Last Updated on 2 minutes ago by Charbel Coorey

Melbourne Renegades will be looking to build on their first up win against defending champions Hobart Hurricanes in the 8th match of BBL 2025/26.

Led by Tim Seifert’s terrific hundred and Oliver Peake’s impactful half-century, the Renegades struck a massive 212/5 against the Brisbane on this ground on Monday. The Hurricanes attack will provide more of a test, however, with the likes of Nathan Ellis able to keep the batters guessing.

For the Hurricanes, they are aiming to bounce back after a disappointing loss to Melbourne Stars at the MCG a few nights ago. They couldn’t find their rhythm with the bat and struggled for penetration with the ball as Marcus Stoinis and Campbell Kellaway led the Stars to an easy win.

Last season, the Renegades rolled the Hurricanes for 74 on this ground. But, the Geelong surface looked much better for batting in the first match this season, so there should be runs on offer.

BBL 2025/26 8th Match: REN vs HUR Possible Playing XIs

Adam Zampa and Sam Elliott have replaced Harry Dixon and Caleb Jewell in the Renegades squad. Zampa should replace Matthew Spoors in the XI.

Melbourne Renegades: 1. Josh Brown, 2. Tim Seifert (OS), 3. Muhammad Rizwan (wk, OS), 4. Jake Fraser-McGurk, 5. Oliver Peake, 6. Hassan Khan (OS), 7. Will Sutherland (c), 8. Fergus O’Neill, 9. Gurinder Sandhu, 10. Adam Zampa, 11. Jason Behrendhorff

Hobart Hurricanes have confirmed an unchanged squad from their match against the Stars. It will be interesting to see whether they persist with Rehan Ahmed at three.

Hobart Hurricanes: 1. Mitch Owen, 2. Nikhil Chaudhary, 3. Rehan Ahmed (OS), 4. Ben McDermott, 5. Tim David, 6. Matthew Wade (wk), 7. Chris Jordan (OS), 8. Nathan Ellis (c), 9. Rishad Hossain (OS), 10. Riley Meredith, 11. Billy Stanlake

GMHBA Stadium Geelong Pitch Report and Weather

The Geelong pitch was excellent for batting in the Renegades-Heat match last Monday. The Renegades hit 212/5 and Brisbane Heat responded with 198/8. Expect another good batting surface today.

Rain is forecast in Geelong, but most of it is expected to fall in the morning and early afternoon. According to AccuWeather’s hourly forecast, conditions should be cool and cloudy with just a 2% chance of precipitation from 7pm onwards.

Fantasy Cricket Tips for REN vs HUR 2025/26: Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Top wicket-keeper picks:

• Tim Seifert smashed 102 off 56 balls on this ground on Monday. Seifert has scored 1,585 runs at an average of 33.7 and strike rate of 148.1 in all T20s this year.
• Ben McDermott has made an excellent start to the BBL 2025/26 season, hitting 107 runs at an average of 53.50 and strike rate of 140.78. He also loves playing against the Renegades, with 599 runs at an average of 66.56 and strike rate of 152.81.

Key batter picks:

• Tim David averages 41.75 with a strike rate of 170.41 in 10 matches against the Renegades (167 runs). Hurricanes could look to bat him at four to maximise his impact.

Top all-rounder picks:

• Mitch Owen has belted 493 BBL runs at an average of 37.9 and strike rate of 203.7 since the start of 2024.
• Will Sutherland picked up 112 Dream11 points in the opening match. His all-round ability makes him a key player. Against the Hurricanes, Sutherland has 84 runs (avg. 28, SR 127.27) and five wickets in eight innings (avg. 39, econ. 8.48).
• Chris Jordan missed out against the Melbourne Stars, but he still offers value in fantasy cricket as he contributes in all three facets of the game. Jordan will be looking to improve on his seven wickets in eight matches against the Renegades (econ. 9.41).

Key bowler picks:

• Jason Behrendhorff has taken 28 wickets in 17 innings against the Hurricanes at an economy of 6.93. He has good matchups against Ben McDermott (2/30 off 30 balls), Tim David (2/18 off 11 balls) and Matthew Wade (2/43 off 39 balls).
• Nathan Ellis has 12 wickets in 11 innings against the Renegades. He has dismissed Josh Brown once in four balls without conceding a run.
• Adam Zampa has 15 wickets in as many matches against the Hurricanes in his career.

Other Players to Consider for your Fantasy Cricket Teams

• Jake Fraser-McGurk can go big on his day but he remains unreliable. Also, he has scored just 62 runs in eight matches against the Hurricanes at an average of 7.75.
• Riley Meredith is yet to take a wicket this season but has an excellent record against the Renegades (21 wickets in 13 innings, avg. 19.71). He also has an excellent record against Josh Brown (see below).
• Rishad Hossain looked in good touch in the last game (2/33). Whether he can find some spin in Geelong is the key question.
• It’s a big game for Muhammad Rizwan. He is averaging 49.8 in all T20s this year. Can he deliver?
• Nikhil Chaudhary has opened the batting this season and offers fantasy value as a result.
• Oliver Peake played a magnificent innings in the last match (57 off 29 balls). He’s been in fine form at stages this domestic season.

Other Stats and Important Matchups

• Head-to-head: Matches 21, Renegades 9, Hurricanes 12.
• Jake Fraser-McGurk has scored 132 runs at an average of 26.4 and strike rate of 194.1 against legspin in T20s since the start of 2024. His matchups against Rishad Hossain and Rehan Ahmed could make for interesting viewing.
• Riley Meredith vs Josh Brown in T20s: 24 balls, 16 runs, two wickets.
• Will Sutherland vs Tim David in T20s: 17 balls, 22 runs, one wicket.
• Adam Zampa vs Ben McDermott in T20s: 41 balls, 51 runs, no wickets.
• Nathan Ellis vs Jake Fraser-McGurk in T20s: 10 balls, 10 runs, one wicket.

BBL 2025/26 8th Match: REN vs HUR Dream11 Prediction Today

Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article, as well as your own instincts, to create your teams. 

Option 1:

Option 2: