177/5 (18.4)
CR : 9.48
171/9 (20.0)
CR : 8.55
Sydney Sixers won by 5 wickets 🏆
Player of the Match
Sam Curran
2/3753(27)
L Shaw 17(12)
c J Peirson b X Bartlett
4s/6s
1/1
SR
141.67
Jack Edwards, comes in at No.7!
Jack Edwards
25 yrs
Best47
Innings45
Runs672
SR120.21
Avg16.00
18.4
6
X Bartlett to J Edwards
SIX! Jack Edwards stamps his authority on the game with the winning MAXIMUM! Sydney Sixers secure their place in the playoffs by 5 wickets! Short and on the stumps, Edwards swivels, and hooks it over the fine leg boundary to knock Brisbane Heat out of the Big Bash League!
Over 19
Sydney Sixers 177/5
Jack Edwards6(1)
Sam Curran53(27)
Xavier Bartlett2-32(3.4)
SYS won by 5 wickets
17:07 PM IST, 21:37 PM Local Time: What a way for Sydney Sixers to seal the match as Jack Edwards smashes a six to bring up a five-wicket victory with eight balls to spare. Sam Curran will leave the BBL for International duty but not before playing a match-winning knock for the side in magenta. With this result, the Sixers finish at the second spot meaning they only need one more win in the Play-offs to seal a home Final.
Chasing 172 for victory, Steven Smith got off to a sprightly start but Babar Azam had another quiet outing with Xavier Bartlett getting the better of him at the end of the second over. Josh Philippe got away with a couple of boundaries but it was one shot too many for him as he was caught at short fine-leg off Michael Neser.
Sixers finished the Powerplay at 39/2 and the duo of Smith and Moises Henriques went about building a nice partnership. Just as the stand was nearing the 50-run mark, Henriques holed out to deep mid-wicket off Jack Wildermuth's bowling. Sam Curran came in and started flying immediately boundaries but Smith slowed down at the other end after getting to his fifty off 35 balls. The Power Surge was taken in the 15th over with Bartlett conceding just eight runs. Zaman Khan produced an opportunity off Smith on the first delivery of the 16th over but Nathan McSweeney spilled the chance. It didn't matter much as Zaman went onto castle Smith with a yorker off the very next delivery.
With only 13 runs coming off the Power Surge, the pressure started rising on the Sixers and Michael Neser built on it by giving away only seven runs in the 17th. Sixers need 28 off the last 18 balls when Curran decided to take Matt Kuhnemann and he came off with flying colours to take 17 runs off the over. Then, Lachlan Shaw scored ten runs off the first two deliveries in the penultimate over to level the scores. Shaw did get out after that but Jack Edwards finished off the game with a maximum.
Earlier in the match, Sean Abbott and Mitchell Starc reduced the Heat to 18-3 within the first three overs. The run-scoring continued to be difficult with Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne not able to get a move on. Labuschagne departed for 18 in the 10th over as Joel Davies accounted for his wicket. Thereafter, there was a mini partnership between McSweeney and Max Bryant by when the former started to look increasingly fluent.
But a couple of quick strikes from Sam Curran and Mitchell Starc once again reduced the Heat to 96/6 in the 15th over. Out of nowhere, Michael Neser came out took full advantage of the Power Surge with Heat managing 30 runs from the two overs. Neser smashed a stunning 35 off 14 before he got out in the 18th over. Then, McSweeney got to his fifty off 47 balls before he helped the Heat finish with 171/9 with a 16-run final over.
Chasing 172 for victory, Steven Smith got off to a sprightly start but Babar Azam had another quiet outing with Xavier Bartlett getting the better of him at the end of the second over. Josh Philippe got away with a couple of boundaries but it was one shot too many for him as he was caught at short fine-leg off Michael Neser.
Sixers finished the Powerplay at 39/2 and the duo of Smith and Moises Henriques went about building a nice partnership. Just as the stand was nearing the 50-run mark, Henriques holed out to deep mid-wicket off Jack Wildermuth's bowling. Sam Curran came in and started flying immediately boundaries but Smith slowed down at the other end after getting to his fifty off 35 balls. The Power Surge was taken in the 15th over with Bartlett conceding just eight runs. Zaman Khan produced an opportunity off Smith on the first delivery of the 16th over but Nathan McSweeney spilled the chance. It didn't matter much as Zaman went onto castle Smith with a yorker off the very next delivery.
With only 13 runs coming off the Power Surge, the pressure started rising on the Sixers and Michael Neser built on it by giving away only seven runs in the 17th. Sixers need 28 off the last 18 balls when Curran decided to take Matt Kuhnemann and he came off with flying colours to take 17 runs off the over. Then, Lachlan Shaw scored ten runs off the first two deliveries in the penultimate over to level the scores. Shaw did get out after that but Jack Edwards finished off the game with a maximum.
Earlier in the match, Sean Abbott and Mitchell Starc reduced the Heat to 18-3 within the first three overs. The run-scoring continued to be difficult with Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne not able to get a move on. Labuschagne departed for 18 in the 10th over as Joel Davies accounted for his wicket. Thereafter, there was a mini partnership between McSweeney and Max Bryant by when the former started to look increasingly fluent.
But a couple of quick strikes from Sam Curran and Mitchell Starc once again reduced the Heat to 96/6 in the 15th over. Out of nowhere, Michael Neser came out took full advantage of the Power Surge with Heat managing 30 runs from the two overs. Neser smashed a stunning 35 off 14 before he got out in the 18th over. Then, McSweeney got to his fifty off 47 balls before he helped the Heat finish with 171/9 with a 16-run final over.
Player of the Match: Sam Curran
Sam Curran (Player of the Match): "I got a bit nervous when Smithy got out. I was thinking, will I be able to take them home? But glad I was able to. I am leaving in the morning. I will be watching the guys, but I will miss them, a fantastic franchise, and a brilliant first time here.
I spoke to my brother before joining, and he advised that it is one of the best franchise tournaments to be a part of. I hate to come in the middle of the season, but the schedule kind of makes that happen. Hopefully, I can play the full season next time around.
Guys like Mitch Starc and Steve Smith are two fantastic players. The chance to bat with Smith is special, and Starc is a great player.
A few T20Is are coming up next week, a good time for us to be together. Then, of course, the World Cup, we need to be prepared as a team."
I spoke to my brother before joining, and he advised that it is one of the best franchise tournaments to be a part of. I hate to come in the middle of the season, but the schedule kind of makes that happen. Hopefully, I can play the full season next time around.
Guys like Mitch Starc and Steve Smith are two fantastic players. The chance to bat with Smith is special, and Starc is a great player.
A few T20Is are coming up next week, a good time for us to be together. Then, of course, the World Cup, we need to be prepared as a team."
So, that is it from myself, Karthik Raj and my co-commentator, Anirudh Modi as we wrap up the coverage of this fixture. A note of thanks to our scorer, Manish Bishnoi as well. Do switch over to the coverage of the deciding ODI between India and New Zealand or follow the 2nd BPL fixture of the day. Until next time, it is a warm good-bye from us.