Tait finished with figures of 3-16 off his four overs

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Hobart Hurricanes pace bowler Shaun Tait took three wickets and batsman George Bailey smashed an unbeaten 56 to lead their side to an 11-run win over the Sydney Thunder.

However, Thunder captain Michael Hussey deserves a lot of credit for his valiant knock of 71.

Hussey would have been pleased with his decision to bowl first as Clint McKay and Fawad Ahmed reduced the Hurricanes to 67/4 in the 10th over. However, Bailey took over from that point and despite losing Jonathan Wells and Darren Sammy along the way, he hammered 56 off 29 balls, which included six boundaries and two sixes, to help his side finish on 163/6 off their 20 overs.

Bailey struck six boundaries and two sixes during his unbeaten knock of 56

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McKay was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets, while Ahmed and Jacques Kallis chipped in with one wicket apiece.

Chasing 164 to win, Tait removed Kallis and Shane Watson in the first over before Hussey and Aiden Blizzard stabilised the innings with a 62-run partnership before Blizzard was dismissed by Jake Reed for 23.

Hussey and Ben Rohrer kept the runs flowing with a 50-run stand, during which Hussey brought up his half-century, before Rohrer was on his way back to the pavilion for 20.

Following Rohrer’s dismissal, the Thunder collapsed and Hussey was removed for 71 off 51 balls, which included 10 boundaries and a six, in the process.

Hussey made a gutsy 71

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With the team’s middle and lower order failing to have an impact, the Thunder fell short of their target as they were restricted to 152/9 off their 20 overs.

Tait and Reed snapped up three wickets each, while Cameron Boyce claimed two.

Tait was named Man of the Match.