Mitch Owen blasted the Big Bash League’s equal-fastest century to guide Hobart Hurricanes to their first T20 title with a seven-wicket victory over Sydney Thunder in the final at Bellerive Oval on Monday.
Sydney posted 182-7 after losing the toss and being put into bat, before Owen’s blistering 108 off 42 balls helped put the hosts in the driving seat as Hobart cruised to their victory target with 35 balls remaining.
Thunder’s seamers conceded 74 runs in the opening powerplay and Owen took full advantage, hitting the fastest fifty ever in a BBL final off just 16 balls.
Owen smashed 11 sixes and six fours during his innings and was part of a 109-run stand for the opening wicket, which ended when Caleb Jewell (13) and Nikhil Chaudhary (1) were dismissed in the same over by leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha (2-43).
However, Owen remained unfazed and brought up a 39-ball hundred to match Craig Simmons’ ton for the Perth Scorchers in 2014.
Tom Andrews (1-30) eventually claimed the prized scalp of Owen after he holed out in the deep, only for Matthew Wade (32 not out) and Ben McDermott (18no) to complete Hurricane’s chase of 185 in just 14.1 overs.
Earlier, Thunder openers David Warner (48) and Jason Sangha (67) shared an opening stand worth 97 runs off the first 10 overs.
Captain Warner was caught behind off Nathan Ellis (3-23), who then went on to remove Matthew Gilkes (0) for a duck with the following delivery.
Ellis then had Matthew Gilkes chopping on for a duck to spur momentum for the ladder-topping Hurricanes, who accounted for Sam Billings (20) when speedster Riley Meredith (3-27) rattled the stumps.
Sangha, who top-scored for Thunder with 67, was caught off Ellis whilst Riley Meredith (3-27) clattered Sam Billings’ (20) stumps.
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