By Kane Imeson
The BBL|14 finals are upon us.
It was a frantic final few days of the home-and-away season, as five teams were a mathematic chance for the last top four spot.
After winning BBL|13, the Brisbane Heat lost both of their final matches to the Hobart Hurricanes and Melbourne Renegades, which saw them miss the finals altogether.
The Renegades, who seemed unlikely to sneak into fourth position, did just that, after Jake Fraser-McGurk silenced his critics, scoring 95 runs off 46 balls to help chase down the Heat’s total of 4/196.
However, the Renegades only lasted a few hours in fourth position, after the Perth Scorchers chased down the Adelaide Strikers’ 161 in 16.2 overs.
It came down to the final game of the home-and-away season, the Melbourne Stars taking on the Hurricanes.
After another brilliant performance by Glenn Maxwell with the bat (76 off 32), supported by Beau Webster (51 off 31) helped the Stars to a total of 5/219, a strong performance with the ball, lead by Mark Steketee (4/24 off 3.3 overs) took the Stars to a 40 run victory and a spot in the finals.
The Qualifier
Hobart Hurricanes v Sydney Sixers
Both the Hurricanes and Sixers had strong seasons in BBL|14 and deservedly took the top two spots on the table.
The Hurricanes, after a dismal performance in their opening game of the season against the Renegades, went on to win seven games in a row (plus a wash out), cementing a place in the finals early in the season.
As one of only two clubs that have not won a Big Bash title, the Hurricanes will be looking to take their winning form into the finals and go all the way.
The Sixers won six games for the season, with a wash out in their final game costing them a chance to host a home Qualifier final.
After finishing runners-up in BBL|13, the Sixers will be hoping to go one better in BBL|14.
The Knockout
Sydney Thunder v Melbourne Stars
Lead by David Warner, the Sydney Thunder won four out of their first five games. However, their final five games saw them win finish the second half of the season with one game, two losses and two wash-outs.
The Thunder will be striving to get back to their early season form coming into the finals.
The Melbourne Stars season looked dead and buried after starting the season 0-5. However, a stunning resurgence, largely lead by Glenn Maxwell, saw the Stars win their next five games to become undefeated in 2025 and secure a spot in the BBL|14 finals.
Along with the Hurricanes, the Stars have never won a Big Bash title. With momentum on their side, they will be looking to continue their winning streak and finally win that maiden title.
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