Hobart Hurricanes v Sydney Thunder: BBL|14 Final preview

Match facts

Who: Hobart Hurricanes v Sydney Thunder

What: The Final, KFC BBL|14

Where: Ninja Stadium, Hobart

When: Monday, January 27. 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

Tickets: The BBL|14 Final has sold out. Fans in Tasmania without tickets are encouraged to attend one of three live sites at Devonport's Market Square, Launceston's Silverdome and the Princes Wharf Forecourt in Hobart

Live scores: Match Centre

Highlights, news and reactions after the match: cricket.com.au, the CA Live and Big Bash apps

Officials: Sam Nogajski and Donovan Koch (field), Phil Gillespie (third), Shawn Craig (fourth), Kepler Wessels (match referee)

Match squads

Hobart Hurricanes: To be announced

The Hurricanes have had a stable side throughout the season with local players Caleb Jewell and Peter Hatzoglou slotting in seamlessly following the departure of international pair Shai Hope and Waqar Salamkheil. The question will be if they go in with an extra batter (Charlie Wakim or Jake Doran) or bowler (Cameron Gannon) for the Final against the Thunder.

Sydney Thunder: To be announced

All eyes will be on Ollie Davies to see whether he recovers from a thigh injury in time to play in the Final. The Thunder's three-pronged spin attack of Chris Green, Tanveer Sangha and Tom Andrews has worked a treat over the latter part of the campaign so it's unlikely they'll deviate from a team set-up that's carried them to a first BBL Final in nine years.

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Club news

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Top performers

Most Runs

BBL|14 BKT Golden Bat

Player	Total
1 David Warner D Warner	357
2 Cooper Connolly C Connolly	351
3 Mitchell Owen M Owen	344
4 Glenn Maxwell G Maxwell	325
5 Marcus Stoinis M Stoinis	311
6 Matthew Renshaw M Renshaw	280
7 Max Bryant M Bryant	259
8 Alex Ross A Ross	256

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Most Wickets

BBL|14 BKT Golden Arm

Player	Total
1 Jason Behrendorff J Behrendorff	17
2 Tom Rogers T Rogers	16
3 Mark Steketee M Steketee	15
4 Lance Morris L Morris	15
5 Lloyd Pope L Pope	15
6 Ben Dwarshuis B Dwarshuis	14
7 Spencer Johnson S Johnson	13
8 Riley Meredith R Meredith	13

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Most sixes scored

BBL|14

Player	Total
1 Glenn Maxwell G Maxwell	27
2 Mitchell Owen M Owen	25
3 Cooper Connolly C Connolly	19
4 Tim David T David	17
5 Matthew Renshaw M Renshaw	17
6 Max Bryant M Bryant	14
7 Josh Brown J Brown	12
8 Jake Fraser-McGurk J Fraser-McGurk	12

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Local knowledge

Rapid stats

• Hobart Hurricanes have won their past six matches at Ninja Stadium (all in BBL|14), their longest winning run at their home ground since an eight-game streak from January 2018 to February 2019.
• The Hurricanes have won their past three matches against the Thunder, with all three of those victories coming at Ninja Stadium. Hobart won the previous clash between the two sides this season on January 10 by six wickets with 19 balls remaining with their other scheduled fixture at ENGIE Stadium abandoned due to rain without a ball bowled.
• The Hurricanes have won their last three BBL matches against the Sydney Thunder, bowling first on the day in each of those three wins. The last and only time the Hurricanes recorded a longer winning run against the Thunder was their first five meetings in the competition (January 2012 to January 2016).
• This will be Hobart Hurricanes' third appearance in the Final of the BBL – they have lost in each of their two appearances at this stage (by 25 runs to Adelaide Strikers in BBL|07 and by 39 runs to Perth Scorchers in BBL|03). They are one of only two teams to have reached the Final in the history of the competition without ever winning it alongside Melbourne Stars who have lost on three occasions.
• This will be the Sydney Thunder's second appearance in the Final of the BBL (defeated Melbourne Stars by three wickets in BBL|05). The Thunder have won their last three matches in the competition, the last time they recorded a longer winning run was a four-match span from December 2022 to January 2023.

• The Hurricanes have recorded 2.33 runs per scoring shot in BBL|14 – only Brisbane Heat (2.36 per scoring shot in BBL|06) have logged more in a single season in the history of the competition.
• The Thunder have recorded a bowling economy rate of 7.6 in BBL|14, the best in the competition. The Thunder's bowling average (22.7) is also the best of any team in the campaign.
• Mitch Owen (Hobart Hurricanes) has hit a boundary once every 3.3 balls faced in BBL|14, the most frequent of any player in a single season in the history of the competition (minimum 100 balls faced).
• Sam Billings (Sydney Thunder) has recorded 12 dismissals in BBL|14 (11 catches and a stumping), the most by a Thunder wicketkeeper in a single season in the history of the competition. Billings dropped two attempted catches in his most recent appearance against the Hurricanes (January 10, 2025) after recording a 100 per cent catch success rate (5/5) across all his five innings prior against them.
• Nathan Ellis (Hobart Hurricanes) has bowled 11 per cent of his 192 deliveries on a short length in BBL|14, the highest rate of any player in the competition (minimum 50 balls bowled). He's taken five wickets via this method, more than any other player in this season while teammate Riley Meredith (3) is ranked second in this category.
• David Warner (Sydney Thunder) has a batting dot ball rate of 16.7 per cent from 30 balls faced during the death overs (17-20) in BBL|14, the best of any player during this period (minimum 20 balls faced).
• Hobart Hurricanes' Matthew Wade (96) is closing in on registering 100 sixes in the Big Bash League.
• Hurricanes opener Mitch Owen has scored 235 runs at a strike rate of 211.7 in the Powerplay in BBL|14, 106 more runs than the next best in the four-over period (David Warner with 129 runs).

What's on the line?

It all comes down to this with the winner to be crowned BBL|14 champions! It would be a dream maiden title for the Hurricanes if they can get over the line in front of their home fans, with Sydney Thunder out to spoil the occasion with their second title in their first appearance in the season decider since they last lifted the trophy in BBL|05.

KFC BBL|14 finals schedule

Qualifier: Hobart Hurricanes beat Sydney Sixers by 12 runs

Knockout: Sydney Thunder beat Melbourne Stars by 21 runs (DLS)

Challenger: Sydney Thunder beat Sydney Sixers by 4 wickets

Final: Hobart Hurricanes v Sydney Thunder, Ninja Stadium (Monday, January 27, 7.15pm AEDT)