{"id":353065,"date":"2025-12-17T03:26:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T03:26:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/353065\/"},"modified":"2025-12-17T03:26:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T03:26:11","slug":"defending-champions-hobart-hurricanes-sink-sydney-thunder-in-bbl-thriller","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/353065\/","title":{"rendered":"Defending champions Hobart Hurricanes sink Sydney Thunder in BBL thriller"},"content":{"rendered":"

Defending champions Hobart have opened their new Big Bash League<\/a> campaign with a tense final-over four-wicket win against last season\u2019s runner-up Sydney.<\/p>\n

Nikhil Chaudhary (41 from 31), Ben McDermott (38 from 24), Mitchell Owen (32 from 14) all struck lusty blows at the top for the Hurricanes at Ninja Stadium on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Ricky Ponting slams BBL fielding blunder.<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n

But they lost a run of wickets before eventually getting past the Thunder\u2019s 6-180 with one ball to spare.<\/p>\n

The experienced Matthew Wade (25 from 16) departed in the second-last over, leaving the Hurricanes needing four runs off the final six balls.<\/p>\n

Thunder quick Daniel Sams started the last over with a horror no-ball that reached wicketkeeper Sam Billings on the full.<\/p>\n

And there was more controversy to come.<\/p>\n

With scores level, Sams bowled three dot balls in a row, including a bouncer that replays showed was well above Nathan Ellis\u2019 head.<\/p>\n

\"AA Daniel Sams\u2019 delivery that cleared Nathan Ellis\u2019 head should have been called a no-ball.. Credit: Seven<\/p>\n

Despite that, Ellis held his nerve to hit the winning runs with a straight drive, icing the game alongside Chris Jordan who hit a crucial unbeaten 16.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could have probably run it down a little earlier,\u201d Hurricanes quick Billy Stanlake, who earlier took 3-34, said.<\/p>\n

\u201c(But) there was always full confidence in the boys. You\u2019re never going to play perfect cricket first game. To get the win … it\u2019s a nice start.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Thunder were their own worst enemies in the field with one clear blunder proving very costly.<\/p>\n

With the Hurricanes on 0-16, Chaudhary skied a ball with a top edge, only for Ollie Davies and Tanveer Sangha to freeze in the outfield and watch the ball drop between them.<\/p>\n

But Ricky Ponting had no doubt that Davies, who was running towards the ball, was at fault.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry Ollie Davies, that is poor outfielding,\u201d Ponting said in the commentary.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s your catch every day of the week. The man coming in from the boundary, it\u2019s a much easier catch than the man running back.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone in the world knows that. He\u2019s gotta take the responsibility there to call Sangha out of that and say, \u2018That\u2019s mine. That\u2019s mine every day of the week. Yes, I\u2019ve got to make a few yards, but it\u2019s my responsibility in this team to take that catch.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not good enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

Callum Ferguson said: \u201cIt\u2019s an unwritten rule in the game, there\u2019s no doubt about that, Rick. And Tanveer is saying he should have been called out of that really early, actually.\u201d<\/p>\n

At that stage of the game, Chaudhary was only on one and he went on to make another 40 crucial runs for the Hurricanes.<\/p>\n

The Thunder were missing veteran David Warner who sat out with a back injury but is expected to be on deck against the Sydney Sixers on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Sydney could be sweating on the fitness of Sam Konstas, who didn\u2019t field after being struck on the arm by a Riley Meredith delivery while batting.<\/p>\n

The 20-year-old, playing just his sixth BBL game, showed some glimpses of his power with a 25-ball 28.<\/p>\n

In scenes reminiscent of last season\u2019s final, Owen came out all guns blazing in the chase before being caught centimetres from the rope by Sams off the spin of Tanveer Sangha.<\/p>\n

Chaudhary, who opened alongside Owen, made the most of an early life after Sangha and Oliver Davies let a skied ball drop between them.<\/p>\n

Earlier, after losing the bat flip and being sent in, Cameron Bancroft held Sydney\u2019s innings together with 61 from 44 balls.<\/p>\n

Pakistani import Shadab Khan (34 from 24) and Sams (23 not out from 11) added some late fireworks after the Hurricanes tightened the screws in the middle overs.<\/p>\n

The Thunder came flying out of the blocks and were 1-46 after the four-over powerplay, with Matthew Gilkes getting 20 off seven deliveries before falling in the deep to Stanlake.<\/p>\n

Stanlake also picked up the important scalps of Bancroft and Konstas.<\/p>\n

Jordan (2-36) clean bowled Billings and Davies in the 10th over with deliveries that nipped back to give Hobart some momentum.<\/p>\n

Bangladeshi spinner Rishad Hossain (0-18) was the most economical Hurricanes bowler in his debut for the franchise but only bowled three overs.<\/p>\n

– With Cameron Noakes<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Ben Stokes drops cheeky dig at former captain<\/p>\n

2 min read<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

How to watch the Ashes live and free on Seven and 7plus Sport<\/p>\n

3 min read<\/p>\n

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