Get all the latest team news and broadcast details as Hobart host the Thunder in a grand final rematch
Match facts
Who: Hobart Hurricanes v Sydney Thunder
What: Match 3, KFC BBL|15
Where: Ninja Stadium, Hobart
When: Tuesday, December 16. Bat flip at 6.30pm AEDT, first ball at 7.15pm AEDT
How to watch: Channel Seven, 7plus, Fox Cricket, Kayo Sports
Listen: ABC, SEN Radio. Listen in standard and real-time with no delay to live play via Cricket Radio on the CA Live app. Find out more here
Buy tickets: Tickets are on sale here
Live scores: Match Centre
Highlights, news and reactions after the match: cricket.com.au, the CA Live and Big Bash apps
Officials: Mike Graham-Smith and Sharad Patel (field), Eloise Sheridan (third), Muhammad Qureshi (fourth), David Johnston and Xavier Doherty (match referee)
Match squads
Hobart Hurricanes: Rehan Ahmed, Nikhil Chaudhary, Tim David, Nathan Ellis (c), Rishad Hossain, Chris Jordan, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Mitch Owen, Will Prestwidge, Billy Stanlake, Matthew Wade, Tim Ward, Mac Wright
The Hurricanes are near-on full strength in the opening match of their championship defence. Power hitters Mitch Owen, Tim David, Ben McDermott and Mac Wright have all been selected, the latter who missed all of BBL|14 with an ACL injury. Beau Webster and Jake Weatherald are the only notable absentees due to international duties. Bangladesh spinner Rishad Hossain and English allrounder Rehan Ahmed are in the frame for a debut in purple, while fast bowler Will Prestwidge has been named as a local replacement player.
Sydney Thunder: Chris Green (c), Charlie Anderson, Cameron Bancroft, Sam Billings, Ollie Davies, Matt Gilkes, Ryan Hadley, Shadab Khan, Sam Konstas, Nathan McAndrew, Blake Nikitaras, Daniel Sams, Tanveer Sangha, Reece Topley
The Thunder have been dealt a lofty blow in their hopes of atoning for last season’s BBL|14 Final defeat to the Hurricanes, with skipper David Warner ruled out through injury. The veteran batter reportedly injured his right side while playing with his children at the beach, seeing Chris Green take the reins as captain in his absence. Young seamer Charlie Anderson comes into the line-up as a local replacement player, while internationals Sam Billings, Reece Topley and Shadab Khan have all been named in the squad.
Club news
Hobart Hurricanes
Sydney Thunder
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Players to watch
Mitch Owen (Hurricanes): All eyes will be on Hurricanes opener Mitch Owen in this grand final rematch – can he do it again? After blasting the league’s equal fastest century off 39 balls in last season’s decider, Owen arguably returns as a better player in BBL|15 due to his experiences in international cricket and overseas tournaments this year. The allrounder made his T20 debut for Australia in July, scoring a 27-ball half-century in his first game. Owen was also named player of the tournament for the United States’ Major League Cricket season earlier this year.
Sam Konstas (Thunder): After losing his Test spot for the Ashes, the Thunder opener will have a point to prove in the Big Bash’s prime time slot. Konstas set the BBL alight with his electrifying batting in the early stages of last season before going on to do the same thing to India on Boxing Day. The 20-yeare-old enters the BBL|15 season having found top form again with scores of 116 and 53 in NSW’s last Sheffield Shield match.
Top performers
Local knowledge
Rapid stats
Hobart Hurricanes have won their past four matches against Sydney Thunder stretching back to January 2023. It’s the Hurricanes longest winning streak against the Thunder since they won the first five meetings between the two sides from BBL|01 to |05.
Sydney Thunder’s Cameron Bancroft (1,930) is 70 away from reaching 2,000 BBL runs.
Hobart’s Matthew Wade (563) has scored the second most runs against the Thunder on the competition’s history behind Chris Lynn (669).
What’s on the line?
Redemption for the Thunder after going down to the Hurricanes in last season’s BBL decider. But crucially for both teams, it’s a chance to lay down a marker in BBL|15 and prove they will once again be one of the teams to beat this season.
KFC BBL|15 standings
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Ties
T
No results
N/R
Net Run Rate
NRR
Deductions
Ded.
Total points
PTS
1
SCO
1
1
0
0
0
1.235
0
2
2
REN
1
1
0
0
0
0.7
0
2
3
STR
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
HUR
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
STA
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
THU
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
HEA
1
0
1
0
0
-0.7
0
0
8
SIX
1
0
1
0
0
-1.235
0
0
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points
