Hyderabad: Mitch Owen smashed the joint-fastest century in the tournament history to power his side Hobart Hurricanes to their maiden Big Bash League (BBL) title with a dominating seven-wicket win in front of their home crowd in Hobart on Monday, January 27, 2025.
Owen rewrote the record books in an swashbuckling 39-ball knock to etch his name alongside Craig Simmons and make light work of Sydney Thunder 7-182. The 23-year-old rising sensation smashed a whopping 11 sixes into the packed 15,706 crowd at Ninja Stadium, becoming just the second batter to reach triple figures in a BBL Final after Jake Weatherald's 115 not out in 7th edition fo the BBL.
💜 HOBART'S HEROES 💜
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 27, 2025
The @HurricanesBBL have won their FIRST BBL TITLE! #BBL14 pic.twitter.com/rpZAQ3hH4m
Owen's 108 from 42 balls ensured this time it didn't end in heartbreak for Hobart as they claimed their first men's or women's Big Bash championship. That means Melbourne Stars now remains the only club with an empty trophy cabinet.
The best feeling in sport. 🏆#BBL14 pic.twitter.com/uAA134kghW
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 27, 2025
Owen also achieved his half-century in 16 balls, setting a new club record and make it the fastest fifty in a BBL Final. "It's an amazing feeling. I'm lost for words. I'm super grateful for all the fans," Owen, who was dismissed in the 11th over, said after his hometown crowd had chanted his name.
Instantly iconic 👑
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 27, 2025
One of the all-time great BBL performances from Mitch Owen. #BBL14 #POTM pic.twitter.com/EscypbTO28
Coming to the match front, the Thunders did get a start they would have hoping to kickstart the all-important final as skipper David Warner and opener Jason Sangha put on quickfire 97 for the first wicket after being sent in by Hurricanes' skipper Nathan Ellis.
Your #BBL14 champions...
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 27, 2025
The Hobart Hurricanes 🏆 pic.twitter.com/uQkQrXcG2F
The Thunder opening pair recorded the highest Powerplay score (0-40) against the Hurricanes this season but that paled into comparison to Hobart's 0-74 at the same stage. Hurricanes' 74/0 is a new league record since the four-over Powerplay was introduced in five seasons ago.
In a horror start to their bowling innings, Nathan McAndrew's wayward inswinger gifted the Hurricanes five wides from the first delivery of the chase to set the tone for what was to come. In-form McAndrew conceded 23 from the first over after Owen smoked two fours and a six, along with four leg byes, before following up with 17 from Tom Andrews' second over of the innings and 22 from Wes Agar's third.
Owen's partner Caleb Jewell played the perfect second fiddle role with 13 off 12 to get the red-hot Owen back on strike, as the pair put on 109 opening stand, failing just one run short of the highest opening partnership in a BBL Final. It eclipsed Warner and Sangha's earlier first wicket stand of 97 that had been the highest opening partnership in a decider since BBL 01.
Leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha briefly gave Thunder fans something to cheer about with the wickets of Jewell and Nikhil Chaudhary (1), but the joy was short lived as veterans Matthew Wade (32* off 17) and Ben McDermott (18* off 12) took Hobart to the title with 35 balls to spare in the innings.
McDermott secured the club's first silverware by ramping McAndrew over fine leg and immediately threw his bat in the air, sprinting towards his teammates in the dugout as Wade sunk to his knees mid-pitch.
"A little bit emotional, it been a long ride," Wade said post-match. "We haven't performed the way we wanted to over the last few years … we stuck to the game style we wanted to play (this season). Credit to the coaching staff to put Mitchy Owen up to the top – that hitting, I've never seen anything like it."
