It’s the grand finale at the Big Bash League 2013-14 with the Perth Scorchers looking to become third time lucky as they take on the first-timers Hobart Hurricanes and you can follow the live scores below from 7.40 pm AEDT.
As The Roar’s Brett McKay suggests here, it’s not a final that too many expected.
True, the Scorchers have made it two finals before this and in terms of consistency over the short life of the Big Bash League, it’s the best record in the business, but a look down their squad at the start of the competition, wouldn’t have made them title-favourites in anyone’s books.
The Hurricanes lacked the big batting names as well and for most part of the league stage it looked like they would be going home with a bottom-half finish.
That they are here after being placed third and fourth in the competition speaks as much about the format of the competition as it does about how well they have fought from adverse situations.
The Scorchers, on at least two occasions in their first eight games, looked all but out of the game.
One of them came against the Hurricanes itself and it took a display of steel from their bowlers to pull them through to a close win. In the other game, the Scorchers pushed the Steven Smith-led Sixers into a Super Over and then won it from that point on.
In the semi-finals, they were a couple of minutes away from being eliminated.
They seemed to have done well to pile on 193 in their 20 overs thanks to some mind-boggling hitting from Craig Simmons but it seemed like rain would have the final say. A no-result would have suited the Sixers just fine and taken them to the final.
It stopped spitting in the nick of time to have a five-overs-a-side contest that saw the Scorchers defend 54, thanks to Jason Behrendorff and Pat Cummins sharing four wickets for 11 runs in the two overs between them.
The Hurricanes ended with seven points from their eight league games and still made it to the semi-finals.
To put this in perspective, in the first edition of the Big Bash League, every team played seven games – one less than what they did the next two seasons – and still, the team finishing fourth had eight points.
The second BBL season saw three teams tied for the fourth spot with eight points with two of them missing out on the semi-finals.
This time around, the Hurricanes have gone through with seven points alone, making some believe they were lucky to be there. Especially after their first game in the competition was rained off after a stupendous start for the Adelaide Strikers, earning them that extra point.
Luck or no luck, the Hurricanes played like a side that belonged to the finals stage when they took on the pre-tournament favourites and the team in exquisite form, the Melbourne Stars.
The bowling showed a lot of discipline after they had sprung in a surprise by playing Cameron Boyce ahead of Xavier Doherty and the chase, led by Tim Paine never allowed the Stars back into the game.
Where they should – and still could – leave us with is a potentially brilliant final.
However, the absences of two of Hurricanes’ key personnel, Shoaib Malik and Ben Laughlin, will be huge blows to their chances.
Laughlin has been one of the best bowlers of the tournament, but a quad injury will end his tally this season with 14 wickets at 17.07.
Malik has been recalled to his country for internationals and that means they will be one short in the all-rounder’s category – Malik’s slow off-spin was one of the reasons why the Stars failed to get moving in the first semi-final.
As opposed to that, the Scorchers could welcome back Shaun Marsh, who seems to have regained some of his fitness following an injury to the calf. It’s still not clear whether he will get fit enough to make it to the playing 11.
Join us for the Scorchers v Hurricanes final in the Big Bash League 2013-14 on Friday and you can follow the live score of this game from 7.40 pm AEDT and post your comments below.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Woo hoo! Great stuff from the Scorchers, bringing some silverware to the West after a bit of a drought!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
So that's that now, end of another tournament, the Big Bash League. The action, as far as Australian cricket is concerned, will now move to the Sheffield Shield and as far as the live coverage is concerned, we will back with the Tests against South Africa. Been a pleasure bringing this to you, hope to see you around for the South Africa series which promises to be a thriller too. Ciao!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
And the players from Scorchers get their medallions before lifting the BBL trophy!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Bailey: We started off a little sneakily but were lucky to get to the final. Well done to Perth for their win. The stint with Australia with the Ashes and the ODIs has been fantastic and it's also good be here in the final taking forward the momentum. Katich says he does not know what the future holds, in terms of cricket.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Ben Dunk has won the player of the tournament award. Both names, Wells and Dunk, were already revealed before the finals.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
There's another award, the BBL Young Gun of the Tournament, and it's for Jon Wells.
Simoc
Guest
Great result. The best team won
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
So it's presentation time and Brad Hogg has won the man-of-the-match award. He looked to have disappeared some place before looking quite surprised at the prize. Hogg admits Simmons deserves it more than him. Difficult choice between the two I would say.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Justin Langer, in an earlier interview, had said that they had played the final in the semi-final last year and were looking at a Champions League t20 berth alone. This time, they were looking at winning the title and they have done just that. A moment to savour for the packed stadium too, given that both the previous finals were played here and they saw them lose it!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
As convincing a win as you can have in the final, they have won by 39 runs to capture their first title in three attempts. 192 was always going to be a difficult chase in a pressure final and once they lost Ben Dunk early, it was going to get very difficult for George Bailey, alone.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
That is that, Coulter-Nile has finished off the competition with the last over of the tournament, and the Scorchers have won the BBL!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
End of Mascarenhas, goes out swinging. Bit of a chip in to the covers and easily caught. 7/144 in 19
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
They keep swinging, they keep mistiming but cannot expect a lot out of the lower-order at this stage I guess. Going through the motions. 49 needed from 8.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Thomas takes up the attack for the 19th. A single from the first ball. Not even all fours can win this for them now. 51 needed from 11.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Both Hilfy and Mascarenhas have been trying to swing it hard but the timing has gone awry. Of course, it's not easy collaring Coulter-Nile here. 7 in his over. 52 needed from 12.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Coulter-Nile comes in for the 18th
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Whoa, easy catch dropped! Jason B has come in from deep cover and it looked like he had taken it, but at the 11th hour, it pops out. Despite that six, the just 11 from the over and that's not enough. 59 from 18 needed.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Whoa, one-handed six! Dimi M, as I was saying earlier, is powerful man, and can hit them... ...a slower one and he seems to have mistimed it, but still goes over the long-off fielder for a max. 6/130 in 16.3
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Excellent over from Thomas, just three off it. And a wicket. 70 needed from 24.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
And chipped straight to the cover fielder, which should bring Dimi M to bat out. Slower one from Thomas and Evan Gulbis wanted to smack it over the off side. Mistimed. Easy catch. The title's that much closer. 72 needed from 28.