Defending champions Hobart Hurricanes opened their Big Bash League campaign with a tense four-wicket win over Sydney Thunder, scraping past 180 in the final over at Ninja Stadium.
Top-order fireworks from Nikhil Chaudhary (41), Ben McDermott (38) and Mitchell Owen (32) set the tone, but a mid-innings wobble left the Hurricanes needing four runs off the final six balls. Experienced campaigners Matthew Wade (25) and Nathan Ellis held their nerve to steer the chase across the line.
Thunder had looked set early, with Cameron Bancroft (61) anchoring a 180-run total and late hits from Shadab Khan (34) and Daniel Sams (23*) adding momentum. But Hurricanes’ bowlers, led by Billy Stanlake (3-34) and Chris Jordan (2-36), tightened the screws in the middle overs to keep the defending champs in touch.
The match featured tense moments reminiscent of last season’s final, including Owen’s near-miss at the boundary off Tanveer Sangha and Chaudhary surviving a life early in his innings. Despite some nerves, the Hurricanes showed composure under pressure to claim a thrilling season opener.
With David Warner sidelined for the Thunder and Sam Konstas injured, Sydney will need to regroup quickly for their clash against Sydney Sixers on Saturday.
