The Hobart Hurricanes will begin their KFC BBL|15 title defence tomorrow night, hosting the Sydney Thunder at Ninja Stadium in a highly anticipated rematch of last season’s Grand Final.
The contest, which begins at 19:15 promises to be a spectacular night for Tasmanian sport.
The Hurricanes enter the match with the club on a historic high following the WBBL squad’s recent success. On Saturday, the Hurricanes Women secured their maiden WBBL title, defeating the Perth Scorchers by eight wickets in a dominant performance at home.
Hurricanes captain Nathan Ellis said the atmosphere surrounding the club has been electric since the victory.
“It felt like they deserved the trophy, and they played some of the best [cricket],” Ellis said.
“To be here the other night, see the girls win and see Tassie celebrating another trophy, it was pretty special”.
Ellis, a New South Wales native, also acknowledged the sombre atmosphere following tragic events in Sydney. He confessed that the events put cricket into stark perspective, admitting the sport felt “absolutely irrelevant”.
“It’s pretty heartbreaking to watch, to be honest,” Ellis said. “My heart goes out to anyone who’s affected… and those are the picking up pieces as well”.
Sydney Thunder captain Chris Green echoed these sentiments, describing the events at one of Sydney’s “iconic beaches” as “completely shocking”. Green added that while the players are there to entertain, “life’s pretty big off the field as well”.
Looking ahead to the match, Green said his team views the opener as a chance to make a statement. The Thunder are keen to start on the right foot, especially after losing last year’s final. Green highlighted the strength of both sides.
“It’s two really good teams going at it this year, you get to see the competition,” Green said. “Everyone’s got really well-balanced sides”.
Ellis believes his squad’s stability is key. “We’ve kept a pretty big core group together, so the chemistry feels like… it was last season,” he said.
Hurricanes Squad Announced
The Hobart Hurricanes BBL|15 squad for tomorrow night’s match features international talent alongside their Australian stars.
Rehan Ahmed
Nikhil Chaudhary
Tim David
Nathan Ellis (C)
Rishad Hossain
Chris Jordan
Ben McDermott
Riley Meredith
Mitch Owen
Will Prestwidge
Billy Stanlake
Matthew Wade
Tim Ward
Mac Wright
David Warner is confirmed to play for the Thunder, with Green noting “he’ll be down” for the match.
Media release – Hobart Hurricanes, 15 December 2025
Hobart Hurricanes Squad Announcement vs Sydney Thunder
After Saturday’s WBBL|11 triumph, it’s now the boys’ turn as the Hobart Hurricanes return to BBL action in their first match since the BBL|14 Final.
The opening squad for BBL|15 features plenty of familiar faces alongside exciting new talent, including two overseas signings and a string of local players.
If selected, English all-rounder Rehan Ahmed and Bangladeshi leg-spinner Rishad Hossain will make their Hurricanes debut. Joining them could be recently signed local batter Tim Ward and replacement player Will Prestwidge.
Fan favourite Mac Wright is back for the Hurricanes after missing all of BBL|14 with an ACL injury. He’s been in great form in the Cricket Tasmania Premier League and will be eager to recapture his form in purple from BBL|13.
Unavailable for this clash due to Ashes commitments are Jake Weatherald and Beau Webster, who are expected to return after the fifth Test.
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