The new-look Hurricanes, who went on a recruiting spree after tailing the competition last season, finished with a flurry to post 5-164 at CitiPower Centre before restricting their hosts to 9-144 on Saturday.

Player-of-the-match Belinda Vakarewa (3-27) ensured Melbourne's run chase started in the worst possible way when she trapped new Stars skipper Elyse Villani for a golden duck.

Former Thunder spinner Maisy Gibson (3-26) then found herself on a hat-trick in her first over after bowling the dangerous Mignon du Preez (12) and having Katey Martin caught for a duck to reduce the Stars to 4-36.

When hard-hitting Lizelle Lee (28) holed out, the Hurricanes looked home although some enterprising lower-order resistance from Erin Osborne (40) and 16-year-old Tess Flintoff (34no) gave the forlorn pursuit some credibility.

Earlier, opener Erin Fazackerley stroked 46 to create a decent launching pad for the Hurricanes before South African import Chloe Tryon bludgeoned an unbeaten 46 off just 18 balls, including three sixes.

When Fazackerley and Nicola Carey fell in successive deliveries to experienced tweaker Erin Osborne (2-44) mid-innings, the Stars had hopes of limiting the damage but a stunning late-innings acceleration from two off-season international recruits put the visitors back in the box seat.

Tryon provided the fireworks while Englishwoman Fran Wilson (29no) rotated the strike expertly, the pair adding an unbeaten 63 off just 27 balls for the sixth wicket to give Hobart match-turning momentum.

Australian Associated Press