Hobart Hurricanes vs Brisbane Heat Prediction & Match Preview – BBL 35th Match
Match summary
Our preview of Hobart Hurricanes vs Brisbane Heat in the BBL at Bellerive Oval: form, key players, pitch, weather and expected scores for the match.
Match details
| Match | Hobart Hurricanes vs Brisbane Heat, 35th Match |
|---|---|
| Series | Big Bash League 2025-26 |
| Date | 14 Jan 2026 |
| Start time | 8:15 am GMT / 7:15 pm local |
| Venue | Bellerive Oval, Hobart |
| Status | Played |
| Our pick | Hobart Hurricanes |
| Toss pick | Brisbane Heat |
Matches in this series
Match preview
Hobart Hurricanes started the defence of their title with a loss to the Stars but have been strong since, even without Tim David, who is out for the season with a hamstring injury. A washout against the Sixers at the SCG gave them a point that sealed a place in the finals and a five-point cushion over teams outside the top four.
Nikhil Chaudhary leads their run chart with 263 in eight matches at a strike rate of 158, while Mitch Owen opens with him. Ben McDermott has 211 and Tim Ward 176. Riley Meredith and Nathan Ellis have taken 18 wickets together, Chris Jordan is the death-overs specialist and Rishad Hossain has 11 wickets at 7.63.
Brisbane Heat have not won back-to-back games, but Usman Khawaja’s return after retiring from Tests helped, and he made 78 off 48 balls last time. Matt Renshaw has 287 runs in eight games, Max Bryant 188 and Jack Wildermuth 215. Xavier Bartlett leads the bowlers with 10 wickets, and Wildermuth and Thomas Balkin share 15, though the rest of the attack has been inconsistent.
Bellerive Oval often offers a balanced contest. The new ball can swing in cool Tasmanian conditions, so shot selection matters early, then the pitch flattens and set batters can score more freely. Spin plays a modest role with limited turn, making accuracy and variations more valuable.
At 7:15 pm local time it should be cool at roughly 15–16 °C and mostly cloudy. Some rain may fall earlier in the day, but the match is expected to stay mostly dry, with a light to moderate southeasterly breeze.
Expected scores
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 150–165 | – |
| Second innings | 140–160 | – |
Hobart Hurricanes
The defending champions have already booked a finals place and enjoy home advantage, while Brisbane must win both remaining games to stay alive.
Toss pick: Brisbane Heat
FAQ
Where is Hobart Hurricanes vs Brisbane Heat being played?
The 35th match of BBL 2025-26 is at Bellerive Oval in Hobart on 14 January 2026.
Who is favoured to win?
Our preview picks Hobart Hurricanes, who have already secured a finals berth.
What does Brisbane need to do to reach the finals?
Their net run rate is weak, so they must win both remaining games, including this one in Hobart.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
Hobart Hurricanes
- Mitchell Owen
- Tim Ward
- Beau Webster
- Ben McDermottc
- Nikhil Chaudhary
- Matthew Wadewk
- Rehan Ahmed
- Chris Jordan
- Rishad Hossain
- Riley Meredith
- Billy Stanlake
Brisbane Heat
- Usman Khawajac
- Jack Wildermuth
- Nathan McSweeney
- Matt Renshaw
- Max Bryant
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Jimmy Peirsonwk
- Xavier Bartlett
- Matthew Kuhnemann
- Thomas Balkin
- Zaman Khan