The opportunity to host the Big Bash League final is up for grabs on Saturday when the Perth Scorchers welcome the Sydney Sixers to Optus Stadium for the Qualifier contest, the last game of the season which isn’t a knockout clash.
These two teams were the best two in the regular season and that means that the loser here will get another go at making the final but winning this one and hosting the title showdown will be very much the intention of these two franchises.
Perth Scorchers
The Perth Scorchers held off a charging Sydney Sixers side to top the regular season table and their reward for that is two goes at making the final if they need them. By finishing top of the pile they will host both of those chances should they need them but they will be hoping one go at getting there will do. The defending champions tend to save their best cricket for when it really matters and of course whoever wins this match will lay a marker down for what could be a dress rehearsal for the final.
There usually is no weakness across the Perth Scorchers team but there is a flimsy look to the Scorchers’ bowling attack for this match. That is because Australia have already taken Ashton Agar away and Matt Kelly has been ruled out with concussion. Add in that Jhye Richardson still isn’t fit and there is a hole to be filled with the ball for the home side. Agar’s absence leaves a little bit of a light look to the lower order part of the batting as well.
Sydney Sixers
The Sydney Sixers flew home after losing their opening two matches of the season. They won 10 and had a washout in their last 11 matches and finished seven points clear of the team in third place. The Sixers go into this match in great form and while being on the road in a match of this magnitude isn’t exactly ideal, they can approach it with a bit of freedom knowing they will host either the Melbourne Renegades or Brisbane Heat on Thursday should they need the second bite of the cherry they earned themselves.
One of the reasons for the fantastic run to the finish line for the Sydney Sixers in the regular season was the brilliant form with the bat of Steve Smith. The Australian international is available for this match and just adds a truly class act to a batting unit which often found ways to get the job done even in his absence. Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy have been claimed by Australia but the Sixers attack still looks very solid and full of options.
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Key Players
Cameron Bancroft has played very well since he came into the Perth Scorchers side in the second half of the season and with their bowling just having one or two holes appearing in it the home side could do with their opening batter going big and setting up a daunting score here.
Steve Smith has only played four matches in this competition this season but already he sits ninth on the overall run chart for the tournament, just 130 runs off the leading scorer who has played 10 matches more than him. This is his last game of the season and he will be eager to make another big score and send the Sixers into the final.
Betting
I very rarely back against the Perth Scorchers on their home patch but this is one occasion where I am going to do that. There are a few reasons for that. There is no getting away from the three bowling absences which have hit their attack pretty hard. One of those, Ashton Agar, reduces the depth in their batting too and I think that could also be pivotal. The Sydney Sixers just look better balanced to me. They are likely to have Sean Abbott and Ben Dwarshuis batting at eight and nine which is insane depth.
The other reason to like the Sixers in this match is the form of Steve Smith. If he gets in with the form he is in he can take the game away from the Scorchers on his own and that is a big thing. If Steve O’Keefe plays this match the Sixers will go in with four bowlers who have a dozen or more wickets to their name this season. That number is just two for the Scorchers. Perth don’t lose many matches and they don’t lose at home too often either but this might just be the one time it is worth taking them on given the form of the Sixers and the potential for Smith to go off and win the game on his own.
Tips
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