Hobart Hurricanes have confirmed captain Nathan Ellis will miss Wednesday’s Big Bash League Knockout final against Melbourne Stars after picking up an injury in the defeat to Brisbane Heat. The club did not reveal what the problem is but said his availability for any further finals “will be determined over the coming days”.
A loss to the Stars would end Hobart’s season, yet a win – or even a wash-out, with showers on the radar – would carry them into Friday’s Challenger final against either Perth Scorchers or Sydney Sixers.
Ellis has been central to the Hurricanes’ campaign, topping their wicket chart with 14 at 21.28 while conceding 9.03 runs an over. He operates during the powerplay, the power surge and at the death – three high-pressure phases where his slower balls and yorkers routinely disrupt batters. With Ellis out, Ben McDermott takes over the captaincy.
Missing their skipper is not Hobart’s only headache. Leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed has departed for England’s series in Sri Lanka, and Tim David has not played since a hamstring strain on Boxing Day. Depth will be tested.
Australia’s selectors have already opted to rest Ellis and Glenn Maxwell from next month’s three-match T20I tour of Pakistan that doubles as World Cup preparation. Chair of selectors George Bailey was asked whether injury had influenced that decision.
“No, I hope not,” he said. “They’ve got a busy, well, one of them is going to have a busy few days with hopefully two or three games in four or five days. So a busy back end to the tournament.”
Bailey added that workload management, rather than alarm, underpinned the move. “I think like nearly every tournament that we head to, particularly when it’s a really busy time of the year as this one is, it’s very much working with individuals around making sure that they get the … best preparation they can to make sure that when they do join that World Cup squad, they’re ready to perform.”
For the Hurricanes, the immediate task is clear: find a way past a Stars outfit buoyed by last-week’s win over Adelaide and do it without their most reliable strike bowler.
