Knockout: Hobart Hurricanes beat Melbourne Stars by three runs (DLS method)<\/a><\/p>\n Challenger: Sydney Sixers v Hobart Hurricanes<\/a>, SCG (Friday, January 23, 7.15pm AEDT)<\/p>\n
The Sydney Sixers haven’t hosted the Hobart Hurricanes in a full match at the SCG since December 2022<\/p>\n
Perth Scorchers v Sydney Sixers | BBL|15<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The sides’ previous clash this summer was the only match of 40 in the regular season to have been abandoned because of inclement weather.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The Knockout: Hobart Hurricanes v Melbourne Stars | BBL|15<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
It would be easy to surmise that the Sixers would have a significant home-ground advantage, but pitch conditions loom as another unknown quantity.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
BBL’s best take on Big Bash Pyramid Challenge<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
“It was quite a good wicket last game, but some of the games were not quite so good.”<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Starc gets Marsh in his first over to win the battle of Mitches<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“Here at the SCG, they’ve shown throughout the tournament and the years that spin’s important,” Edwards said.<\/p>\n
“How we tackle Hossain is going to be really important.”<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Beau blasts big hits in shortened game<\/p>\n
Edwards said it was a bit surprising Davies was not selected alongside him for the official BBL team of the tournament.<\/p>\n
“The thing that stands out is his composure. For such a young guy, he doesn’t seem flustered at all,” Edwards said.<\/p>\n
BBL|15 finals schedule<\/p>\n
Qualifier: Perth Scorchers beat Sydney Sixers by 48 runs<\/a><\/p>\n Knockout: Hobart Hurricanes beat Melbourne Stars by three runs (DLS method)<\/a><\/p>\n Challenger: Sydney Sixers v Hobart Hurricanes<\/a>, SCG (Friday, January 23, 7.15pm AEDT)<\/p>\n
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