The Hobart Hurricanes the owner of the house Sydney Thunder in his third match Major League Soccer 2025-26 At Bellerive Oval on December 16, it marked an early clash between a confident host and a motivated visitor looking to buy. The Hurricanes boast a well-rounded lineup as the defending champions Nathan Ellis‘ captaincy, stirring Matthew WadeExperienced wicketkeeping with explosive finishers like Tim David and tempo firepower Riley Meredith and Chris Jordan. Their home record at Bellerive gives them a tactical advantage, especially with the spinners, where they have achieved 56% first-time batting success amid flattening pitches and sea breezes. Rehan Ahmed and Rishad Hussain using any early grip.
Sydney Thunder lead Chris Greenopposite with a strong mixture Sam Billings‘aggression, Shadab Khan‘s comprehensive dynamism and Reece Topley‘s swing to topple Hobart’s top order early. Having finished third last season, the Hurricanes are desperate for an opening win after dominating their previous finals encounter. Daniel Sams and Oliver Davies averages 147 in the first innings but can punish any loose bowling in a venue capable of over 200 innings. Analytical trends highlight the Thunder’s superior death bowling economy in recent BBL outings, potentially curbing Hobart’s big shots if the pitch sticks to its stroke-friendly evolution.
HH vs ST, BBL|15: Match details
- Date and Time: December 16 (Tuesday); 13:45 IST / 8:15 GMT / 16:15 Local
- Location: Bellerive Oval, Hobart
- Head-to-head record in BBL: Matches played: 22 | Hobart Hurricanes won: 14 | Sydney Thunder won: 08 | No results/Closes: 0
Bellerive Oval Pitch Report
Bellerive Oval’s pitch in Hobart promises a balanced T20 contest between the Hurricanes and Thunder for the Big Bash League 2025-26 opener. The fresh grass offers early seam movement and low bounce, helping pacers like Ellis and Topley in the powerplay, with a first-six delivery average of less than 40 runs historically. As the match progresses, the surface flattens out under the sea breeze from the River Derwent, favoring batters and spinners like Rehan or Sangha in the middle overs, where the economy drops below 7. Batting first teams win 56% of games, aiming for 160-170, although the dew can help the chase later on. Scores above 200 are possible if the shots are settled.
Teams:
Hobart Hurricanes: Nathan Ellis (c), Tim David, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Billy Stanlake, Matthew Wade, Beau Webster, Jake Weatherald, Chris Jordan, Rishad Hossain, Rehan Ahmed, Mac Wright, Iain Carlisle, Nikhil Chaudhary, Fergus O’Neill,
Sydney Thunder: David Warner (c), Sam Billings, Lockie Ferguson, Daniel Sams, Chris Green, Cameron Bancroft, Wes Agar, Ollie Davies, Shadab Khan, Matthew Gilkes, Tanveer Sangha, Ryan Hadley, Sam Konstas, Nathan McAndrew, Tom Andrews, Ravichandran Ashwin, Blake Niktar
HH vs ST, BBL|15: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- Sydney Thunder wins the toss first
- Hobart Hurricanes power play score: 45-55 (6 overs)
- Hobart Hurricanes Total Score: 170-180
Case 2:
- Hobart Hurricanes go first in the toss
- Sydney Thunder power play score: 55-65 (6 overs)
- Sydney Thunder Total Score: 180-190
Match result: The first bowling team to win the competition
