Hobart Hurricanes secure maiden Big Bash Title
Hobart Hurricanes are the champions of BBL 14. Nathan Ellis guided the Hurricanes to their first-ever Big Bash League title. It was a one-man show in the finals against the Sydney Thunder and his name is Mitchell Owen. The 23-year-old Tasmanian scored a brilliant 100 to take his side beyond the finishing line. Hobart finally won the BBL after losing two finals. Here is how the high-scoring final went at the Ninja Stadium.
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Hobart Hurricanes struggle as David Warner and Jason Sangha dominate
The men in purple won the toss and opted to bowl. David Warner opened along with Jason Sangha. Both openers stood for just over 10 overs and scored 97 runs for the first wicket. Hurricanes bowlers had no answers to some superb batting. They were not allowing the bowlers to settle and were scoring at a good rate.
Warner scored 48 in 32 balls at a healthy strike rate of 150. He was the first player to get out. Things shifted in favor of the Hurricanes after Warner’s dismissal. Hurricanes restricted the scoring rate after a good start.
Ellis brings the Hurricanes back into the game
Thunder were scoring at a rate of 9.5 runs per over at the end of 10 overs. With a power surge remaining, they were eyeing a huge total of 200 runs. However, the half-time talk was enough for Hobart to change their plans.
Captain Nathan Ellis led the charge in the 11th over. Ellis took out the opposition captain and got the wicket of Matthew Gilkes in the very next ball. Suddenly the Thunder were 97 for two. These two wickets proved to be costly.
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Jason Sangha continued his charge and went on to score 67 in 42 balls. He was the fourth player to get out. Sam Billings, Oliver Davies, and Chris Green added a few runs to the team’s total. Thunder scored 182 runs in 20 overs for the loss of seven wickets. Ellis finished with a sensational figure of three for 23 and Meredith took three for 27. The total was above par but not unachievable.
The Mitchell Owen Show
Sydney Thunder have troubled all the opposition teams with their bowling. They were confident after putting runs on the board. However, Mitchell Owen had different plans. He has led the Hurricanes’ charge in all matches and this was his final.
Owen took the strike and there was no stopping. He was smashing Thunder bowlers all over the park. At the end of six overs, the Hurricanes were 96 without losing any wickets. Tanveer Sangha made the first break in the seventh over. He dismissed Caleb Jewell and took out Nikhil Chaudhary in the same over.
However, there was no stopping to Owen’s batting. He scored the joint fastest 100 in BBL history. Owen was finally dismissed on 108 runs of just 42 balls. His innings included 11 sixes and six fours.
Matthew Wade and Ben McDermott stood till the end. Hurricanes achieved the total with 35 balls remaining.
