Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Thunder Big Bash League Tips- Owen to ignite the Cane Train

Adam Cusworth

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Last updated: Sun 14 Dec 2025 09:50

Adam Cusworth 14 Dec 2025

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Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Thunder tips
Match start is 7:15 PM AEDT on Tuesday, December 16th at Ninja Stadium
Hobart defeated the Thunder in the BBL14 decider
Mitch Owen was dominant in the final last season

Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Thunder Big Bash League Tips

Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Thunder Big Bash League Expert Tips

Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Thunder Big Bash League Expert Tips
Head to Head Stats
Last 5 Matches
BBL14 Last 5 Betting Trends
BBL14 Last 5 Stats
Thunder BattingStatsThunder Fielding16Fours15.53.8Sixes6.3
Hobart Hurricanes Form
Sydney Thunder Form
Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Thunder Frequently Asked Questions

The Hobart Hurricanes will begin their title defence with a win against the Sydney Thunder in a rematch of last season’s final.

The Hurricanes’ breakthrough campaign ended in emphatic fashion at this venue, courtesy of Mitch Owen’s astonishing century that sealed a seven-wicket win. This season, however, Hobart are now the hunted.

The Hurricanes power-heavy batting group is built for Ninja Stadium, where high scoring has been a feature in recent seasons.

Mitch Owen, Ben McDermott and Matthew Wade will look to gain momentum early in the innings and if they capitalise in the powerplay, they will be hard to stop, particularly with Tim David waiting to finish.

But the ball can hold early, giving seamers some chance and the Thunder have a deep spin attack that can dictate terms through the middle overs. Tanveer Sangha, Chris Green and Shadab Khan give the Thunder multiple ways to slow Hobart through the middle overs in what shapes as a contest between the Hurricanes power hitting and the Thunder’s adaptability.

Expect a competitive match but with the home crowd behind them, as well as that batting depth, expect Hobart to take out the opener. Mitch Owen to score 30+ runs looks a strong starting point, while Tanveer Sangha shapes as Thunder’s best wicket-taking threat. Nathan Ellis is well placed to take 2+ wickets on a surface that rewards discipline at the death. Consider David Warner for Thunder batting props- it will be interesting to see where the former Australian opener slots are flagging that he may drop down the order.

Hobart have won 8 of their last 12 matches at Ninja Stadium
The Hurricanes have won 3 of their last 4 meetings with Thunder, including the BBL14 Final
Mitch Owen averaged 46.5 runs across BBL14, scoring at 180+ strike rate at Ninja Stadium
Nathan Ellis took 12 wickets at Ninja Stadium in BBL14
Hobart ranked top three for sixes per innings at home in BBL14, while Thunder conceded the second-most sixes away last season

Head to Head Stats

Hobart Hurricanes hold a slight historical edge, winning 14 of the 26 completed matches between the sides. At Ninja Stadium specifically, they have won eight of the last 12 encounters . Recent meetings heavily favour the Hurricanes, including two wins in Hobart last season and the BBL14 final, where they chased down 183 with five overs to spare. When these sides meet in Hobart, games are usually tight early before Hurricanes’ batting depth tells late.

Last 5 Matches

27-Jan-2025: Hurricanes won by 7 wickets

10-Jan-2025: Hurricanes won by 6 wickets

(8-Jan-2025: Match Abandoned)

1-Jan-2024: Hurricanes won by 7 wickets

15-Jan-2023: Hurricanes won by 5 wickets

31-Dec-2022: Thunder won by 62 runs

BBL14 Last 5 Betting Trends

Hobart Hurricanes	Stats	Sydney Thunder
6-0	W-L	2-2
321.4	Avg Match Total	344.5
3-3	Bat Flip	1-3
2-0	Bat First W-L	1-2

BBL14 Last 5 Stats

Hurricanes Batting	Stats	Hurricanes Fielding
12.8	Fours	12
7.2	Sixes	3.2

Thunder Batting Stats Thunder Fielding
16 Fours 15.5
3.8 Sixes 6.3

Thunder Batting	Stats	Thunder Fielding
16	Fours	15.5
3.8	Sixes	6.3

Hobart Hurricanes Form

Hobart enter BBL15 as reigning champions after one of the most dominant seasons in recent memory, dropping just two regular-season games before overpowering Thunder in the final.

Mitch Owen was the star and opposition attacks need to adjust to avoid being whacked out of the game during the Powerplay. Ben McDermott returns in form after continued T20 exposure overseas, while Matthew Wade has declared himself fit after a minor strain and is expected to feature. The presence of Tim David will loom large late in the the innings.

Jake Weatherald and Beau Webster are unlikely to feature until after the Ashes, opening the door for Tim Ward to potentially start early in the season. Jackson Bird’s arrival adds experience to a pace outfit that features Nathan Ellis, Riley Meredith, Chris Jordan and Billy Stanlake. Spin duties will likely fall to Rishad Hossain and Rehan Ahmed, giving Hobart flexibility depending on conditions.

Sydney Thunder Form

Thunder’s run to the BBL14 final was built on them winning several close games and finding different contributors each week. David Warner was the clear batting leader, while the bowling group, led by Daniel Sams and Tanveer Sangha, consistently punched above its weight.

For BBL15, the squad looks deeper and more tactically versatile. Shadab Khan adds all-round quality and an attacking spin option, while Reece Topley is expected to start the season before Lockie Ferguson arrives later. Sam Billings strengthens the middle order, and Sam Konstas looms as a key piece after finishing last season with encouraging signs and recent Sheffield Shield form.

Warner has hinted at batting down the order at times, a move designed to protect Konstas and create left-right combinations through the middle overs. Thunder’s spin trio of Sangha, Green and Shadab could all feature together, particularly against a Hurricanes side stacked with right-hand power.

The challenge for Thunder remains consistency. When their batting stalls, they can be overly reliant on Warner, but if two of their top five fire, they have the bowling depth to defend competitive totals.