The Sydney Sixers haven’t hosted the Hobart Hurricanes in a full match at the SCG since December 2022
Perth Scorchers v Sydney Sixers | BBL|15
There’s more than one unknown quantity for the Sydney Sixers to consider as they host the Hobart Hurricanes for a spot in the BBL final against Perth.
The sides’ previous clash this summer was the only match of 40 in the regular season to have been abandoned because of inclement weather.
Steve Smith made a positive start before Sydney’s infamous January rain curtailed the Sixers’ rare chance to measure up with the reigning champions at the SCG.
In a fixturing quirk, the Sixers and Hurricanes have not played a full game at the SCG, the venue for Friday night’s Challenger Final, since December 2022.
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By comparison, the Sixers have hosted the other team they could have drawn – the Melbourne Stars – four times since that last full meeting with the Hurricanes.
“We seem to play them down there a lot. It’s been a while since we’ve had them here,” said Sixers allrounder Jack Edwards.
It would be easy to surmise that the Sixers would have a significant home-ground advantage, but pitch conditions loom as another unknown quantity.
Runs flowed in the SCG’s most recent BBL clash between the Sydney Thunder and Sixers, who successfully chased 189 for victory as Smith and rival David Warner each tonned up.
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But first-innings totals of 144 and 159 in the other two full games played at the SCG this summer have left Edwards to wonder what will be in store.
“The unknown here is the wicket, what we’re going to get. It’s up to both teams to try and assess that as well as they can,” he said.
“It was quite a good wicket last game, but some of the games were not quite so good.”
Edwards could see spin playing a defining role, with the match-up between Hurricanes import Rishad Hossain and Sixers allrounder Joel Davies shaping as pivotal.
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Leg-spinner Hossain has taken 13 wickets at 21.53 this summer, counting Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Renshaw and Aaron Hardie among his high-profile victims.
“Here at the SCG, they’ve shown throughout the tournament and the years that spin’s important,” Edwards said.
“How we tackle Hossain is going to be really important.”
Davies has been working closely with Sixers great Steve O’Keefe during a career-best BBL summer that has featured 12 wickets at 12.58.
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Edwards said it was a bit surprising Davies was not selected alongside him for the official BBL team of the tournament.
“The thing that stands out is his composure. For such a young guy, he doesn’t seem flustered at all,” Edwards said.
BBL|15 finals schedule
Qualifier: Perth Scorchers beat Sydney Sixers by 48 runs
Knockout: Hobart Hurricanes beat Melbourne Stars by three runs (DLS method)
Challenger: Sydney Sixers v Hobart Hurricanes, SCG (Friday, January 23, 7.15pm AEDT)
Final: Perth Scorchers v winner of Challenger, Optus Stadium (Sunday, January 25, 7.15pm AEDT)
*A reserve day on Monday, January 26 (7.15pm AEDT) is available for the Final
KFC BBL|15 standings
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Ties
T
No results
N/R
Net Run Rate
NRR
Deductions
Ded.
Total points
PTS
1
Perth Scorchers Men
SCO
10
7
3
0
0
1.363
0
14
2
Sydney Sixers Men
SIX
10
6
3
0
1
0.605
0
13
3
Hobart Hurricanes Men
HUR
10
6
3
0
1
0.331
0
13
4
Melbourne Stars Men
STA
10
6
4
0
0
0.759
0
12
5
Brisbane Heat Men
HEA
10
5
5
0
0
-0.431
0
10
6
Adelaide Strikers Men
STR
10
4
6
0
0
-0.231
0
8
7
Melbourne Renegades Men
REN
10
3
7
0
0
-1.202
0
6
8
Sydney Thunder Men
THU
10
2
8
0
0
-1.212
0
4
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points