Mitchell Owen Hits Century In BBL Final
Such has been the performance by Mitchell Owen of the Hobart Hurricanes that he has already become cricketing history at the Big Bash League (BBL) 2024-2025 final against Sydney Thunder. Chasing a very competitive total of 183 runs, Owen has not only turned the tide of the match but has rewritten history by achieving a hundred in the first 39 balls of the match itself, equaling the record of the quickest century held by Craig Simmons established in Season 3 of the BBL. By the time the ball was bowled for the 42nd time, Owen had made 108 runs with 11 sixes and 6 fours of his innings with strike rate of 257
The match at the packed Blundstone Arena, Hobart, was in for an incredible ending. With the score set by Sydney Thunder, the expectation was that this was going to be a close final. But from the very first ball, Owen’s approach indicated something entirely different. His intention was perfectly clear, his footwork aggressive, and his selection of shots a textbook piece in T20 batting.
The First 39 Balls: Owen got on the scoresheet from the very first ball, signaling his intention right off the bat. He held no mercy against anything that was off a little. He took them on with his feet against spinners and with brutality against fast bowlers. In just 39 balls, in front of the cheering crowd in Hobart, he had reached 100, and in history, this would go as a memorable milestone. He was not clearing the boundaries; he sent the ball where it would land in celebration beyond boundary ropes.
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Beyond the Century: Even after racing into three figures, Owen didn’t stop; over the next three balls, he scored another 8 runs, showing power and also an ability to find gaps and pick shots appropriate to the circumstances. 108 runs off 42 balls on the board of the Hurricanes seem almost definitely set to lead their team toward a win, though the match is still underway.
This innings from Owen was not solely about the scorebook; it expressed the emphasis of the game. His aggressive performances seized the moment to turn the screws very much on the Thunder’s bowlers and fielders, who would have to rethink everything. Owen’s performance acted as a psychological booster for his teammates since he made it much easier for them to chase down those runs.
It was significant because Owen’s achievement puts him in the company of Craig Simmons, whose 39-ball century was a testament to brute force in T20 cricket. Owen’s performance-as a final-renders his achievement with extra pressure and significance, and this innings in BBL is one for ages.
All eyes will be firmly fixed on how Owen’s innings decide the outcome of this game. It is not about the result, really it has conferred veneration on Owen that will be spoken of for years ahead, given how he positively married brute power with precision, how he comfortably batted at pace with surety, which only indicates why he is called one of cricket’s brightest treasures.
From stands to online, he has become a topic of admiration in the cricketing world. His modesties in mentioning Simmons’ record and focusing on the greater good of the team-mind you, even when the play is still on-remains an unmistakable reflection of his personality. The innings have not only rewritten the record books, setting a new threshold for T20 cricket while redefining within league finals and other big games.
