The Hobart Hurricanes will start from rock bottom in Wednesday's MCG Big Bash League clash with Melbourne Stars after a scathing review by skipper Tim Paine.
Reeling from last night's five-wicket loss to the lowly placed Melbourne Renegades, the captain was frank with his assessment of the Bellerive Oval performance.
"Tonight is as bad as I've seen it," he told reporters.
After six overs batting the home side had scraped together a paltry 3-20.
Paine added just two runs, international Kumar Sangakkara was out for three, and the usually reliable George Bailey didn't score.
If it wasn't for allrounder Dan Christian's quick-fire 58 the boys in purple would likely have been in contention for one of the lowest BBL totals on record.
Acknowledging Christian's "fantastic" effort, Paine said Hurricanes need a top-order batsman to stand up every match.
"We've got lots of good players who when we've played badly the whole lot of us have played badly," he said.
Fast bowler Shaun Tait (0-38) was being called on for Australian Twenty20 selection after he took 3-16 for Hurricanes on New Year's Day, but was "all over the shop" on Monday along with fellow paceman Jake Reed (0-30), Paine said.
"To come out and play like that - to bat like that, to bowl like that - even from our first or second ball our energy in the field was poor and you can't afford to do that in this competition or you make us look silly."
Hurricanes have three wins from five rounds and Paine said victory in the next two matches should see them through to the finals.
