BBL: How Tassie’s young Buck stole cricket’s centre stage

A year ago Mitch Owen was a club cricketer. Now, he’s a Hurricanes hero after his incredible knock guided them to a BBL title. Go inside his rapid rise from bit part player to devastating opener.

Hurricanes hero Mitch Owen played most of his T20 cricket last summer for Hobart club side New Town Bucks.

It’s a far cry from a capacity home crowd repeatedly chanting his name as he bludgeoned Sydney Thunder’s attack in an incredible match-winning ton in Monday’s final.

He guided Hobart to a maiden T20 title, but the 23-year-old’s 108 off 42 balls can only be described as rock and roll cricket,

However, you’d be hard pressed to find a more understated player off the field than the born and bred Tasmanian.

“I was ten (when the BBL began), I honestly don’t remember missing a game,” Owen said of his boyhood Hurricanes fandom.

“To be in front of that crowd and my friends and family, it was great. I’ve loved every moment of it.”

Owen hadn’t batted higher than no.5 for the Hurricanes before being handed the opening role this year.

According to Cricinfo, nine of his previous ten innings before BBL14 were at no.7 or no.8. But he grabbed his chance with 452 runs, a record 36 sixes and two centuries.

It means IPL teams and big money will come knocking, but you get the sense Owen will let his batting do the talking.

“It won’t change how I go about things to be honest. I’ll try and keep things nice and simple, stay a chilled guy, filter through what comes (contract interest) and we’ll go from there,” Owen said.

The good news for the Hurricanes is they’ve already locked him down for three more seasons. A piece of business which looks more shrewd with each devastating knock.

Mitch Owen of the Hurricanes celebrates his century. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

HOW OWEN WAS SENT TO THE TOP

Hurricanes leaders Nathan Ellis and Ben McDermott both describe the decision to elevate Owen from bit-role player to opener as a “line ball” call.

The brains trust were weighing up whether to continue with Caleb Jewell, or give Owen a chance.

It eventuated both players opened for the finals campaign anyway, but it will go down as one of the biggest strategic calls in BBL history.

“Very much so (it was a line ball decision),” skipper Ellis said.

“He did a lot of opening batting for Tasmania (in 50-over cricket) early in the season and it was very line ball, it was something we spoke about a lot.

“Obviously it’s worked out really well.”

McDermott has witnessed the highs and lows in a long tenure with Hobart, including their final defeat against Adelaide in 2018.

“That’s easily the best (hitting) I’ve ever seen, and to do it in such a big game makes it even more special,” McDermott said.

“I’m so pumped for him, and he’s going to be everywhere the next 12 months. It’s a very exciting time for him.

“I don’t think he’s paying for one (beer) for the next three or four weeks.

“I think it was a line ball call (to make him opener) in the end. At the start of the season we were wondering whether we go with Jewelly or Mitch at the top.

“Obviously he’s come out and done that, Wadey (Matt Wade) shifted down and we ended up with Caleb and Mitch at the top anyway. It’s worked out beautifully.”

Owen revealed he was told he would open on the eve of a season which ended with him equalling Craig Simmons’ fastest-ever BBL century (39 balls).

Mitch Owen hits a six during the BBL Final. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

“Probably one day (before I was told I’d open), to be honest,” Owen said.

“There was a few rumours about it, but probably one day before (the season started) I was actually told.

“It was just a coaching and organisation piece. There was probably a position there, and I feel like I’ve been ready to go.

“My way into the team the last couple of years has been down the order, but there was a position there and I jumped at it.”

Owen hit 11 sixes in his knock, but Ellis singled out his composure after the Hurricanes lost a couple of quick wickets midway through their innings.

“It was pretty special tonight. He obviously comes with a lot of size, a lot of flair and a lot of power,” Ellis said.

“I think he showed an extra level of maturity tonight through the middle (of the innings), and got us to a point where the game was dead.

“It felt like at times he was tired and fatigued and he could have easily just kept slogging and got out, but he showed an extra sign of maturity tonight.

“I’m really pumped for him, but more importantly really pumped for this group.”

Owen’s elevation gave the Hurricanes the balance needed to finally break their drought.

He dominated the four-over power play, leaving fellow big hitter Tim David to finish off the innings.

“I’m not part of that decision making process (to make Owen opener), the kudos goes to the selection panel and the coaches,” David said.

“I guess it’s about identifying that skill set in Mitch. Maybe with myself in the middle order and doing that job, Mitch’s talents were maybe not being realised to the fullest.

“It’s a gamble, he was unheralded definitely at the start of the season, but standing here at the end of this it looks an absolute masterstroke.

“And it was because he’s player of the tournament, and it’s a bright future for him.”

Tim David celebrates the BBL Final win with teammates. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

TEAMMATES URGE OWEN TO STICK WITH RED BALL CRICKET

Big-hitting David has made big money around the world in T20 cricket, but he believes Owen can eventually represent Australia in all formats.

He urged him to continue building his game with Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield.

“Mitch has shown that first of all he’s a force to be reckoned with at this level, but he’s a talent for Australian cricket,” David said.

“He’s playing Shield cricket and I’d encourage him to keep playing, because there’s a bright future there if he keeps improving at the rate he is.

“He’s just won us a BBL title, man of the match in the final. The world’s his oyster at the moment.

“Absolutely (he can play different formats for Australia). If you play like that, he’s only 23 and that’s the sort of age where they’re looking for guys to come through.

“I’m not a selector, but it’s good seeing young guys put their hand up.”

McDermott agreed Owen should remain devoted to red ball cricket, and can speak from experience how it can help arrest a form slump.

Ben McDermott after the match-winning runs were hit. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

“It’s hard to say now, he’s obviously had a really good tournament,” McDermott said.

“I’d like to see him continue with the red ball stuff. I think it sets you up nicely with that base.

“Big Bash is only two months of the year, and you can get stuck into a rut if you have one bad tournament.

“Tassie is always going to be a good place for him to come back and keep working with quality coaches. I’d like to see him keep playing Shield cricket.

“The world’s his oyster. He’s obviously a gun fielder in the outfield for us and he didn’t bowl that much for us this tournament, but he’s an option.

“And his hitting is second to none, it’s some of the best I’ve seen in Big Bash history. That knock was just special.

“There’s so many (T20) tournaments these days, it’s about scheduling for him and where he ends up.”

Fans cheer a Mitch Owen six. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

NEW LOCAL HERO EMERGES

They’ve got some big names in their line up, but Owen was understandably the most popular target for young autograph hunters after the game.

A young fan carrying a Hurricanes flag was overheard by this writer belting out “Mitchell Owen, Mitchell Owen” on his way out the ground with his family.

A local boy leading Hobart to a breakthrough title with arguably the best knock the BBL has seen is a tough script to beat.

“You saw how much the home crowd was behind him,” David said.

“That’s the identity of this cricket team. We’re going to have a lot of guys coming from interstate, but for us our cricket home now is in Hobart.

“We’ve been playing as a group for five or six seasons now, and we’re going to have to add the local guys.

“Riley Meredith opening the bowling and Mitch Owen opening the batting, that’s a pretty good selling point for Tasmanian cricket and the Hobart Hurricanes.”