Sydney Sixers go back-to-back in the Big Bash League

Last modified: 12: 32 PM GMT+0
  • Sixers 188/6 defeat Scorchers 161/9 by 28 runs
  • James Vince stars with 95 at the SCG

Summary

Ok, it’s nearly midnight in February, and the presentations are still going on. So much for the family friendly school holiday gateway product...

Congratulations to the Sixers, the best side in the regular season and the dominant force in the finals campaign. Tonight their plans were clearer than Perth’s and in Vince, Christian, Henriques and O’Keefe they had the big game nous when it counted. A superb end to a challenging campaign.

Thanks for joining me tonight. Keep an eye on the India v England series if you still need a cricket fix, and be sure to stop by for more of this next year.

James Vince - Player of the match

That was not a difficult decision. His 95 set up the Sixers for a total that caused the Scorchers too much scoreboard pressure in their chase.

Sydney Sixers BBL10 Champions

🏆 BACK-TO-BACK @BBL CHAMPS!#smashemsixers #BBL10 pic.twitter.com/UqSWfjEAvv

— Sydney Sixers (@SixersBBL) February 6, 2021

Sydney Sixers win by 28 runs

20th over: Perth Scorchers 161-9 (Richardson 7, Ahmed 0) Target 189 - Christian finishes with 2-25 from his four overs. What a bloody champion he is.

WICKET! Behrendorff c Abbott b Christian 0 (Scorchers 160-9)

And another. Behrendorff caught in the deep.

WICKET! Tye c Henriques b Christian 0 (Scorchers 159-8)

Fittingly, T20 God Dan Christian will bowl the final over. Of course he begins with a dot, then another, then a wicket. Tye could not pick anything and eventually skied a massive mow that was held smartly by Henriques at cover.

19th over: Perth Scorchers 159-7 (Richardson 5, Tye 0) Target 189 - Dwarshuis almost nabs his fourth but Silk spills a tough sliding chance running in from the midwicket fence. No bother, he ends with 3-37 and a BBL winner’s medal.

WICKET! Hardie c O'Keefe b Dwarshuis 26 (Scorchers 157-7)

“You’re the Voice” rings out around a jubilant SCG at the start of Dwarshuis’ final over. He responds with a dot ball that beats the bat outside off stump. Hardie has to do something magical now - and maybe he can - smacking a massive six miles over midwicket. He tries again next ball but it comes off the outside edge and O’Keefe holds onto a tough catch at short third-man.

18th over: Perth Scorchers 151-6 (Hardie 20, Richardson 3) Target 189 - Hardie cue-ends three to third-man, Richardson pulls a couple to midwicket, then dabs a single. Not the flurry of boundaries required. Hardie tries again but he can only bludgeon two then one. The Sixers are closing this out superbly.

WICKET! Turner c Bird b Abbott 11 (Scorchers 142-6)

The Scorchers need boundaries and Ashton Turner is a boundary hitter, but that is his night done. A nice leg-cutter from Abbott induces a booming drive but it spirals off the top edge and into the safe hands of Jackson Bird.

17th over: Perth Scorchers 142-5 (Turner 11, Hardie 14) Target 189 - Perth have to unload on someone, and soon. A Hardie six off the first ball of Brathwaite’s over, swung high over the short square-leg boundary, is a start. He follows that up with a slash through point for four that benefits from a Dwarshuis misfield. Could the comeback be on? A perfectly landed yorker slows the momentum. But only briefly! Turner gets his hands through an off drive that whistles through the covers for four more. Then the pressure gets to everyone! Brathwaite bowls a great dot ball but Turner tries to run on it nonetheless, ending up adrift mid-pitch, only to find Brathwaite missing with his shy from point-blank range.

47 from 18 required.

16th over: Perth Scorchers 126-5 (Turner 6, Hardie 3) Target 189 - Dan Christian is not who Perth want to see running in to bowl, but that’s what they’re racing. He starts by beating Hardie’s bat outside off, then fielding his own bowling to allow the rotation of strike. Another off-pace delivery beats Turner’s best effort as the run-rate edges above 15 rpo. A wide, a two, and a couple of singles keep the scoreboard ticking over, but it’s woefully inadequate in the circumstances.

15th over: Perth Scorchers 120-5 (Turner 3, Hardie 1) Target 189 - Two wickets, just six runs from the first power surge over. That was game changing from Dwarshuis.

WICKET! Inglis c Henriques b Dwarshuis 22 (Scorchers 117-5)

Dwarshuis has two in the power surge! It’s all gone Pete Tong for Perth. Length from the left-armer and mistimed straight to mid-off by the right-hand batsman. The Scorchers are drowning, not waving.

WICKET! Marsh c Vince b Dwarshuis 11 (Scorchers 116-4)

Marsh begins the power surge by muscling Dwarshuis down the ground for two, then slapping a half-volley to the covers where JAMES VINCE TAKES A SCREAMER! What a catch! Diving high to his right, Vince continues his phenomenal game. It’s getting harder and harder for Perth.

Power surge time. This will go a long way to deciding the destination of the BBL trophy.

14th over: Perth Scorchers 114-3 (Inglis 22, Marsh 9) Target 189 - O’Keefe begins his final over with a hat-trick - of dots - sending the run-rate up over 12 rpo. The pressure really ramping up on Inglis. He rotates the strike, but it should have been two but for a Marsh slip on the turn. He can only bunt O’Keefe into the covers for one, leaving Inglis to find the boundary - which he can’t. Just four from a superb over. O’Keefe ends with 0-26 from his four overs. Very very handy figures.

13th over: Perth Scorchers 110-3 (Inglis 19, Marsh 8) Target 189 - Back to Dwarshuis, with Perth desperate for boundaries, especially early in the over, and finally they have one. It was streaky from Inglis but he got enough bat on a wider one that skews over point for four. He’s ever luckier next ball, mistiming a forceful shot through the legside only to watch it land safely between converging fielders. Shot! There was no luck involved in that boundary from Marsh, he’s up and running with a sweetly timed straight drive that oozed class. Dwarshuis fights back well with a couple of dots, the second of which kept very low on an increasingly dewy surface.

12th over: Perth Scorchers 100-3 (Inglis 14, Marsh 3) Target 189 - It’s all about those power surge overs now for Perth. They’ll want Marsh to get his eye in quickly so they can take advantage of that early. Sydney respond by recalling O’Keefe, and he rattles through his work in the blink of an eye, registering a dot and five singles, watching the run-rate creep over 11 rpo.

WICKET! Livingstone c Silk b Bird 45 (Scorchers 95-3)

Bird has bowled excellently so far, and he begins his third over well too, keeping the Scorchers to four singles in a row. Is there another late-over boundary? Livingstone tries an audacious ramp, but fails to connect, that prompts a massive slap at the next delivery, but he doesn’t find the middle of the bat, and the ball travels on a nice arc tot he safe hands of Jordan Silk on the midwicket fence. Massive wicket for the Sixers, and the scoreboard pressure telling again.

11th over: Perth Scorchers 95-3 (Inglis 12, Marsh 0) Target 189 -

98 off 10 required for the BBL title. This is beautifully poised.

10th over: Perth Scorchers 91-2 (Livingstone 43, Inglis 10) Target 189 - Christian’s back into the attack and his off-pace deliveries make life difficult for the Scorchers. Livingstone in particular is made to look ungainly at the crease with a leg-cutter that comes off the cue end of the bat. For the third over in the row there’s no early boundary with Livingstone required to pull something out of the locker - and for the third time in a row he does! He takes a couple of steps and slaps a slower bouncer hard over cow corner for six. More clutch boundary hitting from Perth.

9th over: Perth Scorchers 79-2 (Livingstone 33, Inglis 9) Target 189 - Brathwaite into the attack, and he starts well, hitting a hard length from his great height and conceding just three singles from his opening four deliveries. Backed into a corner, Livingstone again comes up trumps, this time stepping miles to the off-side and ramping fine over his helmet for a very skilful four. He tries again next ball but Brathwaite is wise to it and lands a yorker on Livingstone’s toes.

The Scorchers are hanging in this chase with those clutch boundaries.

8th over: Perth Scorchers 71-2 (Livingstone 27, Inglis 7) Target 189 - Two singles to open O’Keefe’s second over, then he’s doubly unfortunate to see a loose thick-edged cut from Inglis beat point in the air and roll away for four. He responds well, ramping up the pressure on Livingstone, who is treading water on 21 off 21, he has to respond. And he does! He launches down the ground - will it beat long off? Yes! Perth needed that.

7th over: Perth Scorchers 58-2 (Livingstone 20, Inglis 1) Target 189 - Since the introduction of Christian the match has swung firmly Sydney’s way. What a T20 player he is. Abbott goes from 0-19 off one to 1-24 off two.

WICKET! Munro c Henriques b Abbott 2 (Scorchers 56-2)

Abbott didn’t impress with his opening over, but he gets a second shot, and he’s soon into the wickets. After keeping Livingstone and Munro to singles he snares the latter with a length delivery that is mistimed to mid-off. Munro advanced unnecessarily and ended up out of shape and miscueing straight to Henriques. “That’s grand final pressure,” bellows Ricky Ponting.

Sixers in the box seat now.

6th over: Perth Scorchers 53-1 (Livingstone 16, Munro 1) Target 189 - Time for a change of pace and Steve O’Keefe. He continues the good work started by Christian and reinforced by Bird, hustling through an over of darts worth just four runs.

5th over: Perth Scorchers 49-1 (Livingstone 14, Munro 0) Target 189 - Livingstone makes a mockery of my previous post, easing into a dreamy cover drive every inch the equal of anything Vince made us coo over earlier.

WICKET! Bancroft c Vince b Bird 30 (Scorchers 45-1)

Back to Bird for the Sixers, and he enjoys the indecision caused by Christian’s variations the previous over, conceding just two runs from his opening four deliveries. Livingstone in particular does not enjoy the match-up with a bowler hitting red ball lines and lengths. But it’s Bancroft’s wicket that eventuates! Short of a length, attempted pull, no timing, lobbed to the safe hands of Vince coming in from midwicket. Huge breakthrough for the home team.

4th over: Perth Scorchers 43-0 (Bancroft 29, Livingstone 9) Target 189 - Another bowling change, and it’s an indication of Perth’s start, because Dan Christian has been called upon for the first time in the powerplay this year. He starts with a legside wide, then concedes singles from four perfectly executed slower balls, the second of which was a huge shout for LBW. He looks to have slipped in his quicker ball - a bouncer - at just the right time, but it’s adjudged a no-ball and a free-hit for being his second above head height for the over. The Scorchers cannot capitalise though when another slower ball beats the attempted slog. The veteran rounds the eventful over off with another variation that deceives the batsman.

3rd over: Perth Scorchers 36-0 (Bancroft 27, Livingstone 8) Target 189 - Sean Abbott is the third new bowler for the Sixers. He gets away with a wide long-hop first ball, but has no luck next up when Bancroft whips him off his hip for a boundary behind square leg then carves him behind point for four more. He trades dealing in fours for a six to make it three boundaries in a row, top-edging a pull that flies high over fine-leg. A single brings Livingstone on strike - and he gets in on the act - upper-cutting Abbot for four down to third-man. Perth have plenty of early momentum in their run-chase.

2nd over: Perth Scorchers 17-0 (Bancroft 12, Livingstone 4) Target 189 - Dwarshuis takes up the attack and after a legside wide he should have Livingstone in the shed. The Englishman advanced down the track but ended hopelessly out of position for his wild slash outside off that carried all the way to third-man - where O’Keefe fails to hang onto the chance. They’re never easy in that part of the ground, especially under lights, but that’s a let-off for Perth. Dwarshuis is an awkward customer with his deck-hitting left-armers but Bancroft adapts beautifully, stepping a long way across and ramping for four then holding his ground and pulling the adjustment ball flat and hard behind square leg. Both were inches away from sixes.

Dropped! Livingstone gets an early life - how costly will that end up being? #BBL10 pic.twitter.com/Asi0UK3hip

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) February 6, 2021

1st over: Perth Scorchers 4-0 (Bancroft 3, Livingstone 1) Target 189 - Bird starts well, hitting the deck hard and conceding no freebies. The Scorchers openers both play from the crease with little timing, with only a late Bancroft chip to wide long-on in any danger of threatening the boundary.

But enough of that. Back to the BBL final and Perth’s chase of 189. Jackson Bird has the ball in his hand and Cameron Bancroft is at the crease...

Meanwhile, England are having more fun against India’s bowlers than Australia enjoyed this summer.

Fawad's 3 overs for 16 and the wicket of Vince when everyone else is going for *at least* 7rpo is quite something #BBL10

— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) February 6, 2021

Sydney Sixers 188-6

The Sixers post a very handy total, courtesy of a stellar knock from James Vince. It’s not enough to bat the Scorchers out of the game, but it will be a memorable chase if Perth can hunt down 189 at the SCG.

WICKET! Brathwaite c Behrendorff b Richardson 10 (Sixers 188-6)

Brathwaite doesn’t need any sighters. He just steps to leg and swats Richardson through wide long-on for four. The bowler responds with a perfectly placed wide slower ball - and it’s given a wide! “That’s a disgraceful call,” fumes Ricky Ponting. Not the first of this BBL unfortunately. Brathwaite doesn’t care, he just stands tall, clears his front leg, and smashes another four down the ground. Brathwaite has so much mass he looks like a CGI end of level boss wielding a tree trunk. His brute force gets him two more after he’s denied a wide for a bouncer that managed to climb over his helmet. Richardson finds a dot, then concludes the innings with a wicket! Straight and full and Brathwaite can only sky it to long-off.

20th over: Sydney Sixers 188-6 (Silk 17)

WICKET! Christian c Munro b Tye 20 (Sixers 177-5)

How big can the Sixers go? Tye does his best to limit the damage, beating Silk with a slippery bouncer than conceding only a single with a perfect yorker. Another perfect yorker is dug out for two by Christian, who is then beaten outside off by Tye’s quicker ball. Another two continues Tye’s superb over, and then... is that out? A full toss is smacked high in the air by Christian - and it’s caught by Munro leaning over the rope! But was the full toss so high it was a no-ball? The umpires are conferring. The TV umpire is getting involved. It’s made so much more difficult because Christian advanced three or four metres down the pitch, making the conventional expectation of where the ball would have passed the batsman’s waist near impossible. The deliberation takes an age, until... out! What an over from AJ Tye.

19th over: Sydney Sixers 177-5 (Silk 17)

18th over: Sydney Sixers 172-4 (Silk 16, Christian 16) Richardson to bowl the second power surge over and a yorker almost leads to a Silk run out but Turner’s throw at one stump misses by a bee’s wing. The disappointment is magnified when Christian launches a slower ball for six over extra cover then Silk hits consecutive fours, first by rocking back and cutting a slower bouncer for four behind point, then drilling a fuller ball to the fence through the covers.

17th over: Sydney Sixers 155-4 (Silk 6, Christian 9) Tye has the honours for the Scorchers and he opens with a length delivery outside off that Christian bludgeons to extra cover for two. He cashes in on a freebie next ball, drilling a full toss straight back down the ground for four. Bancroft then drops another! But again, it’s an incredible effort just to get his fingers to the ball, diving away to his right at point like peak Jonty Rhodes. That sparks a good run for Perth with two singles and two dots rounding off an excellent comeback from Tye.

Power surge activated.

16th over: Sydney Sixers 147-4 (Silk 5, Christian 2) Excellent from Ahmed, capturing the crucial wicket of Vince then keeping Christian honest with a dot and a single. Silk gets away with three, but yet again it’s from a genuine nick that sails through a massive gap in the field. Big over from the Scorchers, but they still have the power surge to negotiate.

WICKET! Vince c Marsh b Ahmed 95 (Sixers 140-4)

Gah! No ton for James Vince again! Back-to-back 90s it is for the Englishman, mistiming the first ball of the returning Ahmed to cover where Marsh does hold on this time.

Updated

15th over: Sydney Sixers 140-3 (Vince 95, Silk 2) Did Mitch Marsh just drop the BBL? Vince top edges a slog to leg and the ball soars miles in the air, so so high, swirling and hanging. But instead of the boundary rider coming in for the catch, Marsh attempted it over his shoulder, and by the time the ball hit his hands and bobbled to the turf, it looked near impossible. Vince licks his lips and smacks Hardie for four next ball, then guides a couple behind point off a delivery that was so wide it had to be checked by the third umpire for pitching on the cut strip. A couple more follow before there’s another drop! This one was also incredibly tough, Bancroft running in and diving full length from third-man to try to get his fingers under a mistimed cut.

This is James Vince’s night.

14th over: Sydney Sixers 127-3 (Vince 82, Silk 2) Livingstone gets a second over, but Vince makes him regret it by cutting beautifully for four through point, whipping into the legside for a couple, then drilling a straight drive for four more. Superb, intelligent batting from Vince, launching into the Scorchers’ sixth bowler instead of activating the power surge.

Updated

WICKET! Henriques c Hardie b Tye 18 (Sixers 114-3)

Time for more of Tye’s variations as thoughts turn to when the Sixers might take their power surge overs. Sydney go two, one, dot, as Tye’s changes of pace take effect, then he has a huge appeal for LBW declined off a delivery that swung in a long way. His disappointment is not helped by Henriques finding another boundary to fine third-man with a wild edged slash. He exacts his revenge a ball later when Henriques smashes a length delivery on the up straight to mid-off where Hardie holds on to the catch.

13th over: Sydney Sixers 114-3 (Vince 71, Silk 0)

Updated

12th over: Sydney Sixers 106-2 (Vince 71, Henriques 11) Liam Livingstone gets an emergency call-up into the attack, and he begins superbly, beating Vince twice with his leggies, then making it three dots in a row. Can the batsman respond? Yes - slog sweeping four then rotating the strike with a single. Henriques then runs absurdly hard to turn an easy two into a blistering three.

11th over: Sydney Sixers 98-2 (Vince 66, Henriques 8) No changes from either side at the ten-over mark. Hardie resumes proceedings with the ball, and a couple of wide yorkers land just near enough to Vince to be recorded as dot balls. Vince responds by stepping across and swinging a massive six to leg, wonderful hitting. He follows that up by staying legside of the ball, opening the face, and slicing a four through third-man. Hardie digs in goes for only a single from his final two deliveries. Vince holds the key to the next 29 overs. He could bat the Scorchers out of contention at this rate.

10th over: Sydney Sixers 87-2 (Vince 55, Henriques 8) Back to Fawad Ahmed, and he continues his run of conceding only singles, until a strong appeal for LBW against Vince is turned down, the first of consecutive dot balls. The singles soon return before a hard-run two completes the over.

There’s no obvious turn or bounce for Fawad but clearly taking the pace off the ball is the way forward against the Sixers at the moment.

Time for a quick break. Will either side look to their X-factors?

50 to Vince

9th over: Sydney Sixers 82-2 (Vince 53, Henriques 5) Nothing edgy about that from Vince. He welcomes Behrendorff back to the attack by crunching a six over extra-cover with all the timing and swagger of peak Viv. He follows that up with a couple, to bring up his 50, and single to rotate the strike. The Englishman has the bit between his teeth tonight. Maybe AJ Tye will be made to regret that bouncer after all...

8th over: Sydney Sixers 71-2 (Vince 43, Henriques 4) Henriques is off the mark with a four, edged through the vacant cordon. The Sixers have benefited from a healthy smattering of nicks and edges already tonight. Fortune favours the brave, and all that.

WICKET! Hughes c Munro b Richardson 13 (Sixers 66-2)

The Scorchers need a wicket, so they return to strike man Richardson... and he delivers! A hat-trick of singles induces Hughes to try something expansive, but after picking up the ball nicely on a length all he can do is send it straight down Munro’s throat on the midwicket fence.

Colin Munro throwing up the 'C' can only mean good things for the Scorchers!

A second wicket falls #BBL10 #BBLFinals pic.twitter.com/H7hCQLePlf

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) February 6, 2021

Updated

7th over: Sydney Sixers 63-1 (Vince 41, Hughes 12) Aaron Hardie gets his first bowl, his right bowling arm heavily taped. The theme continues with a couple of singles before Vince pulls out that graceful swish of the bat from off to leg to send the ball thudding into the midwicket fence. Then it’s Hughes’ turn to find the rope - and clear it in fact - but with far less elegance. His attempted hook shot skews off the top edge and flies all the way towards the sightscreen behind the keeper.

6th over: Sydney Sixers 50-1 (Vince 35, Hughes 5) First look at spin for the night with the introduction of Fawad Ahmed. There’s not a lot to report in the air, off the pitch, or off the bat. Six consecutive singles.

5th over: Sydney Sixers 44-1 (Vince 32, Hughes 2) Hughes gets off the mark, then Vince advances down the crease to Behrendorff and muscles him for four through the legside with force, not his familiar timing. The timing isn’t gone for long though, he connects with that elegant pull shot to conclude the over and sends the ball soaring over square leg for six. He makes batting look so simple when he’s on song.

4th over: Sydney Sixers 31-1 (Vince 21, Hughes 0) Tye follows up the run out with some nice change-ups, including his wobbly knuckle ball. Vince then almost picks out the square leg boundary rider with a crisp pull that went a long way in the air.

Oh my goodness 😨 Chaos in the middle, Josh Philippe is run-out by half a pitch... #BBL10 | #BBLFinals pic.twitter.com/x4i5BMdb2w

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) February 6, 2021

WICKET! Philippe run out 9 (Sixers 28-1)

Andrew Tye comes into the attack to resume his duel with James Vince, and the early honours go to the batsman. A nudge into the legside for two precedes a top-edged pull that flies over the keeper for four. But then there is ABSOLUTE CARNAGE!

Vince defends at his feet and Philippe comes flying down the pitch, but his partner is not moving a muscle. Two magenta clad batters are at the striker’s end so Tye has an age to throw down the stumps - and misses! Fortunately there are enough teammates backing up to complete the dismissal, helped by Philippe giving up the ghost. Calamity for the Sixers who were building nicely.

3rd over: Sydney Sixers 22-0 (Philippe 9, Vince 13) Philippe hasn’t timed anything yet but gets himself off strike early in Behrendorff’s over. Vince then almost chips a catch to Tye at mid-on but the ball looped agonisingly short of the fielder. Behrendorff continues to mix up his speeds and lengths to keep the Sixers off balance - until Philippe drops to one knee and absolutely murders a six as far as the eye can see. That sounded very sweet off the bat. What was I saying about Philippe’s timing?

BANG. Philippe goes large for the first six of the night #BBL10 pic.twitter.com/mL39mTJoMu

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) February 6, 2021

Updated

2nd over: Sydney Sixers 12-0 (Philippe 2, Vince 10) Richardson forces Vince on the defensive first ball, and after that tight opening over from Behrendorff the Englishman has to respond. He does so by stepping to leg and drilling a glorious cover drive for four, then timing a pull for four more with the most efficient looking stroke you could imagine. That was an effortless swivel from the waist. Richardson responds with a couple of singles and a dot.

The pitch looks full of runs, by the way, if a touch on the slow side.

The first boundary of the #BBL10 Final comes off the bat of James Vince.

Outfield looking a treat 👌 #BBLFinals pic.twitter.com/RNNKf4h3Yd

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) February 6, 2021

1st over: Sydney Sixers 2-0 (Philippe 1, Vince 1) Behrendorff is on the money first ball, hitting a red ball line and length with his left-arm pace over the wicket to the right-handed Philippe. The young opener pinches a single with a mistimed hoick, but that doesn’t benefit his partner Vince who dead-bats three deck-hitting deliveries before mistiming a drive for a single. Good start for the Scorchers.

Behrendorff to Philippe to get us underway...

The two teams are out in the middle. Tense music is blaring through the tannoy. Smoke from the fireworks drifts around the SCG. It’s go time.

Storms have drifted through NSW all day, mostly to the north of Sydney’s CBD. There remains a slim chance the match could be affected, but if the worst happens a reserve day has been scheduled tomorrow. For a result to occur tonight we must have at least a five-over per side thrash.

Only 1 team has won the BBL title after finishing 1st on ladder; Scorchers in BBL06

Only 1 team has won consecutive BBL titles; Scorchers in BBL03 & BBL04

Dan Christian becomes 1st to play in a BBL Final with 4 franchises (Heat, Hurricanes, Renegades & Sixers)#BBL10 #BBLFinal

— Fox Sports Lab (@FoxSportsLab) February 6, 2021

The BBL has provided a nice winter break for a number of English batters, not least England outcasts James Vince and Alex Hales.

#BBL10 Final Preview:

H2H - Sixers 8 Scorchers 11
H2H @SCG - Sixers 4 Scorchers 5
H2H in BBL Finals - Sixers 1 Scorchers 2
H2H in BBL10 - Sixers 2 Scorchers 1

Just 2nd time 1st & 2nd have met in a BBL Final; also BBL09

Past 4 BBL Finals have been won by the home team

— Fox Sports Lab (@FoxSportsLab) February 6, 2021

Here’s some preview reading, including what I think the kids call “bantz” by Barrow boy Liam Livingstone.

Scorchers XI

Perth are also unchanged, which means Jason Roy has failed the fitness test on his ankle. All eyes on that fearsome Scorchers bowling unit on this untested surface.

UNCHANGED for the #BBL10 Final! 🏆 We've won the batflip and we're BOWLING first 💪

Today's ❌ Factors - Joel Paris & Kurtis Patterson. This is it!!! 🔥🔥🔥 #MADETOUGH pic.twitter.com/5yuM6amnVJ

— Perth Scorchers (@ScorchersBBL) February 6, 2021

Sixers XI

It’s the XI you’d expect from the Sixers. Power at the top, depth in batting and bowling, and plenty of variety in the attack.

🏏 An unchanged XI for tonight's @BBL Final! 👊#smashemsixers #BBL10 pic.twitter.com/yYk3gvXkED

— Sydney Sixers (@SixersBBL) February 6, 2021

Scorchers have won the bat flip and they will field first

Ashton Turner took a look at the weather, and a pitch that has been under cover quite a bit over recent days, and made the safe decision to have a bowl.

.@ScorchersBBL have won the bat flip and will BOWL first v @SixersBBL in the Final! #BBL10 pic.twitter.com/FwcBHjQmYy

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) February 6, 2021

Some of the 28,000 expected to pile into the SCG tonight 😍 #BBL10 | #BBLFinals pic.twitter.com/qtcDg05jRP

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) February 6, 2021

Preamble

Hello everybody and welcome to live over-by-over coverage of the final of the 2020-2021 Big Bash League. Sydney Sixers v Perth Scorchers gets underway at the SCG at 7.40pm.

It’s the decider everyone expected. The two best teams of this season, who also happen to be the two most successful franchises in BBL history, facing off for more silverware.

The Sixers boast two of the summer’s top four run scorers - Josh Philippe and James Vince, while the Scorchers have the competition’s leading wicket-taker - Jhye Richardson, as well as two others in the top dozen - Andrew Tye and Jason Behrendorff. There’s T20 royalty on display in the form of Dan Christian, not to mention the fielding brilliance of Jordan Silk, and the box office of Mitch Marsh.

After a season that has once again dragged on too long and contained too many forgettable matches, the final is superbly poised.

When these sides met a few nights ago in the finals qualifier, the Sixers won comfortably, helped by a majestic innings from Vince, that was destined for a century before Tye’s late piece of mischief. They also won handsomely a fortnight before that, in the group phase.

The curveball tonight is the venue - the SCG. The Sixers have not played on their home ground all year, so nobody is sure how it will play or who the conditions will favour.

Remember, you can join in the fun by sending me an email or a little something something on Twitter.

Contributor

Jonathan Howcroft

The GuardianTramp

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Adam Zampa dazzled with the ball as Melbourne Stars made it two wins from two matches with a 22-run victory over Sydney Thunder

Scott Heinrich

12, Dec, 2020 @8:48 AM

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Adelaide win maiden BBL title as Sydney Sixers go back-to-back in WBBL – as it happened
Over-by-over report: Adelaide Strikers win maiden Big Bash League final, Sydney Sixers win back-to-back Women’s Big Bash League titles

Kate O’Halloran (women's final) and Geoff Lemon (men's final)

04, Feb, 2018 @8:57 AM

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Big Bash League final: Perth Scorchers v Hobart Hurricanes - as it happened
Perth Scorchers take on the Hobart Hurricanes for BBL honours in front of a partisan home crowd

Russell Jackson

07, Feb, 2014 @12:13 PM

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BBL 2020-21 finals qualifier: Sydney Sixers beat Perth Scorchers – as it happened
James Vince hit an unbeaten 98 to steer Sydney Sixers to an easy nine-wicket win over Perth Scorchers and into a home Big Bash final

Scott Heinrich

30, Jan, 2021 @11:44 AM

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Big Bash League final: Renegades v Stars - as it happened
Melbourne Renegades are BBL08 champions following an incredible collapse by Melbourne Stars in the final at Marvel Stadium

Jonathan Howcroft

17, Feb, 2019 @7:34 AM

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Sydney Sixers beat Brisbane Heat in Big Bash League semi-final – as it happened
Over-by-over report: the Sixers will play Perth in the final of this season’s Big Bash League after a dramatic super-over win

Geoff Lemon

25, Jan, 2017 @12:59 PM

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Hobart Hurricanes beat Perth Scorchers in Big Bash League semi-final – as it happened
Over-by-over report: Hobart became the first team into this year’s BBL final after a comprehensive win over Perth at Optus Stadium

Geoff Lemon

01, Feb, 2018 @12:03 PM