Rain has delayed the start of the BBL|15 Knockout in Hobart
Melbourne Stars will bowl first in tonight’s KFC BBL|15 Knockout after rain delayed the start of their do-or-die final with the Hurricanes in Hobart.
Play was set to get underway at 9.05pm after rain eased in the Tasmanian capital, with the covers removed from the pitch just minutes before the first ball.
Hurricanes XI: Mitchell Owen, Tim Ward, Beau Webster, Ben McDermott (c), Nikhil Chaudhary, Matthew Wade (wk), Chris Jordan, Will Prestwidge, Rishad Hossain, Riley Meredith, Billy Stanlake
Stars XI: Tom Rogers, Sam Harper (wk), Joe Clarke, Campbell Kellaway, Marcus Stoinis (c), Glenn Maxwell, Hilton Cartwright, Tom Curran, Mitch Swepson, Haris Rauf, Peter Siddle
The match has been reduced to a 10-overs per side contest. The Powerplay will be two overs and the Power Surge one, which can be taken after the five-over mark. Bowlers can bowl a maximum of two overs each.
Rain was teeming down at Ninja Stadium when the first ball was due to be bowled at 7.30pm. The covers were removed about an hour later as the teams emerged from the changerooms to begin their warm-ups.
The weather bureau’s radar showed a huge band of rain sitting over eastern Tasmania, which is moving towards the coast.
Should the Knockout end in a washout, the Hurricanes will progress to Friday’s Challenger against Sydney Sixers at the SCG as the higher ranked team. The winner that match will secure a spot in the KFC BBL|15 Final in Perth.
Veteran Stars quick Peter Siddle, speaking on Channel Seven five minutes after the first ball was due to be bowled, said the rain had just started to get heavier.
“The ground drains really well … we just need it to stop, which by all reports it’s going to,” he said.
Reigning champions Hobart made two changes for the Knockout, with captain Nathan Ellis ruled out through injury and English allrounder Rehan Ahmed having departed for national duties.
Ellis is understood to have picked up a minor hamstring niggle in last Wednesday’s loss to Brisbane Heat, which saw his side drop out of the top two and miss out on a double chance in the finals.
Towering speedster Billy Stanlake and young quick Will Prestwidge come into the Hurricanes side for the Knockout, while Ben McDermott will lead the side in Ellis’ absence.
The Stars meanwhile named an unchanged team as they seek to win their first BBL finals match in six years.
BBL|15 finals schedule
Qualifier: Perth Scorchers beat Sydney Sixers by 48 runs
Knockout: Hobart Hurricanes v Melbourne Stars, Ninja Stadium (Wednesday, January 21, 7.30pm AEDT)
Challenger: Sydney Sixers v winner of Knockout, SCG (Friday, January 23, 7.15pm AEDT)
Final: Perth Scorchers v winner of Challenger, Optus Stadium (Sunday, January 25, 7.15pm AEDT)
*A reserve day on Monday, January 26 (7.15pm AEDT) is available for the Final
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
10
7
3
0
0
1.363
0
14
2
SIX
10
6
3
0
1
0.605
0
13
3
HUR
10
6
3
0
1
0.331
0
13
4
STA
10
6
4
0
0
0.759
0
12
5
HEA
10
5
5
0
0
-0.431
0
10
6
STR
10
4
6
0
0
-0.231
0
8
7
REN
10
3
7
0
0
-1.202
0
6
8
THU
10
2
8
0
0
-1.212
0
4
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points
