On a balmy Saturday night at ENGIE Stadium, Sydney Thunder fans packed the stands with hope, only to witness a Big Bash League spectacle that will be talked about for seasons to come. Despite a record-shattering century from David Warner, the Thunder’s campaign suffered another blow as the Hobart Hurricanes stormed to a memorable six-wicket victory, chasing down a daunting 206-run target with 13 balls to spare.
It was a clash between two teams at opposite ends of the spectrum. The Thunder, languishing at the bottom of the table with a 1-4 record before the game, were desperate to revive their faltering season. Their opponents, the defending champion Hurricanes, arrived in Sydney with a 4-2 record, brimming with confidence despite battling injuries and a recent setback against the Perth Scorchers. The Hurricanes had also dominated the head-to-head, winning five straight against the Thunder before this encounter.
The match, which started promptly at 7:15 pm, wasted no time in delivering drama. Hurricanes quick Will Prestwidge, playing his first game of the season, set the tone by striking with his very first two balls. Matthew Gilkes edged the first delivery to wicketkeeper Matthew Wade, and Sam Konstas was clean bowled on the next, leaving the Thunder reeling at 0-2. The ENGIE Stadium crowd fell silent, but little did they know what was about to unfold.
Enter David Warner. The veteran opener, fresh from a string of modest scores, chose this night to remind everyone why he’s considered one of T20 cricket’s finest. He weathered the early storm alongside Sam Billings (20 off 24), and then, with the partnership broken, found an able ally in Nic Maddinson. Warner was handed a reprieve on 26 when he was dropped, and fortune favored him again on 66 as a mistimed cut shot landed safely between fielders. But luck alone can’t explain what followed.
Warner unleashed a masterclass, blending finesse with brute force. He raced to his second Big Bash hundred—and his first since December 2011—eventually finishing unbeaten on 130 from just 65 balls. His innings featured 20 boundaries, including 11 fours and 9 towering sixes, making it the highest individual score in Thunder franchise history and tying for the fifth-biggest in Big Bash history. As Warner reached his century, he celebrated with his trademark ‘six-seven’ hand gesture, a nod to his daughters watching from the stands.
Nic Maddinson, back in Big Bash action after 739 days away due to injury and illness, added a crucial 30 before selflessly retiring out in the 18th over, giving Daniel Sams a chance to accelerate at the death. The Thunder closed their innings at 4-205, a formidable total by any measure—especially after their disastrous start. Reflecting on the innings, Warner told Fox Cricket, “It feels good to put 200 on the board. If you kept your shape and you were positive, you could get 200.”
But as the Thunder soon discovered, no total is truly safe in T20 cricket, especially on a surface like ENGIE Stadium’s slow, spin-friendly pitch. The Hurricanes’ chase began with intent and flair. Tim Ward, largely unheralded before this match, produced a dazzling 90 off 49 balls—his maiden Big Bash half-century. Ward’s knock was a blend of precision and power, featuring 13 boundaries, three of which cleared the ropes. Alongside him, Mitch Owen—famed for his century in last year’s Big Bash final—blazed 45 off just 18 deliveries, peppering the stands with five massive sixes.
The opening partnership of 108 in less than nine overs all but shattered Thunder’s hopes. Owen eventually fell to Daniel Sams, who finished with 3-36, but the Hurricanes’ momentum was unstoppable. Nikhil Chaudhary, shuffled up and down the order all season, played a calm hand at the finish, sealing the win with 29 not out off 14 balls. The Hurricanes reached 4-206 with six wickets in hand and over two overs to spare, underscoring their reputation as the league’s most clinical chasers.
For the Thunder, the loss was particularly galling. Not only did they remain winless at ENGIE Stadium this season (0-3), but their record slipped to 1-5, leaving their finals hopes hanging by the thinnest of threads. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, soared to the top of the Big Bash table with a 5-2 record, their sixth consecutive win over the Thunder.
The match wasn’t short on standout performances. Prestwidge’s double-strike at the outset had the Thunder on the ropes, while spinner Rishad Hossain—so often the Hurricanes’ go-to on slow wickets—bowled four economical overs. For the Thunder, Daniel Sams’ three wickets were a silver lining, but he was expensive, mirroring the struggles of the rest of the Thunder attack, who all went for double-digit economy rates.
Quotes from the night captured the sense of awe at Warner’s feat. “That was special, you can’t play any better than that,” said former England captain Michael Vaughan during the innings break. “Remember, they were 2/0, so the pressure was on and the Thunder desperately needed a score. They have to win, and Davey Warner’s just delivered a masterclass of how to play in T20 cricket.” Mark Waugh, another Australian great, added: “It was some hitting, wasn’t it? All over the ground he used his touch, got under the ball and hit it aerial when he needed to. There was some pretty good bowling in that Hurricanes line-up too... but he put them to the sword.”
Nic Maddinson’s return was another emotional highlight. After missing nearly two years due to a broken thumb and a battle with cancer, he told Fox Cricket, “It’s nice to be out there, and I’m obviously grateful for the opportunity to be at the Thunder. Everything’s going well, every three months or so (I get checked up) for the first couple of years. It’s all in good health at the moment … I’ve been back playing for a few months now.”
As the Hurricanes celebrated, their captain Nathan Ellis reflected on the adaptability of his squad: “I think the important thing for us and something that we spoke about is, we’re not trying to replace a Tim David. I’m firmly of the belief that Timmy David is one of one in the world. We have just got to potentially restructure our batting line-up and we’ve got the cricketers there to play some good cricket.”
With the Hurricanes now riding high atop the league and the Thunder’s season on life support, the Big Bash drama is far from over. On a night when records tumbled and reputations were made, it’s clear that in T20 cricket, fortunes can turn in the space of a few overs—and no lead is ever truly safe.
