HUR vs THU Dream11 Prediction, Match 3: BBL Fantasy Team, Pitch Report & Winner (2025)
Table of Contents
Introduction
We are back at Bellerive Oval for Match 3 of the Big Bash League, and honestly, this feels personal. You’ve got the defending champions, Hobart Hurricanes, who absolutely destroyed the Sydney Thunder in last year’s final. Now Thunder is back for revenge, but let’s be real—revenge is easier said than done in Hobart.
For fantasy, this ground is tricky. People see “Hobart” and think “run-fest,” but the wind and the cold can make the ball hoop around early. If you stack your team with just top-order sloggers, you might be crying by the 4th over. I’ve been looking at the matchups, and there are some serious traps here. Let’s cut the fluff and build a team that actually wins.
Match Details
4.1 Match Info
| Match | HUR vs THU (Match 3) |
| League | Big Bash League 2025-26 |
| Date | December 16, 2025 (Tomorrow) |
| Time | 7:15 PM Local |
| Venue | Bellerive Oval, Hobart |
| Broadcaster | Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar |
4.2 Pitch Report
| Feature | The Real Deal |
| Surface | Balanced (But leans batting late) |
| Pace vs Spin | Pacers love the new ball here |
| Avg Score | 160-170 is par |
| Boundaries | Short square, long straight |
| Toss | Bowl first. Always. |
My Pitch Read:
Bellerive isn’t the road everyone thinks it is. It starts tacky. The ball nips around in that cold air. But once the new ball shine goes? It’s a highway. Short square boundaries mean even mishits fly for six. If you win the toss, bowl first, survive the swing, and chase it down.
4.3 Weather Update
| Stat | Forecast |
| Temp | 21°C (Chilly evening) |
| Rain | 10% Chance (Should be fine) |
| Wind | 12 mph (Factor this in!) |
| Dew | Unlikely to be massive |
Weather Note:
It’s Hobart. It’s going to be cold and windy. That wind is a nightmare for high catches. Expect a few dropped dollies tonight.
4.4 Recent Form
| Team | Form (Last 5) | My Take |
| Hurricanes | W, W, W, W, L | They are the champs for a reason. Winning machine. |
| Thunder | L, L, W, L, W | Inconsistent. They rely too much on individual brilliance. |
4.5 Head-to-Head (H2H)
| Stat | Numbers |
| Matches | 23 |
| Hobart Won | 14 |
| Thunder Won | 8 |
| Star Man | Matthew Wade (HUR) |
History Lesson:
Hobart absolutely owns this rivalry recently. They’ve won 4 of the last 5. Thunder seems to get stage fright whenever they see purple jerseys.
4.6 Ground Stats
| Stat | Record |
| Bat 1st Wins | 48 |
| Chasing Wins | 46 |
| Avg Score | 160+ |
Venue Vibe:
It’s pretty even stats-wise, but momentum is huge here. If you lose wickets in the powerplay, you don’t recover.
4.7 Chasing Records
- Win % Chasing: Roughly 48%
- Dew Effect: Minimal usually, but cold air helps swing.
- Verdict: I still prefer chasing. Knowing the target helps on this ground size.
4.8 Team News
- Hurricanes: They are stacked. Wade, McDermott, Ellis—the gang is all here. No massive injury scares reported yet.
- Thunder: Warner is OUT injured. That is a massive blow. Chris Green leads the side. They need Sam Billings to carry the batting.
5. Probable Playing XI
Hobart Hurricanes:
Matthew Wade (wk), Ben McDermott, Tim David, Nikhil Chaudhary, Mitchell Owen, Chris Jordan, Nathan Ellis (c), Riley Meredith, Rishad Hossain, Tim Ward, Billy Stanlake.
Sydney Thunder:
Sam Konstas, Cameron Bancroft, Sam Billings (wk), Oliver Davies, Daniel Sams, Chris Green (c), Nathan McAndrew, Tanveer Sangha, Reece Topley, Blake Nikitaras, Ryan Hadley.
6. HUR vs THU Dream11 Prediction Section
6.1 Small League (Safe Plays)
- Daniel Sams: If you don’t pick him, just uninstall the app. He bowls death, he bats 6. Point machine.
- Ben McDermott: Loves Bellerive. Loves hitting sixes. Safe keeper pick.
- Nathan Ellis: Death bowling specialist. Guaranteed wickets at the end.
6.2 Grand League (The Gambles)
- Sam Konstas: Young, aggressive, and highly talented. If he comes off, he breaks the slate.
- Tim David: He’s hit or miss. If he gets 20 balls, he scores 50. If he gets 5 balls, he scores 2. Risk it.
- Riley Meredith: Fast and furious. Can take 3 wickets or go for 50 runs. Proper GL pick.
6.3 Player Categories
- Bankers: Sams, Ellis, McDermott.
- Punts: Konstas, Chaudhary.
- Budget: Nikhil Chaudhary.
7. Key Player Analysis
- Daniel Sams (THU): The fantasy MVP. Even if he fails with the bat, he gets garbage-time wickets.
- Matthew Wade (HUR): Old warhorse. He knows this ground better than his own backyard.
- Nathan Ellis (HUR): His slower balls are unplayable here. Expect him to clean up the tail.
- Chris Green (THU): Spin usually struggles here, but he’s smart. Could be a decent differential.
8. Match Prediction – Who Wins?
Look, without David Warner, the Thunder batting looks thin. Hobart is playing at home, they have the psychological edge, and their bowling attack is tailor-made for these conditions.
Win Probability: Hobart (65%) | Thunder (35%)
Prediction: Hobart Hurricanes win comfortably.
9. HUR vs THU Dream11 Prediction Final Fantasy Team
Here is a balanced team based on the screenshots and logic.
| Role | Player | Team |
| WK | Ben McDermott (VC) | HUR |
| Bat | Tim David | HUR |
| Bat | Sam Konstas | THU |
| Bat | Oliver Davies | THU |
| All | Daniel Sams (C) | THU |
| All | Chris Green | THU |
| All | Nikhil Chaudhary | HUR |
| Bow | Nathan Ellis | HUR |
| Bow | Riley Meredith | HUR |
| Bow | Nathan McAndrew | THU |
| Bow | Chris Jordan | HUR |
Note: Check the toss! If Hobart bowls first, Ellis is a great VC option.
Follow Live Match Score & U[dates on Cricbuzz
10. FAQs
1-Who wins today?
Hobart Hurricanes. Home advantage + Thunder missing Warner = Easy win.
2-Best Captain?
Daniel Sams. He does everything. Safest pick by a mile.
3-Pitch report?
Balanced. Good for batting later, but Pacers get early help.
4-Is Warner playing?
No, he is ruled out injured.
5-Any rain?
Cloudy but rain shouldn’t stop play.
6-Best Bowler pick?
Nathan Ellis. Death over specialist.
Conclusion
Bottom line? The Hobart Hurricanes are just too strong at home. The Thunder losing Warner is like a car losing its engine—they might roll down the hill, but they aren’t winning the race. Unless Daniel Sams plays the innings of his life, I see the Hurricanes taking this one easy. Good luck with your teams, and let’s hope the rain stays away!
Disclaimer
Look, I’m not a time traveler. This team is based on stats, form, and my gut feeling. Cricket is a funny game—one bad over or a dropped catch can flip everything. This is for fun. Don’t go betting your rent money on a T20 match. I provide the logic; you take the risk. Play smart, play responsibly, and don’t come crying to me if Riley Meredith bowls four wides in a row!
