Cliff Notes – From 74 all out to the BBL final: Hurricanes a win away from history
- The Hobart Hurricanes, after a dismal start to the season, have rallied to secure their first BBL home grand final, energising a previously dwindling fanbase.
- Riley Meredith’s exceptional bowling and Mitchell Owen’s explosive batting have been pivotal in transforming the team’s fortunes and establishing a more defined batting order.
- The Hurricanes aim to break their title drought against Sydney Thunder, with a strong sense of unity and continuity among players contributing to their success.
From 74 all out to the BBL final: Hurricanes a win away from history
The picturesque Bellerive Oval, renamed Ninja Stadium these days and nestled on the eastern shore of the Derwent River, has probably never experienced this type of bedlam before.
After more than 13,000 fans were whipped into a frenzy by ferocious 150kph bowling from speedster Riley Meredith, Hobart Hurricanes staved off a fightback from competition power Sydney Sixers in the qualifying final to lift into a first BBL home grand final.
Giddy fans in the terraces, many of whom were garbed in purple, were hysterical in rare scenes for a mostly downtrodden franchise. Hurricanes have never won a BBL title with Melbourne Stars the only other team with that dubious distinction.
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Before the Sixers victory, Hurricanes had won just two finals matches in their history and none at home. Fans had also dropped off the ‘Cane train’ in recent years with crowds sparse in an oddity compared to the other one-team cities that enjoy massive support.
It was a far cry from the days when Hurricanes regularly attracted crowds of 16-18,000 during the BBL’s peak in the middle of last decade. But Tasmanians are warming to this power-laden Hurricanes side that will start favourites against Sydney Thunder in Monday’s decider.
Eager fans reportedly lined up outside Bellerive Oval for tickets at 5am, five hours before booths opened, on Saturday amid temperatures of only around 12 degrees Celsius.
“To play in front of a full Ninja Stadium the other day was pretty amazing,” Hurricanes captain Nathan Ellis told ESPNcricinfo. “To be able to have a final in front of a home crowd, I feel really privileged to be a part of it. This year was a point of pride for us, in trying to make a point of difference and get people to come down here.”
Riley Meredith made early inroads Getty Images
Being in this position seemed unlikely for Hurricanes after they were routed for 74 by Melbourne Renegades on a tacky Geelong surface in an eventual six-wicket season-opening defeat.
It was a gut punch for Hurricanes, long derided as underachievers having missed finals two seasons in a row. Moments after the loss, Ellis got the team together for an on-field rallying cry.
“Boys, it’s the first game of a tournament. The conditions probably didn’t suit us tonight. Let’s leave this here,” Ellis told his team-mates.
It was only the second game of the season, but an under-pressure Hurricanes needed a confidence building victory at home against BBL powerhouse Perth Scorchers.
After Ellis elected to bowl, Meredith set the tone and shook up Scorchers’ top-order before Mitchell Owen – relatively unknown to the wider public – lit a fuse under Hurricanes’ season with an unbeaten 101 from 64 balls, including five monstrous sixes, to mow down the target of 156.
“It’s a brilliant sight!”@HurricanesBBL Chris Jordan full of praise for Riley Meredith bowling 150km+ in the Big Bash.#AroundTheWicket @ESPNAusNZ @ESPNcricinfo
WATCH: https://t.co/nJQev547U5 pic.twitter.com/aMctMQMBM8
— Neroli Meadows (@Neroli_Meadows) January 22, 2025
A strapping seam bowling allrounder, Owen had shown flashes of his big-hitting capabilities well down the order across formats. But Hurricanes’ hierarchy in the off-season devised plans to utilise him in the powerplay although Owen was only backed in as an opener days before the Renegades match.
It wasn’t envisioned as some type of ingenious idea, but Owen’s spectacular success – where he became the competition’s most formidable batter in the powerplay – has unlocked a previously inconsistent batting order.
As the season wore on, Hurricanes have been able to strategise and bat around Owen’s muscular hitting in the powerplay and Tim David’s similar fireworks in the power surge and death overs.
With a staggering strike-rate this season of 191.11, Owen has continually given Hurricanes’ fliers while David has dominated the backend with a strike-rate of 177.62.
It has created more defined roles for the other batters instead of the mishmash that existed in previous seasons. Opener Caleb Jewell has complemented Owen at the top of the order, performing the role as an anchor underlined by a strike-rate of 116.15.
Ben McDermott, who once clubbed consecutive BBL tons, has somewhat reined in his belligerent batting, while Matthew Wade has been adaptable and shifted between the top-order and the finishing role.
Among all of that, Indian batter Nikhil Chaudhary established himself as an important link between the destructive bookends of Owen and David. Chaudhary burst into BBL prominence last season with his flamboyant, 360-degree style of batting, but this season he’s adjusted his game.
He’s been able to absorb pressure in the middle overs and help build a platform for David to capitalise on. His statistics are modest, but Chaudhary has made seven scores this season between 20 and 42.
“We’ve got some pretty imposing figures, but the biggest thing is the fact that Mitch [Owen] doesn’t go out feeling like we’re relying on him for runs. Tim David doesn’t go out feeling like we’re relying on him for runs,” Ellis said. “I think we’ve got a group that has such good experiences, such good players to adapt to situations. Guys like Caleb, Nikhil, they sort of go unnoticed but have been brilliant.”
While overshadowed by the batting order, Hurricanes’ attack has worked as a unit. Meredith’s rockets gets them going with the new ball and, though naturally expensive at times, he has been more consistent this season.
Ellis’ canny changes of pace and deadly yorkers – characteristics that puts him right on the fringe of Australia’s white-ball teams – sees him often bowling the tough overs of the power surge and at the death. Chris Jordan also musters his wealth of experience to be a reliable option in the backend.
Tim David got to fifty in just 22 balls Getty Images
Spinners Chaudhary and Peter Hatzoglou have bowled tidily, conceding less than eight runs an over, to further reinforce a team where almost every player is contributing with their specific role.
“It’s probably changed a little bit now, but throughout the tournament, you never saw Hurricanes players leading the wickets or leading the runs, but you saw us at the top of the ladder,” Ellis said. “That was something that I was really proud of, something I was really staunch on. The fact that every win we had, it felt like 11 blokes had their thumbprint on it.”
Much like the long-time formula for Scorchers and Sixers, Hurricanes have benefited from continuity with a core group of players who have been together for a while now.
They’ve gone through some tough times, but this playing group is on the cusp of creating history for Hurricanes as they reel in their long-suffering supporters.
“We’ve got a fair few guys who have played together a lot,” Ellis said. “We enjoy each other’s company and I think you can see that on the field. I think it’s a really healthy environment. I know how big this game is for Tasmanian cricket. Hopefully we can be the first ones to bring home the silverware.”