Hobart Hurricanes captain Nathan Ellis brushed off a scary moment during his team’s dominant win over the Sydney Thunder in the BBL on Friday night.

The match had its tense moments, especially when Ellis dived to stop a boundary in the 15th over and crashed head-first into an advertising board. The incident immediately raised concerns as commentators and fans feared for his safety.

Channel 7’s Alister Nicholson voiced his worry, saying, “I worry that his head may have hit the fence here,” while Ricky Ponting added, “This doesn’t look good at all. The physio got there as quickly as possible, sprinting around the boundary.” Fellow commentator Brad Hodge noted how sharp the LED signs can be, comparing them to tiny serrated edges.

Thankfully, after being checked by medical staff, Ellis returned to the field shortly afterward and resumed bowling. Post-match, Ellis explained what happened: “It was overthrows, so I thought I had to try and stop it. I was motoring in, but my right foot slipped just as I went for it. I hit the corner of the LEDs pretty hard, but I’m OK and feel great. Huge thanks to the doctor for running through all the protocols.”

The Hurricanes chased down Sydney’s 6-164 at Ninja Stadium with ease, wrapping things up with 19 balls to spare. Tim David was the standout performer, smashing an unbeaten 68 off 38 balls. Promoted to bat at No.5 due to Ben McDermott’s hamstring issue, David went into overdrive during the two-over power surge, hammering 26 runs off just six balls. He sealed Hobart’s six-wicket win in style with a massive six—his sixth of the match.

David’s performance mirrored his heroics in their previous game against Adelaide, where he scored an unbeaten 62 off 28 balls. Reflecting on his recent form, David said, “It feels great to score runs, stay not out, and help win games. Being able to contribute when the team needs me is really satisfying.”

Hobart has now won five games in a row, positioning themselves as strong contenders for the BBL title with three matches left before the finals. Despite having never won the BBL trophy and missing the finals in the last two seasons, they’re making a solid case this year.

The Sydney Thunder slipped from first to third on the ladder after this defeat. David Warner was their top scorer with an unbeaten 88 off 66 balls. Though his innings started slow—with no boundaries until the fifth over—he picked up momentum later, especially in a final over against Ellis that went for 17 runs. Sam Billings chipped in with 28 off 15 balls, but young star Sam Konstas struggled, scoring just four runs before being dismissed by Riley Meredith.

The Hurricanes began their chase aggressively, with openers Mitchell Owen and Matthew Wade both scoring 13 quick runs apiece. Wade even sent one of George Garton’s deliveries out of the stadium. While Hobart lost three wickets along the way, David and Chris Jordan (18 not out off 13 balls) ensured they got over the line comfortably.

The Hurricanes are hitting peak form at just the right time and look poised to make a deep run in this year’s tournament.