Hurricanes experience of taxing road schedule will help prospect of three games in five games in different states

Hobart travelled nearly 6500km for its first four matches of BBL|09. Another tough road section awaits in January, but coach Adam Griffith has no issues.

Matthew Wade bats during the first Big Bash match on the Gold Coast in 2018. The Hurricanes return to the Gold Coast for BBL|10. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

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HAVING navigated arguably the most gruelling road trip to start last year’s Big Bash, three games in five days in Perth and Hobart via Geelong for BBL|10 is no concern for Hurricanes coach Adam Griffith.

The Hurricanes kickstarted last year’s competition in Alice Springs after selling a home match to the Northern Territory, flew to Melbourne before driving two hours to Moe two days later and then returned home for the Christmas Eve clash.

Qais Ahmand celebrates the wicket of Moises Henriques during the Big Bash League match between the Hobart Hurricanes and the Sydney Sixers at Traeger Park on December 20, 2019 in Alice Springs, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

This summer — if the schedule is not altered amid ongoing COVID-19 concerns — Hobart will play the Scorchers in Perth on January 6, head to GMHBA Stadium for the first time to clash with the Melbourne Renegades two days later before hosting the Adelaide Strikers at Blundstone Arena on January 10.

It appears a daunting prospect on paper but Griffith is confident the experience of last year will have his players equipped to handle the challenge.

“We have had experience with that now and Perth is a bit different venue to Alice Springs,” Griffith said.

“Geelong, even though it is a regional game, it is a lot different to going out to Moe.

“By coming back through Melbourne [from Perth], we have to do that to get home anyway.

“To play a game on the way is no issues, the biggest thing is we haven’t played at Geelong so we don’t really know the ground or the wicket or anything like that.

Haris Rauf ran riot in Moe last year as the Melbourne Stars defeated the Hurricanes. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

“There are no issues from our end on that space.

“I don’t think that will be the finished product, I think there will be plenty of change firstly international and then down to domestic schedules, but if that’s how it pans out, then we are very happy.”

The Hurricanes, who played the first ever Big Bash match on the Gold Coast in 2018, will return to Metricon Stadium on January 15.

The side will also return to the marquee New Year’s Eve slot against the Strikers for the first time in six years — a move Griffith said was a “no-brainer” given the team’s form at Adelaide Oval in recent seasons.

“There have been some exciting games, whether that is because of tight finishes and lots of runs and things like that.

New Year's celebrations after the finish of a BBL game at Adelaide Oval. The Hurricanes will return to the marquee timeslot this year. Picture Sarah Reed

“It is a no-brainer I would have thought in the fact the Hurricane and Strikers normally play pretty good games there.

“I have no doubt [that played a part].

“And the one that wasn’t exciting was when we got them none down, but that was still pretty cool to watch I would have thought from a spectator perspective.”

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