Ashton Turner has produced a memorable captain’s knock as the Perth Scorchers overcame a devastating burst from Sean Abbott to book their spot in the BBL grand final with a seven-wicket triumph over the Sydney Sixers.
In reply to the Sixers’ modest 8-151 in ‘The Qualifier’ on Saturday, the Scorchers were in all sorts of trouble at 3-22 after four overs.
Abbott had figures of 3-8 at that point after removing Stephen Eskinazi (four), Aaron Hardie (nine) and Josh Inglis (0) cheaply.
But a mature partnership between Turner (84no off 47 balls) and Cameron Bancroft (53no off 45 balls) turned the match the Scorchers’ way, with the home side reaching the victory target with nine balls to spare in front of 41,126 fans.
The result means the Scorchers will host the grand final next Saturday, while the Sixers have been thrust into ‘The Challenger’ against the winner of the Renegades-Heat clash.
Turner was the key figure in Saturday’s match, cracking nine fours and one six to light up the stadium.
Earlier, Steve Smith failed to make the most of a golden reprieve but Moises Henriques was able to cash in as the Sixers recovered from a shaky start to reach a respectable total.
Scorchers allrounder Aaron Hardie dropped a simple chance at mid-off when Smith was on just 12.
The former Test captain entered the match having blasted scores of 36, 101, 125no and 66 in his past four innings, and Hardie would have been fearful his dropped catch would cost the Scorchers dearly.
But English paceman David Payne, who was almost ruled out due to illness, sent Smith packing for 18 with a spectacular diving catch off his own bowling.
Under normal circumstances, Payne would have been mobbed by his Scorchers teammates due to the significance of the wicket and the dazzling nature of the catch.
But with Payne battling sickness and quarantined from the rest of the group before the match, the congratulations were restricted to an elbow-to-elbow touch.
Another Scorchers blunder in the field did come back to haunt them.
This time AJ Tye was the culprit, with the cult hero dropping a simple chance at backward point when Henriques was on 18.
Henriques went on to make 58 off 43 balls, combining well with Jordan Silk (47no off 34 balls) to help the Sixers recover from a shaky start and reach a respectable total.
Payne finished with figures of 3-33 from his four overs, including the key scalps of Smith and Henriques.
Jason Behrendorff finished with 2-17 from his four overs in a standout display.
Hardie’s afternoon started out in fantastic fashion, with the leaping 24-year-old pulling off a spectacular one-handed effort above his head to dismiss Kurtis Patterson for six.
The dazzling catch helped Behrendorff produce figures of 2-5 from his first two overs as the Sixers limped to 2-15.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Cartwright is the best of them all. Labuschagne's throw is a bit weak.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I've tried to find that out...dunno. Murray Vernon!! Ussie Khawaja might have used him as his batting template; a very elegant leftie.
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
Jordan Silk about the only non-Scorcher to match him. Labuschagne is also excellent.
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
Any relative of Murray Vernon?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Interesting, again, in the Australian U19 game against the Poms, only one West Aussie in the side (6 from NSW). The Poms were on top until the only West Aussie, Josh Vernon, was the 6th bowler used by the NSW captain (even after his own left hand spin). Vernon promptly took 4 Pom wickets to get the Aussies back in the game.
13th Man
Roar Rookie
I worry we may never see the best of Pucovski sadly. Fingers crossed I’m wrong.
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
Don't get me started on Warner! Leave aside his double in Melbourne he's been woeful on all forms of cricket for a while now. And it's his timing that's clearly gone, which is always a worry for an older player. It doesn't come back. And with Renshaw available there's a perfect replacement. And I think Will Pucovski is starting to play again, so fingers crossed he can get into a good place and start scoring runs. He's a logical replacement for Khawaja in a couple of years.
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
Yeah, that's true about not really having a viable option for w/k. When he's in form he's wonderful to watch, but he's been very ordinary this season. Last season was great from memory, and as you said he was in good touch for WA as well. Maybe Smith leaving and a final will spur him into action this week?
13th Man
Roar Rookie
That's exactly my point, 18 months ago yep he definitely deserved to be dropped but going back making runs in the domestic competition is the way to get back into the Australian side, or at least it should be. Contrast this to someone like Warner who gets an armchair ride into every Aussie side and on the rare occasion he does return to domestic cricket he barely makes a run. I don't see why Turner shouldn't be looked at again, in the same way Renshaw has been looked at again in test cricket? On the back of good performances for their state/BBL franchise.
13th Man
Roar Rookie
Not sure who their alternative keeper is really? It’s easy to forget he was brilliant for WA in the absence of Inglis last year but he seems to have had a poor season. No reason to put a line through him at all but perhaps if the Sixers had another wk they could give him a stint just with the bat, or drop him down the order a bit just to change things up?
13th Man
Roar Rookie
Not yet but will soon. Have had a bit to do with some of the young kids down at Freo too, some great kids coming through. Had 3 including the captain representing WA in the state 17s.
13th Man
Roar Rookie
NSW did
13th Man
Roar Rookie
Correct, Sixers comfortably. Bbl getting a bit predictable, 2 teams far far away from the rest.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Ah. You just mentioned Premier cricket the other day and I hadn't seen his name. Midland Guildford is finally returning to its former glory.
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
He is only 15,Don... 300 runs more than anyone else in the 2nds. Did get picked in the Aus under 17s.
matth
Roar Guru
He’s having a heck of a season
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Bancroft is also worth 20 runs for what he saves in the field and worth some wickets with his catching.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Not in Premier grade though...not yet.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I don't think the venue makes any difference. You'd struggle to find an IPL team to match it with The Scorchers, especially if we can pick Richardson, Agar, Marsh and Green.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
It's what you're arguing. Of course it's wrong. That's what we've been telling you.