'Canes out to strike tricky balance in long wait for WBBL final

Hobart coach Jude Coleman says maintaining momentum will be the Hurricanes' biggest challenge ahead of the Saturday's Weber WBBL|11, as she manages an unusually long break between matches.

The Hurricanes finished top of the table and advanced directly to their first WBBL final, which they will host at Ninja Stadium.

On one hand, it will give one of the league's older lists ample time to freshen up for the decider, but on the other, they will have played just half of a single game in the 12 days leading into the game.

Hobart's last completed game was against the Stars on December 1, while their batters were denied time in the middle when their December 5 match against the Strikers was called off at the innings break, after a freak incident where a ball inadvertently rolled into the Karen Rolton Oval pitch.

The Hurricanes had already cemented top spot, so the abandoned game had no impact on their ladder position – however it did scupper some of Coleman's pre-final planning.

"We went in (to that game) with our same team, mainly because of the time between when we played last ... (it's) a long time for our batters or bowlers to not play if we rested them on Friday night.

"We decided to go in with the same team to give everyone a good chance to prep and have some time out in the middle."

Each year, the unique format of the WBBL playoffs raises the question of whether a full week off leading into the final is an advantage, or a momentum-disrupter.

Since it was introduced in 2021, the top-ranked side has won on three out of four occasions, with the Sixers in 2022 the only team to be defeated after finishing in pole position.

The Hurricanes ended the regular season with a 7-2-1 record, having dropped two games in the middle of their campaign before bouncing back with consecutive wins ahead of the abandoned match.

 "We're really confident with the line-up that we've got, all our players are in really good form," Coleman said.

"Now it's just managing the week off and keeping that form.

"We'll be looking to do everything we can to make sure we're ready and raring to go on Saturday night."

However, with one of the more experienced rosters in WBBL|11 – the average age of the Hurricanes' first-choice XI this season is 30.45, whereas their finals rivals hover between 27-28 – Coleman believes the week off will offer more pros than cons.

Players have been given a handful of days off since the game in Adelaide last Friday, with some banking valuable down time with family and others going off-grid, before the squad reconvenes on Wednesday.

"Probably with our list, it's an advantage to have a rest," Coleman said.

"We've got a very experienced squad, so they know what they need to prepare for games like this, but it also means they need time to rest their bodies, so I think it's an advantage for us.

"The girls are in a good place, so we'll give him a couple of days rest, and then hit the training park on Wednesday."

The Hurricanes will meet either the Sydney Sixers, Perth Scorchers or Melbourne Stars in the final.

The Stars travelled to Perth on Monday, and the winner of their Knockout final on Tuesday will then fly to Sydney to play the Sixers on Thursday.

"All three teams will be very tough," Coleman said.

"They've got match winners, but I'm really confident that our team can handle whoever is put up against us."

WBBL|11 finals schedule

The Knockout: Perth Scorchers v Melbourne Stars, WACA Ground (Tuesday, December 9, 7.45pm AEDT)

The Challenger: Sydney Sixers v winner of The Knockout, North Sydney Oval (Thursday, December 11, 7.15pm AEDT)

The Final: Hobart Hurricanes v winner of The Challenger, Ninja Stadium (Saturday, December 13, 7.15pm AEDT)