Jos Buttler has belted the highest individual score of this summer's BBL to put the Sydney Thunder in a powerful position against the Hobart Hurricanes. Buttler's belligerent 89 off just 54 balls underpinned the Thunder's 6-193 - the best by any team this season - after Hurricanes captain Matthew Wade won the toss and elected to field at Hobart's Blundstone Arena. The Thunder were aggressive from the outset, smashing 1-65 during the powerplay, losing only captain Shane Watson lbw to a Riley Meredith thunderbolt for a rapid 20. England Test captain Joe Root (17) and Callum Ferguson (15) failed to capitalise on promising starts as Buttler thrived at the other end. The England star was crucially grassed on 12 by Johan Botha at mid-on while James Faulkner dropped two sitters and Clive Rose made a couple of basic misfields as miked up Hurricanes veteran George Bailey quipped some of his teammates must have spent too long on the golf course earlier in the day. "It's like the man flu ... very contagious, dropping catches," Bailey said. Chris Green (26 not out) was busy and put on 66 in five overs for the sixth wicket with Buttler who, with a maiden Twenty20 century in sight and having thumped eight fours and four sixes, miscued a return catch to paceman Jofra Archer in the last over. Despite their fielding blues, Rose (2-30) and Faulkner (2-34) were the pick of the bowlers for the Hurricanes who need to score at 9.70 runs per over to win the clash between the two unbeaten sides. Australian Associated Press