Hobart Hurricanes host Sydney Thunder in the third match of the Big Bash League 2025-26 at Bellerive Oval on December 16, marking an early clash between a confident home side and a motivated visitor seeking redemption. As defending champions, the Hurricanes boast a well-rounded squad under Nathan Ellis‘ captaincy, blending Matthew Wade‘s seasoned wicketkeeping with explosive finishers like Tim David and the pace firepower of Riley Meredith and Chris Jordan. Their home record at Bellerive, where batting first succeeds 56% of the time amid flattening pitches and sea breezes, gives them a tactical edge, especially with spinners Rehan Ahmed and Rishad Hossain to exploit any early grip.​

Sydney Thunder, led by Chris Greencounter with a potent mix of Sam Billings‘ aggression, Shadab Khan‘s all-round dynamism, and Reece Topley‘s swing to disrupt Hobart’s top order early. Finishing third last season, they crave an opening win after the Hurricanes dominated their prior final encounter, and their middle-order depth via Daniel Sams and Oliver Davies could punish any loose bowling on a venue averaging 147 in first innings but capable of 200-plus hauls. Analytical trends highlight Thunder’s superior death bowling economy in recent BBL outings, potentially curbing Hobart’s big hitters if the pitch holds true to its batting-friendly evolution.

HH vs ST, BBL|15: Match details

• Date and Time: December 16 (Tuesday); 1:45 pm IST / 8:15 am GMT / 4:15 pm Local
• Venue: Bellerive Oval, Hobart
• Head-to-Head Record in BBL: Matches played: 22 | Hobart Hurricanes won: 14 | Sydney Thunder won: 08 | No result/Tied: 0

Bellerive Oval Pitch Report

Bellerive Oval’s pitch in Hobart promises a balanced T20 contest for the Big Bash League 2025-26 opener between Hurricanes and Thunder. Fresh grass offers early seam movement and low bounce, assisting pacers like Ellis and Topley in the powerplay, with an average first six overs scoring under 40 runs historically. As the match progresses, the surface flattens under sea breezes from the Derwent River, favouring batters and spinners like Rehan or Sangha in middle overs, where economy rates dip below 7. Teams batting first win 56% of games, targeting 160-170, though dew could aid chases later. High scores past 200 are possible if batters settle.

Squads:

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, Ollie Peake

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 Nikitaras

HH vs ST, BBL|15: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• Sydney Thunder wins the toss and bowls first
• Hobart Hurricanes’ powerplay score: 45-55 (6 overs)
• Hobart Hurricanes’ total score: 170-180

Case 2:

• Hobart Hurricanes wins the toss and bowls first
• Sydney Thunder’s powerplay score: 55-65 (6 overs)
• Sydney Thunder’s total score: 180-190

Match result: Team bowling first to win the contest