The Sydney Sixers will have to do it the hard way to become BBL champions after a calamitous early batting collapse put them on the back foot against the Hurricanes.
The Sydney Sixers will have to do it the hard way to become BBL champions after a calamitous early batting collapse put them on the back foot against the Hurricanes.
The Hobart Hurricanes are one win from a maiden Big Bash League title after a blistering Riley Meredith spell helped them pip the Sydney Sixers by 12 runs for a place in the decider.
Chasing 7-173, the Sixers needed 21 off the last six balls but Chris Jordan conceded just eight as the visitors ended 5-161 at a sold-out Ninja Stadium on Tuesday night.
Hobart will host Monday’s final, while the Sixers remain alive and will play the winner of the Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Stars for the other spot.
Jordan Silk gave the Sixers some hope with 57 from 44 balls after coming to the crease with his side in massive trouble at 3-5 in the third over.
Meredith produced a top-class opening spell in which he topped 152km/h to leave the Sixers reeling.
He got rid of Josh Philippe for a duck with his fourth delivery before Ben McDermott pulled off a screamer at slip to send skipper Moises Henriques (one) packing.
Silk combined with Kurtis Patterson (48 from 33) and then rookie Lachlan Shaw (33 not out) to give his side a chance.
However, Silk fell in the second last over off the bowling of Nathan Ellis to a smart catch from Jordan in the deep.
Dangerous hitter Ben Dwarshuis whacked a six from his second ball to give the Sixers some hope heading into the final over.
Hobart have never won the title but made finals in 2013/14 and 2017/18.
Sydney missed the experience of Steve Smith, Todd Murphy and Sean Abbott, who left Australian shores for the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka.
Earlier, the in-form Mitch Owen (36 from 15) got the Hurricanes off to a flyer before Tim David (25 from 10) came to the party late.
The Hurricanes threatened to post a mammoth total after a 0-43 start after three overs, but found the going tough through the middle.
Sydney all-rounder Jack Edwards produced another fielding highlight with a stunning diving catch at point to get rid of Matthew Wade off the bowling of Mitchell Perry.
Owen, who has relished a move to the top of the order this season, came out swinging with four boundaries off his first eight balls after Hobart lost the toss.
But when he holed out to English wrist spinner Jafer Chohan (2-28) in the fifth over, Hobart stalled.
Caleb Jewell (40 from 41) and McDermott (42 from 31) struggled to get moving before the latter came to life in the power surge.
AAP
- The Hurricanes will play in Monday’s Big Bash final. The match will be in Hobart for the first time.
- The Sixers have a three-day break until their next match on Friday at the SCG. The loser of that is eliminated.
- Who will they play? The winner of the Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Stars, who face each other on Wednesday evening at Sydney Olympic Park. The loser of that is eliminated.
- There is a chance the Hurricanes will play the Sixers again. There could also be another Sydney derby on Friday in Sydney, which would draw a big crowd.
- Or could the Stars progress to a final? That would be a great yarn given, like the Hurricanes, they have never won a BBL title.
The Qualifier: Hobart Hurricanes 7-173 def Sydney Sixers 5-161 by 12 runs on Tuesday, January 21 at Ninja Stadium.
The Knockout: Sydney Thunder v Melbourne Stars, Wednesday, January 22, 7:30pm AEDT, ENGIE Stadium.
The Challenger: Sydney Sixers v winner of The Knockout, Friday, January 24, 7:15pm AEDT, Sydney Cricket Ground.
The Final: Hobart Hurricanes v winner of The Challenger, Monday, January 27, 7:15pm AEDT, Ninja Stadium.
Note: A reserve day of Tuesday, January 28, 7:15pm AEDT is available for The Final.
Ben Dwarshuis up against Chris Jordan in the final over in Hobart. Here we go.
Ball one: play and a miss. Dot.
Ball two: two runs down the ground. Good running. 19 off four required.
Ball three: a single to mid-off. 18 off three.
Ball four: a yorker fired into leg stump. One leg bye. The crowd go wild.
Ball five: Dwarshuis plays and a misses outside the off stump. 17 needed off the final ball.
Ball six: four runs. It doesn’t matter.
Hurricanes too good. They are into their first BBL final since 2017-18. It’ll be in Hobart on Monday night.
Great scenes in Hobart.
Jordan Silk is caught for a well-made 57. Time for some big bombs from Ben Dwarshuis.
There’s one into the leg side. Lachlan Shaw has a MASSIVE swing and a miss from the final ball of the penultimate over. 21 required. Never say never.
Sixers 5-153 with an over to go.
Jordan Silk brings up his half century from 39 balls. No acknowledgment of the crowd. Knows he has (lots of) work to do.
Sixers need 33 from the last two overs. Just haven’t cleared the rope enough tonight. Always going to be difficult when your side is 3-5.
Shaw is 33 from 23 and Silk is 55 from 42.
Just 13 runs in a two-over block (14th and 15th). Hurricanes hitting their lengths beautifully.
Going to be a hard ask now for the Sixers. Shaw (21 off 17) and Silk (46 off 36) doing their best but just not scoring quickly enough for the situation.
Silk squeezes a boundary into the off side with the field up. Shaw likes attacking straight down the ground. Nathan Ellis producing some clever changes of pace.
Sixers 4-119 off 16 overs.
After figures of 2-9 from two overs in his opening spell, Riley Meredith is still bowling in the mid-140s. Getting revved up by the local crowd.
The Sixers aren’t out of it yet but need things to go their may and find the boundary at least twice an over.
Lachlan Shaw produces a couple of nice aerial shots down the ground for a two and then a four. The Sixers will want more of it.
A decent partnership of 75 comes to an end. A massive wicket there for the Hurricanes as Kurtis Patterson holes out on the deep on the leg side to Gannon.
Could have hit that anywhere but picked out the man. Silk is still there on 29 and looms as a key figure with Lachlan Shaw at the crease in just his sixth professional T20 match.
Sixers 4-80 from 11.1 overs, require 94 from 8.5 overs.
Nothing silly from Kurtis Patterson but he is keeping the scoreboard ticking along nicely. A handy six into the leg side gets his strike rate close to 140.
He and Silk are pretty similar players and will go about their business in cautious but crafty fashion here. These two have now put on 62 in 46 balls.
Silk tries to blast a cover drive and the bat comes completely out of his hand. Don’t see that often. A little funny.
Crowd tonight is 13,132. A little down on projections. Time for a debate on whether Hobart should host a final if they win tonight? Would easily get 30,000 at a different venue in Australia.
Sixers 3-67, require 107 from 60 balls (Patterson 36 from 27 balls, Silk 28 from 23 balls)
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