Hurricanes: How ‘Punter’s Puzzle’ has helped bring success
Team camaraderie, squad balance and the emergence of ‘diamonds in the rough’ are some of the key factors why Ricky Ponting believes the Hurricanes’ blueprint for success has paid off. We spoke to the Tasmania legend and the team’s head of strategy before Monday’s BBL final.
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Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting knows a thing or two about helping mould together teams capable of forming dynasties.
And the Hurricanes’ head of strategy says the unity in this season’s squad means it “feels like a different team” before Monday’s BBL Final against Sydney Thunder in Hobart.
This masthead discussed some key topics with the Tasmania legend before the Hurricanes shoot for a maiden title on one of the biggest nights in the state’s cricketing history.
TEAM CONNECTION
The camaraderie and ‘connection’ of the current squad is something coach Jeff Vaughan and skipper Nathan Ellis raise constantly.
When Ponting took the head of strategy role in mid-2022, a key objective was to drive continuity in the squad across the Hurricanes and Tasmania programs.
Installing Vaughan as Hurricanes and Tigers coach has started to bear fruit in his third season in charge.
“It (season) probably couldn’t have started any worse (bowled out for 74 in first game against Renegades), but the way they were able to rebound and regroup after that showed good leadership,” Ponting said on Saturday.
“One of the main things I tried to achieve when I took over the role is to try and bring together a really solid core of players who are playing with Tasmania - whether it be at the one day cup, Sheffield Shield or Hurricanes - and try and keep that group together as long as we can.
“You look at the successful teams in the BBL like the Sixers and Scorchers, they’ve had a really strong solid core groups of players with leadership and experience.
“That’s what we’ve tried to achieve, it’s Nathan’s (Ellis) second year as captain, and I think he’s done a terrific job.
“You listen to the players and watch them from the outside, they all seem really happy in the environment now.
“The other conscious thing we’ve tried to do is make it an environment everyone wants to be a part of, to make sure we hang onto our players and make the Hurricanes a destination team people want to play for.
“It’s about trying to bring a core group together, and I thought the best way to do that was to have the same coach across both programs (Hurricanes and Tasmania).
“That’s been successful in other states. Justin Langer did it in WA, and Adam Voges has taken over and done a similar role.
“That familiarity of the same messages and voice was something I wanted to create. It’s been proven around the BBL it would work.”
A well performing team is generally a happy team, and Ponting said that’s evident in how the squad has played this season.
“Listening to Nathan (Ellis) speak the other night, the group is enjoying each other’s company and that’s showing,” Ponting said.
“Even little things you pick up like reactions after a wicket falls, the boys are having a great time.
“I read a quote from Nikhil Chaudhary talking about it’s not a team any more, we’ve turned it into a family. Those things are nice to hear because that’s certainly the objective I had starting out in this role.”
RELYING ON AUSSIE TALENT
The Hurricanes have struck out on a handful of big name imports in previous seasons, but a commitment to rely more on Australian talent has paid off handsomely.
Breakout star Mitch Owen is the poster boy for that strategy, having torn attacks apart after being handed the opening role.
“The big difference from this year to last year is it’s a really good blend of youth and experience,” Ponting said.
“You’ve got Mitch Owen doing what he’s doing at the top. We’ve presented him with an opportunity and he’s been absolutely brilliant so far, and hopefully he’s got another big innings in him on Monday.
“Tim David has probably had his best and most consistent season with the Hurricanes.
“(Bowlers) Riley (Meredith), Nathan alongside our import Chris Jordan, they’ve been outstanding.
“We’ve had good teams for a while now, this team just feels a bit different. Regardless of results, when you watch them play it just looks like a different team.”
OWEN’S RAPID ASCENT
Ponting, who will coach the IPL’s Punjab Kings this year after seven seasons with Delhi Capitals, has no doubt franchises will headhunt Mitch Owen.
The 23-year-old’s big hitting has regularly set up Hobart’s totals, allowing teammates to build into their innings. He is also a great outfielder and has bowled a handful of overs in the latter stages of the tournament when injuries have struck key bowlers.
“I don't think there’s any doubt about that (IPL teams will chase him),” Ponting said.
“Even other comps around the world as well, not just the IPL, there’ll be other competitions looking at him really closely already.
“He’s been not unfortunate with his bowling, but when you have a strong attack like we have the last couple of years, the opportunities don’t present themselves that often.
“That’s where I think in other competitions, if he gets exposure where he can bowl more there, that’s where he’ll improve.
“I talk to Hopesy (Hurricanes assistant coach and former Australia all-rounder James Hopes) about him a lot, and he speaks really highly about his bowling.
“If you look at the cold, hard facts he probably hasn’t been dynamite with his output with the ball, but if you talk to Hopesy it’s all there.
“He just needs to play a bit more, and get a bit more confident with what he wants to do in a game.”
WHY LOCAL TALENT CAN WIN COMPETITIONS
Ponting is a firm believer finding some domestic ‘diamonds in the rough’, like Chaudhary after he dominated the Brisbane league, can separate the best teams from the rest.
“That’s another big thing for me. Even the guys we’ve signed from interstate like Chaudhary, it’s about trying to identify the best local talent,” he said.
“At the end of the day, it’s going to be that which wins you the BBL. I’ve always looked at the overseas players that if you’ve got three in each team, they pretty much cancel each other out with their performances.
“But you’ve still got eight others, and if you can get the best eight other domestic talents in your team, that’s where you can win most of your games and win competitions.
“All those things have fallen into place really nicely this year, and we’ll continue to try to do that.
“The goal was to bring a core group together, keep bringing on domestic players and growing Tasmanian talent.
“Hopefully this isn’t a flash in the pan season for the Hurricanes, we have to make sure we sustain excellence across the next ten years ideally.
“That’s certainly what myself, Salliann (Beams, Tasmania high performance manager) and Vaughany (Jeff Vaughan) will be trying to achieve.
“If everything goes to plan on Monday, that can only be a great thing for Tasmanian cricket.”
WHY ELLIS WAS NAMED SKIPPER
Nathan Ellis wears his heart on his sleeve, and the bowler’s high character was a major factor in his appointment.
The 30-year-old was handed the captaincy before last season, replacing Matthew Wade, and Ponting has enjoyed watching his leadership blossom.
“His development’s been really good,” Ponting said.
“It’s always hard to talk about captains tactically, because you’re never really sure what the message has been to the bowlers and if something has gone slightly wrong.
“I think his captaincy’s been great, and I say that because of the fun and enjoyment the players seem to be having.
“Even the way Nathan presents when he talks, the first thing he said (after the semi win over the Sixers) was it’s a great night for Tasmanian cricket. He just took it away from himself, and not just the Hurricanes.
“He just a really well-rounded guy who understands the bigger picture, and has the respect of his teammates with how he’s played his cricket.
“The main reason we appointed him captain was for that, and we had a few options. We could have kept going with Wadey or Tim David, who has played cricket around the world. But the standout for us was Nathan, because of the character he brings to that role.
“That’s come through, and got better and better. I asked him the other night after the (Sixers) game that he hasn’t captained a lot of games, and that would have been just about as nervous as he’s been on a cricket field.
“He’s juggling his captaincy with his bowling at the death, he’s handled it extremely well.”
* Get Monday’s edition of The Mercury for Ponting’s key factors the Hurricanes must tick off to win the BBL final, and what the game means for Tasmanian cricket.
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