Last season’s Big Bash Final was a magical night for Nathan Ellis, winning both on and off the field
Nathan Ellis had just made history for Hobart.
Holding the Big Bash trophy aloft on the Ninja Stadium outfield, the Hurricanes skipper proudly showcased his city’s first piece of BBL silverware.
Life couldn’t get any better for the 30-year-old who had made his home, and career, in Tasmania. But the best was yet to come.
Walking off the field, taking in the applause from a patriotic and purple-coloured crowd, Ellis was pulled aside by his wife Connie, who revealed she was pregnant with the couple’s first child.
“What was one of the greatest nights of my career turned to probably the greatest night of my life,” Ellis recalled this week.
“(It was) almost like a Friday Night Lights vibe sort of thing … Connie came on the field for the presentation.
“She was carrying on, she was being a bit weird throughout the day. I didn’t really know what was going on. I thought she was just as nervous as me for the Final.
“As we were about to walk into the change rooms to start celebrations, she told me that she was pregnant.
“Everything just went to a whole other level … obviously a pretty exciting time with our first one on the way.”
With their first child due in October, BBL|15 will look a little different for the Hurricanes’ title-winning skipper, but their first match will look fairly familiar.
Ellis confirmed the club’s opening home game of the BBL|15 season will be a rematch of the BBL|14 Final against the Sydney Thunder on December 16 at Ninja Stadium.
It’s a fixture the Hobart captain is certainly excited about, having admitted he’s watched last season’s finale more than once.
“I’ve watched the replay 45,000 times,” Ellis joked.
“Every morning I walk into the gym under the stadium, and there’s still some of the confetti just in the corners of the of the stadium, which just, you know, just makes me smile … a great way to walk in to work.”
The BBL|14 Final saw a sold-out crowd of 15,706 pack out Ninja Stadium witness a seven-wicket win to the hosts with 35 balls remaining.
Recalling the match, Ellis is hopeful Tasmanians can recreate a similar atmosphere that helped his team become BBL champions.
“That was probably one of the best atmospheres I’ve ever experienced,” said Ellis.
“The way the game panned … 15,000 people chanting Mitchy Owen, it’s just something that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.”
Having achieved the ultimate success in the competition last January, winning consecutive titles is now the main goal for the right-arm quick.
“I think the biggest thing now is I just want to do it again,” said Ellis.
“That’s probably as simple as I can put it. It was a great night, not only for us as a team and an organisation, but what a night for Tasmanian sport.
The Hurricanes have currently filled 14 of 18 spots on their BBL|15 squad, having picked up Rishad Hossain (Bangladesh), Rehan Ahmed (England) and overseas pre-signing Chris Jordan (England) at the Big Bash Draft.
Contracted for BBL|15: Rehan Ahmed (contracted until BBL|15), Iain Carlisle (BBL|15), Nikhil Chaudhary (BBL|17), Nathan Ellis (BBL|17), Rishad Hossain (BBL|15), Chris Jordan (BBL|15), Ben McDermott (BBL|17), Riley Meredith (BBL|17), Mitch Owen (BBL|17), Billy Stanlake (BBL|17), Matthew Wade (BBL|16), Jake Weatherald (BBL|16), Beau Webster (BBL|17), Mac Wright (BBL|15)
Ins: Jake Weatherald (Strikers), Beau Webster (Stars)
Out: Caleb Jewell (Renegades)
Uncontracted: Marcus Bean, Tim David, Paddy Dooley, Jake Doran, Cameron Gannon, Peter Hatzoglou, Shai Hope, Waqar Salamkheil, Charlie Wakim, Tim Ward
Internationals: Rehan Ahmed (England), Rishad Hossain (Bangladesh), Chris Jordan (England)
One name yet to re-sign with the Hurricanes is Tim David. But Ellis is confident the Australian T20I player will stay with his side for the upcoming season.
“Very confident Timmy will be in a purple shirt,” said Ellis.
“He loves playing for the Hurricanes. We love having him.
“I love playing with Tim, if he could answer my phone calls, it’d be good.
“All of a sudden, he’s addicted to ‘Fortnite’, which is a weird time in his life to be playing PlayStation, but yeah, I’m very confident we’ll see Timmy at Ninja (Stadium) in purple this year.”
The full BBL|15 fixture will be revealed on Thursday, July 3
