Hobart Hurricanes pull off unthinkable BBL upset amid all-time ‘choke’

The Big Bash regular season will come down to the final match of the regular season to decide the finals make up after an unbelievable drama.

Andrew McMurtry

@AndrewMcMurtry

2 min read

January 25, 2023 - 6:19PM

The Hurricanes have done the unthinkable. Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images

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Pressure makes diamonds and for the Hobart Hurricanes, that means one of the most remarkable finishes seen in the Big Bash to keep their season alive.

The equation was simple for the Hurricanes heading into the final day of the BBL regular season — a win would put the side into fifth and then they had to hope for a Sydney Thunder loss to wooden spooners the Melbourne Stars later on Wednesday night.

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Well the Hurricanes have done their half of the equation, defending 120 at Launceston in remarkable scenes.

With 23 balls remaining, the Heat had six wickets left and needed just 17 runs.

Instead of pushing towards the win however, the Heat lost 4/8 in 20 balls.

The quick dismissals of Sam Hain, Jimmy Pierson and Michael Neser left 10 runs needed off the last over.

Bowled by part-timer Tim David, the over was brilliant for the Hurricanes, including four dots, including a run out, a single and a big six from a wayward full toss to secure the most unlikely of victories.

“Unbelievable,” Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket commentary. “That’s amazing, the Heat have lost the unlosable there, they really have. That’s just pressure.

“The Hurricanes have got out of jail there.”

That’ll hurt the Heat. Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images

The Hurricanes had no right to win that. Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images

Hain (26) and Pierson (39) had appeared set to guide the Heat to a big win and third place on the BBL ladder with a 73-run stand in the tricky conditions.

The Heat will now have to wait for the Thunder result to see if, with a Thunder loss, it hosts The Eliminator in Brisbane against the Hurricanes, or, if Sydney win, play the Thunder in Sydney.

The Renegades have all by locked in third and the hosting rights for The Knockout on Sunday after the result.

The 120-run total was the lowest total the Hurricanes had defended in their history and fans were quick to pan the Heat’s all-time “choke”.

That is the Brisbane heat I know all too well. Shambles. #BBL
— Fraser Barton (@FraserBartonAAP) January 25, 2023

Heat choking like the Stars #BBL12
— Leonardo Puglisi (@Leo_Puglisi6) January 25, 2023

That was one hell of a choke from the Heat. #BBL12
— Alex Fair (@AJFair85) January 25, 2023

AAP’s Scott Bailey declared it the “Greatest choke in the history of the BBL”, before backtracking and giving it No. 2.

“On reflection, greatest regular-season choke. Got a bit excited there and forgot the 2018-19 final.”

The Hurricanes win was set up by the only half-century of the day, a patient and ultimately important run-a-ball 56 from Mac Wright in his first game of the season.

The next best Hurricanes scorer was Caleb Jewell with 17.

Originally published as Hobart Hurricanes pull off unthinkable BBL upset amid all-time ‘choke’