The Perth Scorchers have reasserted themselves as the Big Bash League’s premier franchise, completing a spectacular season as nomads by claiming the BBL11 title with a thumping 79-run victory over the depleted Sydney Sixers in the tournament final.
Reduced to 4-24 in the early overs, the Scorchers seemed in deep trouble as Sixers spin twins Steve O’Keefe and Nathan Lyon ran amok – but a brilliant partnership between English import Laurie Evans and captain Ashton Turner rescued the innings, before their rivals’ makeshift batting line-up was suffocated by the Scorchers’ miserly bowling attack.
Player of the match Evans’ 76 was almost to the number the difference between the two sides, the Sixers able to muster only 92 with the bat as their championship defence, ignited by their stunning last-ball win over the Adelaide Strikers in Wednesday night’s Challenger final, gave way with a whimper.
The men in magenta were left to rue an onset of injuries, COVID concerns and international call-ups that decimated their squad, as well as the controversial unavailability of Steve Smith despite their best efforts to bring the Test star into the fold.
Having conceded 189 in a humbling loss to the Scorchers in the BBL qualifier, the Sixers’ move to send the favourites in again after winning the toss could only be classed as the boldest of moves.
But it was one which quickly paid dividends, BBL11 revelation Kurtis Patterson out in just the second over for 1 as an early show of intent against Jackson Bird resulted in a top-edge and the simplest of catches for wicketkeeper Jay Lenton.
Lenton, an assistant coach at the Sixers before Josh Philippe’s COVID case demanded his presence once again after playing a key role against the Strikers, would continue to contribute, a lightning stumping doing for opposite gloveman Josh Inglis.
Having combined for a 120-run opening stand and 143 runs between them in the Qualifier, not even a shocking dropped sitter from the usually safe hands of Sean Abbott could halt the Sixers’ momentum, 2-14 soon becoming 4-25 in a staggering collapse.
Mitchell Marsh, the hero in the last T20 final he played, unwisely took on the long straight boundary at Marvel Stadium off Lyon’s first ball of the night, while New Zealander Colin Munro’s reverse-sweep off the last ball of the over hearkened back to Mike Gatting’s infamous – and equally unsuccessful – shot that led to England’s downfall in the 1987 World Cup final.
“They’re having a nightmare, the Scorchers,” Waugh said.
“They’re crumbling. They’re giving wickets away… they just look in too much of a hurry and thinking they need to make 200.
“They don’t have to, they’re going to be nowhere near that if they keep playing in this manner.”
With the Scorchers reeling at 4-25, the depleted Sixers seemed on the verge of their fourth, and finest, BBL triumph. Content enough with their array of bowlers to sub Bird out of the game for X-factor Justin Avendano, the two-time reigning champions could not have asked for a better start.
But the Scorchers, with three previous titles of their own, aren’t top dogs for no reason.
Stepping up to steady the ship were middle-order duo Evans and Turner, neither of whom so much as faced a ball in the Qualifier. In a show of the Scorchers’ enviable depth in this COVID-affected season, a sparkling 104-run stand, kick-started by the former clouting 19 off the usually miserly O’Keefe’s third over, would steer the favourites from the brink of disaster.
Bringing up his 50 from only 25 balls, appropriately with a six, Evans eensured at least one Englishman will be leaving Australian shores at summer’s end with a match-turning performance under their belt.
His third six, an extraordinary lofted stroke over cover and into the stands, was the shot of the night… though legendary blaster Adam Gilchrist had even higher praise.
“That is shot of the tournament… exquisite,” Gilchrist gushed on Fox Cricket.
“Look at this!”
Not to be outdone, captain Turner’s own half-century would take him just seven extra balls, the milestone reached in identical fashion.
While the Australian would fall to end the stand, O’Keefe exacting some revenge for the early punishment, Evans wasn’t done with yet.
Finishing with a superb 76 off just 41 balls, aided at the death by a sprightly cameo from Ashton Agar, he’d shepherded the Scorchers to 6-171: not just competitive, but against the Sixers’ decimated batting stocks, all but decisive already.
Similar heroics to his stunning 98 against the Strikers were required from makeshift opening sensation Hayden Kerr; but when the all-rounder sliced Jason Behrendorff straight to short third man for just 2, the Sixers’ chances took a further hit.
A limping Daniel Hughes, earlier having shown the injury suffered by falling over a boundary rope warming up for the Qualifier with a tough dropped chance, hardly inspired confidence; nor did another COVID ring-in in Nick Bertus.
When the latter fell to Turner – his first wicket for the tournament adding to his batting heroics – the required run rate was already reaching dangerous territory.
Remarkably, the Sixers reached the halfway mark of their run chase all but apace with the Scorchers’, confirming the magnitude of Evans and Turner’s rescue act. Still needing 109 from the final 10 overs, a spectacular catch on the boundary from Patterson off a brutal pull shot from potential firestarter Dan Christian – at the cost of a damaged hand that required immediate attention – Hughes appeared their last faint hope.
“You’d be a brave man to write us off at any stage,” the injured Silk deadpanned in an interview with Fox Cricket; but it was getting harder and harder to agree.
With the pressure mounting, the end would come quickly for the Sixers as the season’s travails took their toll. The last six wickets would fall for only 21 runs, Hughes’ run out for a fighting 42 summing up their spluttering finals run.
Cleaning up the tail was Jhye Richardson, recalled on finals eve after a frustrating summer with the Australian Test team; and AJ Tye, who induced a bottom edge from Ben Dwarshuis to prevent a repeat of his destructive 28-ball 66 in the Qualifier. When Richardson trapped O’Keefe in front, it was time to celebrate.
After a season thrown into chaos by COVID, and marred by controversy throughout, it was a fitting finish. The Sixers, gutsy till the end, made it a step further than they had any right to; but the Scorchers, the clear premier side from the outset despite spending virtually the tournament’s entirety on the road, were simply too good.
Perth Scorchers 6/171 (20 ov; Evans 76*, Turner 54, Lyon 2/24) defeated Sydney Sixers 92 (16.2 ov; Hughes 42, Tye 3/15, Richardson 2/20) by 79 runs at Marvel Stadium.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Haven't moved on yet? I didn't read what you said. It had become childish, petulant with a shade of extinction rebellion. Nothing you say will change that. Your politics are ill-informed, created in an ideology- before-reality paradigm and, therefore, of interest only to fellow loops. Although Australia only has a minority of loops, your type need no more oxygen.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
You've been really naive believing that politics hasn't, isn't and won't continue to dominate sport, especially after losing hosting right for a Test match! Naive or deliberately evasive. Either way, you could have used that dismissive tone in your original reply instead of 'If you want to speak politics, make sure you know something about it.' That seemed like an invitation to a political fact based debate. I provided the fact, which you can verify at your leisure, you provided the insults. As I said I was moving on, primarily as you had nothing to inform me on either of your topics, you feel the need apparently to have the non substantive last word. How silly is that?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Obviously not. This is a sport site. You've been really very silly.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
I read the article and congratulated the Scorchers, job well done! I read your comments, they made me laugh. Thanks for that. I’ve moved on!
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
It's actually what this article is about. It might be worth reading the article and the comments.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Excellent reparte! Will do! Hope you Waussies still remember that the Scorchers won, to fete them when they are allowed back in next year! Like that?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Try your hand at cricket comment. The stuff you're doing belongs on an Alan Jones site.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
One more, mate, you seem to need the last word, but don't have anything coherent to add!
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
You advertise your limitations each post. It's amusing.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Nice deflection. Wanted to lecture me on politics, started out sarcastic in your original post, couldn’t find a coherent rebuttal, devolved into tried and true cancel culture character assassination! Interesting how political apologists always deflect from fact. I don’t see dictators everywhere only political narcissists where their actions prove it! Andrews in Victoria with closed kids play equipment but open brothels, McGowan with his mandated ‘must wear a mask when entering WA airspace’ and his latest visionary decision, chaperone security for unvaxxed in drive thru bottle shops! Trudeau in Canada with his statement that the current truck convoy protest is a ‘small minority with unacceptable beliefs’ If those are unelected bureaucrats scientific ideas for control of covid and the elected government doesn’t laugh them out of the briefing room with a strong veto, then you have to wonder about the intelligence of politicians and their apologists! Those being actual facts tell you who’s in control and the preparedness for lunacy if that ‘advice’ is accepted and enacted! But hey, I ‘just don’t know…..stuff’!
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
On this issue, he is advised. He is a representative of the people and of its bureaucracies. Perhaps you're not Australian and have just stumbled across an Ausdie site. You seem to misunderstand democracy and think every leader must be a dictator. In short, you just don't know stuff. It's comical when those without simple understandings pretend to be socio-political commentators. Learn how it all works.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Nice politics, mate, so the Premier and elected government doesn’t actually make decisions, he’s just the poor elected schmuck ‘forced’ to voice the decisions of the unelected bureaucrats? Shocking development! So same for Andrews in Victoria? He’s has had the unenviable task of having to front the public and tell the people who vote, that he has had no control over covid responses, it was all police command, Sutton, Weimar…..all the unelected bureaucrats? Again, shocking, here I was thinking it was elected officials. So you’re saying all that political rubbish thrown at Morrison by McGowan, Andrews, Palasczuk was unwarranted gamesmanship and they should have been directing at the Federal bureaucracy? I stand corrected, I obviously DON’T know anything about politics! It must be gutwrenching for McGowan then to have to front up and dispense this unenviable news when he wants FIFO’s, back packers, itinerant workers to fill positions in mining, construction, agriculture, hospitality as those four industries sink into the abyss due to labour shortages. You’d think there’d be some statute he could call on to wrest control away from the bureaucracy to ensure the economy gets back to the level where his boast that Australia needs WA more than the reverse can be more than empty rhetoric! Here I was thinking Beazley was the ineffectual figurehead and it has been McGowan all along!
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
The reason I mention it is because The Sixers have been bleating "Poor me" and they weren't close to missing who other teams missed. The only reason they finished second was because they played so many sides when they were depleted. Regarding our Premier, the decisions were made by the vaccine commander , our Police Commissioner, Chris Dawson, the medical advice from the Health Department who advised cabinet. Mark McGowan is the representative who then speaks those decisions and leads the courses of action. If you want to speak politics, make sure you know something about it. By the way, none of us have problems with doing it hard apart from Josh Inglis (but he's a pom) and he quickly retracted. Just pointing out we did. Same as Scorchers WBBL (top), WA Shield (top), WA Marsh Cup (top), Wildcats (top), Freo Docker AFLW (top).
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Every team went thru all of those things, except not playing at home for the whole tournament, which was due to the WA Premier saying the rest of Australia needs him more than the people of WA need Australia. This win should show the narcissist that the rest of the country is getting on with life, coping with covid as it happens and that the Scorchers NEEDED the rest of Australia to add a 2021-22 title to their cabinet. Congratulations to Marsh and his squad clearly the better team all season. All hail sport!
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
The Scorchers were constantly hit by stars mixing drinks for the Tedt side, 7 or 8 players missing games with covid, Mills called home, injuries to Evans, Munro, Dorff and one of their squad members away captaining Oz U19 to the semis in the Windies. All that on the road for the series. No other team had it harder.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Ponting was silly. Agar is a brilliant runner between wickets. Evans slipped taking his first run and would not have made the second if they threw to the keeper's end. Also, Agar is a bigger hitter than Evans so there was no need to manipulate Evans on to strike. Agar was brilliant. His bowling destroyed all Sydney momentum. He is a genius with the ball in T20, struck at 150 all tournament and is constantly brilliant in the field. To only criticize Agar for a "lazy mistake" that was not a mistake, he missed valid commentary throughout that last over.
CubRoar
Roar Rookie
Well done Scorchers. Hats off to Turner for the batting and captaincy. It seems that he and Agar laid a trap for Henriques which he dutifully walked into. Great effort all tournament from this team. Speaking of Agar, Ponting copped him some flak over that missed second run. On reflection, I wonder if it was on purpose. One ball left in the over, Agar could hit a six, four or a two (all better than a single), or even a zero, giving Evans the strike next over. Of course, getting out instead was less than ideal. I do like Ponting's honesty though. He's not afraid to call it as he sees it, no matter who the player is. The same cannot be said for most cricket commentators, quite the opposite. Sure, Sixers were depleted here, but less so in the earlier final where Scorchers also flogged them, even including Dwarshius' too-late-to-matter slogfest. And Scorchers beat them in both matches of the main tournament, where one match was missing some key players in both sides (Scorchers 3, Sixers 2) and the other where only Scorchers were (3). Hardie and Kelly couldn't even get a game in the finals. Imagine if WA boys Philippe, Stoinis and Cartwright were playing for the Scorchers. Maybe Sixers need to rethink how they're spending their salary cap. We know how much they spent on Steve Smith ($0) but what about their internationals Vince, Jordan and Curran who seemed to have disappeared as quickly as they arrived?
Marty
Roar Rookie
Kudos once again to the scorchers international recruitment team. A lot more hits than misses over the journey and this year is no exception.
Peter
Roar Rookie
I thought it was on Tonight.
Laurie
Roar Rookie
Instant karma for the Sixers after Silk's last ball retired hurt against Adelaide