine, and Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu retired out on 10 off 26 balls after struggling for timing.

The Strikers were given a fast start by openers Maia Bouchier, who made 26 off 19, and Emma de Broughe, who made 41 off 37.

Laura Wolvaardt was out for 27 off 27 balls, leaving the visitors needing 10 runs from the last five deliveries before Ecclestone finished the chase.

The Women's Big Bash League, known as WBBL, is Australia's domestic women's Twenty20 competition, and this win moved Adelaide to 2-2 for the season.