Mitch Owen has produced an innings for the ages to give the Hobart Hurricanes their maiden Big Bash title with a resounding win over the Sydney Thunder.
The in-form opener's century levelled the all-time record as the Tasmanian-based outfit got their hands on the silverware for the first time in the 14 editions of the tournament.
Chasing 183 for victory, the Hurricanes got it done with plenty of time to spare after Owen smashed the opposing bowling attack to all parts of the ground.
The visitors got off to an absolute flyer, scoring 97 runs in the first 10 overs without loss as Jason Sangha and David Warner piled on the pressure.
Jason Sangha raises his bat after scoring fifty in the BBL final. Â Getty
But once the skipper departed for 48, the momentum started to swing towards the Hurricanes, with Matt Gilkes out for a golden duck in a timely double blow.
Sam Billings (20) steadied the ship alongside Sangha (67), who brought up a half-century in just his third appearance of the season for the Thunder, but both men were gone by the end of the 16th over as Nathan Ellis produced a tremendous spell.
Some late cameos from Ollie Davies (26) and Chris Green (16) got the underdogs up to a defendable total of 7-182 from their allotted overs.
Nathan Ellis took three wickets for the Hurricanes. Â Getty
With the game truly in the balance at the innings break, Warner's men likely had plenty of confidence – but that was all dashed in a matter of moments by one man.
What transpired next was one of the greatest individual performances in the league's history as Owen smashed a record-setting fifty off just 16 deliveries.
Caleb Jewell was the first wicket to fall for only 13 but the Hurricanes were already on 109 at the time from less than eight overs.
Owen went on with the job and dispatched every member of the Thunder bowling attack, reaching triple figures off just 39 balls on his home ground.
His performance levels that of Craig Simmons, who scored a ton for the Scorchers in 2014 off the same amount of balls.
Mitch Owen celebrates his century against the Thunder. Getty
Owen also reached his half-century quicker than any player in a BBL final off 16 balls.
"This is as good as hitting as you will ever see from anyone at any time in the history of cricket," Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket.
"They have had no answer tonight. Everything the Thunder has tried, he has been able to whack it out of the ground. I can't remember a better innings under the circumstances.
Owen finally departed for 108 off 42 deliveries, including an astonishing 11 sixes – but the damage had already been done at Bellerive Oval.
Matthew Wade and Ben McDermott did the rest of the work as the Hurricanes cruised home to win by seven wickets with 5.5 overs to spare.
