It was Adelaide who won the toss and opted to bat, opening with the pair of Alex Carey and Weatherald. Carey was bowled by Jofra Archer for 8, but Weatherald, who was already scoring freely, was joined at the crease by Travis Head and, together, the pair put on 140 for the second wicket.
Captain Head has been the mainstay of the Strikers’ batting this year, but for once he has happy to play second fiddle to his younger partner, who was hitting the Hobart bowlers to all parts of the ground. His 115 came off just 70 balls, and included 8 sixes and 9 fours. He was out in the 19th over, but there was still time for Adelaide to score another 21 runs off the last 10 balls, as they racked up 202 – 2. Head was undefeated on 44, whilst Colin Ingram made a rapid 14.
The Hurricanes’ reply got off to a bad start when Tim Paine was out to Head in the second over for just 8. D’Arcy Short and George Bailey then combined for a second wicket partnership of 81, but despite both playing well, Hobart began to drop below the asking rate.
At that stage veteran pace bowler Peter Siddle made a decisive contribution. The former Australian test player got Bailey to hole out on the boundary for 46, and then had Ben McDermott lbw, although replays showed that the ball was clearly heading down leg side. Then, in his final over, Siddle claimed the big wicket of Short, this year’s top scorer in the BBL, caught behind for 68. Siddle finished with 3 -18 from his 4 overs.
Matthew Wade was run out without facing a ball, and although Daniel Christian (29) and Simon Milenko (9) remained undefeated, the result was beyond doubt by then, as the Hobart innings closed on 177 -5. Adelaide could celebrate their first title, and Weatherald his man of the match award.
In the women’s final played earlier, the Sydney Sixers won their second successive BBL title, thrashing the Perth Scorchers by nine wickets.