Weatherald ton seals maiden BBL title for Strikers

Jake Weatherald plundered 115 runs off 70 balls as the Adelaide Strikers beat the Hobart Hurricanes by 25 runs to win their first-ever Big Bash League Twenty20 title in Adelaide on Sunday.

What a moment it was for the @StrikersBBL! Watch how the players and fans celebrated a maiden BBL title pic.twitter.com/5sL8XFElY0

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) February 5, 2018

Weatherald's century – the first in a BBL final – came from 58 balls and he slammed eight sixes and nine fours as the Strikers reached 202 for two to set Hobart a daunting run chase.

Travis Head added 44 from 29 while a quick-fire cameo from Colin Ingram pushed Adelaide beyond 200.

The Hurricanes were 177 for five off their 20 overs with D'Arcy Short top-scoring with 68 off 44 balls and George Bailey chipping in with 46 from 33 balls.

Veteran paceman Peter Siddle's three wickets and a containing performance from spinner Liam O'Connor (0-27 off four overs) tightened the screws on the power-hitting Hurricanes lineup to secure victory.

.@petersiddle403 was one of the heroes of the #BBLFinal ... and he had a special message for his mate @ChrisGoulding43 pic.twitter.com/Im6IqFXzqu

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) February 4, 2018

"I obviously dream of this, but never imagined this," Weatherald said.

"It was cool to get a century in front of my parents and play in front of such a crowd. Luckily it came off today.

Humble self-analysis from Jake Weatherald, whose amazing innings inspired the #BBLFinal-winning @StrikersBBL ?? pic.twitter.com/hxx5qlmsr7

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) February 4, 2018

"You just get that luck. A couple just cleared the boundary line, that's cricket."

Weatherald didn't pass 20 in his first seven innings in the glitzy T20 tournament, which yielded a total of 87 runs before something clicked.

He came into the final this season with three fifties in his past four innings.

Weatherald again delivered a clutch performance when it mattered most, having made 66 and 96 in his first domestic Sheffield Shield final in 2016. He also made 60 in last season's Shield final.