BBL 2025-26: Hobart Hurricanes get title defence underway with narrow win over Sydney Thunder

Hobart Hurricanes opened their title defence with a narrow four-wicket win against last year's runner-up Sydney Thunder at Bellerive Oval on Tuesday, December 16.

Chasing 181 runs at 9.12 runs per over to open their campaign with a win, Hurricanes got off to a flyer. The opening pair of Nikhil Chaudhary (41 off 31) and Mitchell Owen (32 off 14 balls) took the attack to the Thunder bowlers and added 48 runs in just 4.3 overs before Tanveer Sangha snapped the partnership. Owen batted at a strike rate of 228.57 and left the Thunder bowling attack rattled.

Owen's wicket brought Ben McDermott to the crease, and he stitched a 61-run stand with Nikhil to keep Thunder at bay. Chris Green broke the stand on the last ball of the 11th over by dismissing Nikhil and gave his side another opening. Nikhil's dismissal led to a mini-collapse as McDermott, Tim David, and Rehan Ahmed lost their wickets in a span of 18 balls.

Wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Wade tried to keep Hurricanes ahead of the asking rate but perished in the process after scoring 25 off 16 balls with the help of two fours and a maximum at a strike rate of 156.25.

However, Thunder's attack lost steam at the death as Hurricanes skipper Nathan Ellis and Chris Jordan (16* off 13) sealed the win with a ball to spare.

Earlier in the day, Hurricanes won the toss and chose to field. Billy Stanlake provided the first breakthrough for the hosts, dismissing Matthew Gilkes for 20. Sam Konstas and Cameron Green added 45 runs for the second wicket before Stanlake struck again, getting rid of Konstas, to reduce Thunder to 69/2 in 7.4 overs.

Thunder were rocked further as they lost Sam Billings and Oliver Davies in quick succession, but a valiant fifty from Bancroft (61 off 44 balls), including four boundaries, took them to a position of strength.

Stanlake came back into the attack to outclass Bancroft on the penultimate ball of the 17th over as Thunder lost their fifth wicket with 138 on the board. A late surge by Shadab Khan (34 off 24 balls) and Daniel Sams (23 off 11 balls) took Thunder to 180.