Hooley Dooley! Mystery spinner Paddy Dooley stuns Perth Scorchers in shock loss to Hobart Hurricanes

Captain Ashton Turner felt Perth Scorchers had the game “under control” before falling to a disappointing eight-run loss to Hobart in Launceston, inspired by mystery spinner Paddy Dooley.

Unorthodox left-arm wrist spinner Dooley took 4-16 in just his third Big Bash game, including top-scorer Josh Inglis (62 off 37) who looked like winning the game off his own bat, as the reigning champs failed to reel in 173 for victory.

Needing 14 off the final over, bowled by seamer Nathan Ellis, lower-order pair Jhye Richardson and Andrew Tye could only manage five to finish on 8-164.

The Inglis-Ashton Turner combination put on 75 for the third wicket in 44 balls before the latter’s dismissal for an 18-ball 20 turned the game on its head amid a collapse of 5-38 in the last 40 balls.

“It was a really disappointing loss, we felt like we had the game more or less under control for the most part of it,” Turner said.

“They had some really skilled bowlers and some guys we hadn’t seen much of before.

“From our point of view, we’ll sit back and review, reflect, find the learnings from the game and hopefully be able to bounce back better next time.”

Inglis looked like making Hobart pay for D’Arcy Short’s dropped catch on 33, which slipped through his hands off Ellis during the power surge, before becoming Dooley’s third victim.

Camera Icon Jhye Richardson took three wickets for the Scorchers. Credit: Simon Sturzaker/Getty Images

South African superstar Faf du Plessis threatened to take the game away from Hobart with a blistering start, blasting 32 from his first 12 balls before also getting tied down by Dooley who knocked him over last delivery of the 44-run power play.

Allrounder Aaron Hardie (12 off 13), the batting hero on Saturday with a maiden BBL half-century, fell to a flying return catch from spinner Shadab Khan (1-22 off four) in the penultimate over in another game-changing moment.

It came after speedster Richardson’s (3-26 off four) red-hot bowling form continued, taking his tournament tally to seven scalps in two games since returning from a heel injury.

The Hurricanes appeared destined for a 200-plus score, sitting pretty at 2-110 in the during the first power surge in the 12th, before losing 6-26 to finish on 8-172.

Camera Icon Andrew Tye of the Scorchers celebrates the wicket of D’Arcy Short of the Hurricanes during the Men’s Big Bash League match between the Hobart Hurricanes and the Perth Scorchers at University of Tasmania Stadium, on December 19, 2022, in Launceston, Australia. Credit: Steve Bell/Getty Images

It would’ve been a lot less of a target if not for a late cameo from ex-Scorcher Tim David, who belted an unbeaten 46 off 28 balls including 14 from Tye’s the final over of the innings.

“We took some risks to try and bowl them out earlier and maybe used up some of our bowlers earlier than we otherwise would have and that’s the game,” Turner said.

Hardie was on a hat-trick after the wickets of Asif Ali and Joel Paris on his way to figures of 2-10 from his two overs.

Left-arm seamer Jason Behrendorff (1-38 off four) struck first ball of the match with the prized scalp of Ben McDermott who burned the Hurricanes’ only review in a bid to overturn a plum LBW decision.

But it was all the home side for the rest of the power play, which finished on 1-37, with Matthew Wade (51 off 29 balls) taking Behrendorff and Saturday’s player of the match Richardson (3-26 off four) on.

Camera Icon Andrew Tye of the Scorchers celebrates the wicket of D’Arcy Short of the Hurricanes during the Men’s Big Bash League match between the Hobart Hurricanes and the Perth Scorchers at University of Tasmania Stadium, on December 19, 2022, in Launceston, Australia. Credit: Steve Bell/Getty Images

Wade brought up his half-century with a six off Tye before the Scorchers all-time leading wicket-taker get his revenge next ball.

After going for 18 during his two power play overs, Richardson bounced back with a pair of import scalps in the surge – Shadab Khan (22 of 17) and James Neesham (second-ball duck).

Spinner Peter Hatzoglou, who was picked ahead of seamer Matt Kelly after missing out in game one, was went 13 runs off his sole over.

The Scorchers’ next assignment is against Melbourne Stars in St Kilda on Friday before hosting Adelaide at Optus Stadium on Boxing Day.

Camera Icon Josh Inglis of the Scorchers hits a boundary during the Men’s Big Bash League match between the Hobart Hurricanes and the Perth Scorchers at University of Tasmania Stadium, on December 19, 2022, in Launceston, Australia. Credit: Steve Bell/Getty Images

In other BBL news, Sydney Thunder captain Jason Sangha is out for the tournament after breaking his collarbone.

Sangha sustained the injury diving stop a boundary late in Sunday’s tight loss to Melbourne Renegades.

Stars batter Joe Burns (hamstring) has also been ruled out for BBL12.