Image Credit- Getty
Sydney Sixers stunned the Perth Scorchers, the
reigning champions, and moved into the much sought-after second spot on the
standings thanks to an incredible comeback led by Daniel Hughes and Moises
Henriques at Optus Stadium.
Sydney Sixers stunned the Perth Scorchers, the
reigning champions, and moved into the much sought-after second spot on the
standings thanks to an incredible comeback led by Daniel Hughes and Moises
Henriques at Optus Stadium.
Henriques smashed a six off opposite number Aaron
Hardie on the fourth ball and a boundary off the final ball (with one needed)
to help the Sixers cross the finish line in dramatic fashion with 13 runs
needed off the final over.
Brisbane Heat, who are currently atop the standings,
will take on the Sixers in Friday’s Gold Coast qualifier, with a double chance
as insurance for both clubs. The loss was expensive for the Scorchers, who will
host an elimination final on Saturday against the suddenly dominant Adelaide
Strikers.
In the high-stakes match between the two dominant
teams in the league, Laurie Evans ignited Scorchers with 72 off 34 balls,
capping up his BBL tenure in style. On their home field, the Scorchers’ 197 for
4 seemed to be enough, but Hughes struck 74 off 43 balls to put the game in the
balance.
In the fifteenth over, Hughes gave way to Hardie,
leaving the Sixers needing 52 runs to win. The Sixers gained the upper hand in
the 17th over when Henriques hit 10 runs in two deliveries off seamer Andrew
Tye.
Another dramatic turn of events occurred when Sixers
needed 17 runs off 12 balls. Runner Josh Inglis made a breathtaking catch going
back to the boundary, dismissing Jordan Silk and setting off a collapse that
saw the visitors lose four wickets in eight balls.
Henriques, though, stepped up, and the Sixers also
felt good about snapping the Scorchers’ winning streak of six of the previous
seven games between the two clubs.
Scorchers’ bid for a historic three-peat now has to go
through the long way and they face the tough task of replacing the dynamic
middle-order batter Evans, who departs Perth tomorrow for the UAE’s ILT20.