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[VIDEOS] Sydney Sixers crowned Big Bash League 2019/20 (BBL|09) Champions

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MenInG

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Nathan Coulter-Nile is the latest player to depart the KFC Big Bash League's most successful club after the paceman left the Perth Scorchers to sign a long-term deal with the Melbourne Stars.

The Stars confirmed today that Coulter-Nile, who featured in Australia's recent World Cup campaign in the United Kingdom, had joined fellow Western Australians Lance Morris and Clint Hinchliffe in signing with last season's runners-up ahead of BBL09.

Former Test batsman Hilton Cartwright had already crossed from the Scorchers to the Stars earlier this year, while Shaun Marsh also departed for the champion Melbourne Renegades.

The news comes as BBL tickets go on sale around the country for the revamped 2019-20 season that includes a new-look finals system.

The Scorchers have owed much of their success to their homegrown Western Australian players, but the three-time BBL champions may be forced to shift their gaze elsewhere this season as they look to bounce back from their first ever bottom-place finish last summer.

They have already signed Victorian leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed, while they've been linked to a move for South Africa captain Faf du Plessis.

"The opportunity to come to Melbourne and the MCG for the summer and to play at the Stars proved to be an exciting one," Coulter-Nile said.

"The last eight years at the Scorchers have been great and it was a tough decision to leave."

Coulter-Nile was player of the match in Australia's second match of the World Cup after posting 92 off 60 balls against West Indies, but lost his spot later in the tournament when Jason Behrendorff was preferred at the business end of the tournament.

Morris, dubbed ‘The Wild Thing’ by his Western Australian teammates, is a 21-year-old tearaway who was on the Stars’ books last season but didn’t play a game.

Hinchliffe is a 23-year-old spin-bowling allrounder who played three games for the Scorchers in his debut season last summer.

Sydney Thunder has also announced that Callum Ferguson has taken over from Shane Watson as captain of the club, with Chris Green to be his deputy.

Ferguson was the Thunder's leading run scorer last season, striking a 48-ball century against the Scorchers, and coach Shane Bond says it was a "natural progression" for the South Australian veteran to become skipper after Watson retired from the BBL earlier this year.

"He’s got a really calm head, he’s a good communicator and is very well respected within the group," Bond said.

"He knows his game well too which is important because there’s a lot of pressure in the Big Bash, so you want someone who understands their own game and can manage captaincy responsibilities as well."

Reigning champions Melbourne Renegades meanwhile confirmed their BBL08 revelation Sam Harper had re-signed for the coming three seasons.

Harper played all 16 games for the Renegades and finished the tournament as the side's first-choice wicketkeeper. The 22-year-old had previously played for the Stars.

"We have a really tight knit group at the Renegades and I'm looking forward to being part of that again," Harper said.

"Obviously we have a lot of great memories from last season but I think the exciting thing is that this group has so much improvement left in it.

"We'll be working hard to ensure we give our members and fans plenty to cheer about when BBL|09 gets underway."

Highly-rated teenage prospect Jake Fraser-McGurk has also been snapped up by the Gades, while left-arm quick Mitchell Davey has joined as a BBL Development Rookie.

Fraser-McGurk, a 17-year-old right-handed batter who also bowls leg-spin, made his Australia Under-19s debut earlier this year against England.

As Under-13 captain of Victoria's indoor cricket side in 2015, he took a triple hat-trick (five wickets in five balls), but has blossomed into an aggressive middle-order batsman in the intervening years.

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/bbl...rs-tickets-on-sale-perth-scorchers/2019-08-15
 
So far 3 Pakistani names mentioned but wonder if Amir will also play in BBL?
 
Starts tomorrow.


===


Adelaide Strikers
Coach: Jason Gillespie
Captain: Travis Head

Squad: Travis Head, Wes Agar, Alex Carey, Harry Conway, Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Jake Lehmann, Michael Neser, Harry Nielsen, Liam O’Connor, Phil Salt (England), Matt Short, Peter Siddle, Billy Stanlake, Cameron Valente, Jake Weatherald, Jonathan Wells, Cameron White, Nick Winter

In: Harry Conway, Phil Salt, Cameron White
Out: Michael Cormack, David Grant, Colin Ingram, Ben Laughlin

Availability: As a member of the Test team, Australian vice-captain Travis Head will probably miss the first six games of the season given the three-match series against New Zealand isn’t due to finish until January 7. Michael Neser’s availability could be in doubt during this period given he’s also part of the 13-man squad. Alex Carey, the one-day vice-captain, will probably miss around four games in January, too, due to his commitments with the Australian ODI squad in India.

Strengths: Rashid Khan is one of the best spinners in the world and his return for a third campaign with the Strikers will be welcomed greatly. He starred in 2018-19, taking 19 wickets at 18.10 – the third-best average of any bowler to take at least 15 scalps.

Weaknesses: Batting was a huge issue for the Strikers last summer as they slumped to second last on the ladder. They only had one player (Jonathan Wells) who scraped into the top 10 runscorers and he was also the only Adelaide batsman to average over 40. That’s probably why they recruited Phil Salt, who has eight T20 50s to his credit, as well as Cameron White who is known for his powerful hitting, despite a modest campaign last season.


Brisbane Heat
Coach: Darren Lehmann
Captain: Chris Lynn

Squad: Tom Banton (first eight games), Max Bryant, Joe Burns, Ben Cutting, AB de Villiers (final six games, finals), Sam Heazlett, Zahir Khan (replacement international player), Sam Heazlett, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Lalor, Ben Laughlin, Chris Lynn, James Pattinson, James Peirson, Jack Prestwidge, Matt Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Mitch Swepson, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Cameron Gannon, Matt Kuhnemann.

In: AB de Villiers, Zahir Khan, Tom Banton, Ben Laughlin, Cameron Gannon
Out: Brendon McCullum, Brendan Doggett, Alex Ross

Availability: There will be windows for Test players like Marnus Labuschagne and Joe Burns in and around the New Zealand series but most eyes will be on the international players and in particular, star signing AB de Villiers. The South African great arrives in time for the final six outings for the Heat and will be a huge in for the Queensland franchise if they find their way into the finals. English whiz kid Tom Banton plays the opening eight.

Strengths: Between Chris Lynn, Banton, de Villiers and lower-order tonkers like Ben Cutting, the Heat will be be able to pour on the runs in a hurry. Darren Lehmann would like the look of his top order, with Banton and Max Bryant a more than handy opening combination. If they can get things going the Heat will be hard to contain, especially on their home track at the Gabba.

Weaknesses: James Pattinson will be in and around the Australian squad so it's uncertain how much he will play, which might leave a little question over the Heat's seam and pace stocks. But the addition of death-bowling ace Ben Laughlin, who is the BBL's leading wicket taker, looks a good one, while top-shelf T20 spinners like Zahir Khan give them plenty of flexibility on slower tracks.


Hobart Hurricanes
Coach: Adam Griffith
Captain: Matthew Wade

Squad: David Miller (South Africa), David Moody, Tom Rogers, Clive Rose, D’Arcy Short, Aaron Summers, Matthew Wade, Qais Ahmad (Afghanistan), George Bailey, Scott Boland, Jake Doran, Nathan Ellis, James Faulkner, Jarrod Freeman, Caleb Jewell, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Simon Milenko

In: Scott Boland (Stars), David Miller (South Africa), Nathan Ellis
Out: Johan Botha, Tymal Mills, Tim Paine, Lawrence Neil-Smith

Availability: Skipper Matthew Wade along with players like short-form specialists D'Arcy Short and Ben McDermott are likely to miss some fixtures through international duties. But the good news for the Hurricanes is that Proteas T20 gunslinger David Miller is in for the duration and will be a massive inclusion as a few of the big names rotate in and out of the squad.

Strengths: Last year's table-toppers return with a powerhouse batting line-up that could put rivals to the sword before the night is half over. If names like Miller, Wade and Short get going the Hurricanes are once again going to be strong contenders to win their first BBL crown. They departed in the semi-finals last year but look well-placed to go one better.

Weaknesses: You have to look pretty hard but the Hurricanes could be a little vulnerable if players like Short and McDermott are out of action for the ODI tour in India in mid-January. They will all return for the latter stages of the tournament and finals but rivals might smell some blood if Hobart have a hole punched in their batting line-up for the short term.


Melbourne Renegades
Coach: Michael Klinger
Captain: Aaron Finch

Squad: Aaron Finch, Cameron Boyce, Dan Christian, Tom Cooper, Zak Evans, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Harry Gurney (England), Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Mackenzie Harvey, Jon Holland, Shaun Marsh, Joe Mennie, Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan), Kane Richardson, Will Sutherland, Beau Webster, Jack Wildermuth, Richard Gleeson

In: Shaun Marsh, Richard Gleeson
Out: Tim Ludeman, Chris Tremain, Cameron White, Usman Shinwari

Availability: The Renegades are unlikely to be hit too hard in this area. Aaron Finch will miss matches in the middle of January when he leads the Australian side to India for an ill-timed, one-day series but will return for the back end of the tournament. Shaun Marsh and Kane Richardson could also be a part of that squad. Marcus Harris missed much of last season because the Test campaign extended through January but this time will be available for the full season.

Strengths: The defending champions boast great versatility, which was a key strength last season. In Mohammad Nabi, Tom Cooper, Beau Webster, Dan Christian and Will Sutherland, they have several all-round options. Sutherland could be one to watch, for he can hit the ball hard. Marsh, with a BBL average of 49.48, remains one of the sport's premier T20 strokemakers and is a fine pick up from the Perth Scorchers, who had wanted to retain him.

Weaknesses: It's hard to find a glaring issue. Marsh has strengthened the top order, where he, Finch and Harris could prove to be the most potent top three in the competition. Having claimed a maiden title last season, the question will be whether there is a hunger for more success.


Melbourne Stars
Coach: David Hussey
Captain: Glenn Maxwell

Squad: Glenn Maxwell, Hilton Cartwright, Jackson Coleman, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Ben Dunk, Seb Gotch, Peter Handscomb, Clint Hinchliffe, Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal), Nick Larkin, Nic Maddinson, Jonathan Merlo, Lance Morris, Tom O’Connell, Dale Steyn (South Africa), Marcus Stoinis, Daniel Worrall, Pat Brown (England – international replacement), Adam Zampa

In: Dale Steyn, Pat Brown, Hilton Cartwright, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Clint Hinchcliffe, Lance Morris, Nick Larkin, Tom O'Connell
Out: Dwayne Bravo, Michael Beer, Travis Dean, Liam Bowe, Scott Boland, Evan Gulbis, Jackson Bird

Availability: The Stars could again have issues in this area, for Glenn Maxwell, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa could be involved in the one-day series in India in the middle of January. Dale Steyn will only play the first six matches. The Stars will hope Maxwell and Nic Maddinson remain fresh.

Strengths: There is much to like about this squad, as they seek redemption for last year's grand final heartache. Steyn's arrival adds tremendous class to the attack in the early and late overs but he will play in only the first six matches, before returning home for the Proteas' one-day series against England. He will be replaced by Pat Brown, a canny seamer from Worcestershire. Former Scorchers Hilton Cartwright and Coulter-Nile will strengthen the batting and bowling. Nepalese leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane will play the full season.

Weaknesses: On paper, this squad is the envy of many. The Stars' middle order fell apart in the final against the Renegades, just when a maiden title was there for the taking. When it comes to big games, the weight of history continues to drag the glamour franchise down. Can the Stars finally overcome this?


Perth Scorchers
Coach: Adam Voges
Captain: Mitchell Marsh

Squad: Mitchell Marsh, Ashton Agar, Fawad Ahmed, Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Cameron Green, Liam Guthrie, Aaron Hardie, Nick Hobson, Josh Inglis, Chris Jordan (England), Matthew Kelly, Liam Livingstone (England), Joel Paris, Kurtis Patterson, Jhye Richardson, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, Sam Whiteman

In: Fawad Ahmed, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Kurtis Patterson
Out: William Bosisto, Hilton Cartwright, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Clint Hinchliffe, Michael Klinger, Shaun Marsh, Usman Qadir, Sean Terry, David Willey

Availability: Given Jhye Richardson was originally selected for Australia’s World Cup squad this year before being ruled out of the tournament due to a shoulder injury, he would have to be a chance to be included in Australia's ODI tour of India in January. If he makes the trip over to the subcontinent, he could miss as many as four games for the Scorchers but would be back in time to feature in the finals should they qualify.

Strengths: Perth’s bowling attack wasn’t too bad in 2018-19 with Andrew Tye (17), Coulter-Nile (14) and Matthew Kelly (11) combining for 42 wickets. However, Tye (elbow) is in danger of missing the whole tournament, Jason Behrendorff (back) won’t feature at all and Coulter-Nile is no longer at the club. The Scorchers will hope those absences will be offset by more game time from Richardson, who only played five games last summer due to national duties, as well as the additions of Fawad Ahmed and Chris Jordan who both have very good T20 records.

Weaknesses: When you finish on the bottom of the ladder, it comes as no surprise that scoring runs is a big challenge. The Scorchers had only two batsmen feature in the top 38 runscorers last summer so the recruitments of Liam Livingstone and Kurtis Patterson come as no surprise. Livingstone has smacked a T20 ton and nine fifties and boasts a strike rate of 140, while Patterson scored a mountain of first-class runs last summer, including a maiden Test hundred against Sri Lanka.


Sydney Sixers
Coach: Greg Shipperd
Captain: Moises Henriques

Squad: Sean Abbott, Justin Avendano, Jackson Bird, Tom Curran, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Mickey Edwards, Daniel Fallins, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Nathan Lyon, Steve O'Keefe, Josh Phillippe, Lloyd Pope, Jordan Silk, Steve Smith, James Vince

In: Steve Smith, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird
Out: Joe Denly, Peter Nevill, Henry Thornton, Greg West, Ben Manenti

Availability: Steve Smith, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon could return for the final few games for the Sixers depending on their selection for the one-day tour to India in the middle of January. Tom Curran and James Vince could also depart on the eve of the finals if selected for England's one-day tour of South Africa.

Strengths: The Sixers have maintained the bulk of their squad with bowling the strength. Sean Abbott is the franchise's most successful wicket-taker and loves bowling the final overs, along with zippy left-armer Ben Dwarshuis and Curran, while Steve O'Keefe continues to take scalps at 35. Opener Daniel Hughes was also destroying the white ball in the domestic limited-overs competition earlier this season.

Weaknesses: The only concern is O'Keefe's dodgy calf, which required plenty of attention last BBL and was already strapped after NSW's Sheffield Shield win at the start of the week. SOK's replacement is Lloyd Pope who has plenty of potential but is only 20. The Sixers also have to contend with a lengthy road trip during the Sydney Trest, which will include trips to Melbourne - twice - Coffs Harbour and Adelaide in the space of a week-and-a-half.


Sydney Thunder
Coach: Shane Bond
Captain: Callum Ferguson

Squad: Callum Ferguson, Jono Cook, Ollie Davies, Brendan Doggett, Matt Gilkes, Chris Green, Alex Hales, Usman Khawaja, Jay Lenton, Nathan McAndrew, Chris Morris, Arjun Nair, Alex Ross, Dan Sams, Gurinder Sandhu, Jason Sangha, Tanveer Sangha, Chris Tremain

In: Brendan Doggett, Alex Ross, Alex Hales, Chris Morris, Tanveer Sangha
Out: Shane Watson, Fawad Ahmed, Kurtis Patterson, Sam Rainbird, Ryan Gibson

Availability: Usman Khawaja's Test omission means the classy left-hander is available for the entire BBL, provided he is not selected for Australia's ODI tour of India. The same will apply for Englishman Alex Hales and South African Chris Morris whose nations clash in the 50-over format in February. Pat Cummins is a proud Thunder player but was not released this season.

Strengths: Callum Ferguson will relish the captaincy and has been in some terrific form on the domestic scene. The return of Khawaja will also add some class to the top order. Chris Tremain returns back from a stint with the Renegades and is one of the great economical bowlers while Brendan Doggett was picked in the Australian Test squad after just eight first-class games. Chris Green is the X-factor now he is one of the world's true Twenty20 guns for hire.

Weaknesses: The Thunder face a tough road trip to Brisbane followed by a trip to Melbourne and then a home game in Canberra. The loss of Shane Watson's class and experience also cannot be underestimated given he was one of the greatest Twenty20 players in the world. The way he could accelerate and tear apart a bowling attack set up plenty of wins for the Thunder. Tweaker Ahmed also proved pivotal in slowing down opposition run rates nearly every game last summer.


https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricke...-20-preview-team-by-team-20191211-p53j59.html
 
Thunder douse the Heat in BBL opener

The Score: Sydney Thunder 6-172 (Ferguson 73no, Ross 30; Swepson 2-11) defeated Brisbane 143 (Cutting 28; Green 2-19, Nair 2-22)

The match in a tweet: Thunder get their #BBL09 campaign off to a flyer on the back of starring roles from Ferguson and impressive trio of spinners

The Hero: Sydney Thunder skipper Callum Ferguson continued his red-hot white-ball form to lead his team’s charge in the first BBL fixture of the season, with the visitors scoring an against the odds win over the fancied Brisbane Heat at the Gabba. The classy right-hander arrived at the crease after Usman Khawaja was removed in the third over and finished unbeaten on 73 from 44 balls, hammering half-a-dozen boundaries and three sixes and becoming the first BBL player to secure the BKT Tires Golden Cap. Ferguson lifted the Thunder to what proved a sufficient total of 172 after they lost three wickets during the Powerplay and his knock followed a run of three centuries for South Australia last month, with two of those coming in the Marsh One-Day Cup and the other in the Sheffield Shield. The success marked the Thunder’s first win at the Gabba.

The Supporting Cast: While Ferguson’s knock was littered with class, the Thunder’s three spinners delivered in spades as they put the heat in a spin. Jono Cook (2-29 from four overs) took the new ball and ensured the Heat did not get off to a flyer, removing openers Tom Banton and Max Bryant. Chris Green, who signed the longest deal in Big Bash history last month when he committed to the Thunder for another six seasons, then returned 2-19 from his four overs, while Arjun Nair (2-22 from four overs) also impressed. The trio kept the usually free-scoring Heat in check through the early and middle stages of the innings, leaving them with too much heavy lifting at the back end.

The Consolation Act: Little more than a month after taking three wickets in consecutive balls for Queensland in the Marsh Sheffield Shield, Heat leg-spinner Mitch Swepson again found himself on a hat-trick as he grabbed the key wickets of Alex Ross (30) and big-hitting Daniel Sams (0) in his second over and the 14th of the Thunder’s innings.Intriguingly, he sent down just two overs for the innings, finishing with 2-11.

The Stat: Heat captain Chris Lynn became the leading run-scorer in BBL history when he whacked Chris Tremain for six off the first delivery of the fifth over. Lynn started the innings with 1945 career runs, two behind former Perth Scorchers batsman and current Melbourne Renegades coach Michael Klinger, before his hit over the fine leg boundary lifted him into the No.1 position.

The Big Moment: From ecstasy to agony, Lynn was soon on his way as Ferguson gratefully accepted a catching chance from his opposing skipper at cover in the fifth over, leaving the Heat at 3-40. Lynn contributed nine from as many balls.

The Big Moment II: With Ben Cutting hitting the ball to all areas – and clearing the fence – at the Gabba, allrounder Sams answered the call. Cutting had belted two sixes off the first four balls of the 17th over as he threatened to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat before Sams found a way through the six-hitter’s defences to swing the game back in his team’s favour.

The introduction: There has been a lot of hype surrounding Heat’s English import Banton, who boasts a T20 strike rate north of 150. Banton tucked into Sams in the first over of the run chase, smacking two sumptuous sixes and racing to 16 from six balls. While he succumbed to Jono Cook in the next over, his two powerful blows were enough to send a warning to rival BBL bowlers.

The Slip: Sams could at least crack a smile after he lost his radar (and the ball) in the first over of the Heat’s innings.

The Next Stops: The Thunder are again on the road on Thursday night as they face defending champions Melbourne Renegades in Geelong, while the Heat will host Melbourne Stars on the Gold Coast on Friday.

Brisbane Heat XI: Tom Banton (wk), Max Bryant, Chris Lynn (c), Matt Renshaw, Sam Heazlett, Ben Cutting, Mark Steketee, Josh Lalor, Mitchell Swepson, Ben Laughlin, Zahir Khan

Sydney Thunder XI: Usman Khawaja, Alex Hales, Callum Ferguson (c), Matt Gilkes (wk), Alex Ross, Daniel Sams, Nathan McAndrew, Chris Green, Arjun Nair Chris Tremain, Jonathan Cook
https://www.cricket.com.au/news/mat...watch-live-scores-video-highlights/2019-12-17
 
HBH 129/9 (20.0)SYS 104-all out (18.5)
Hobart Hurricanes won by 25 runs

PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Qais Ahmad

===


Teams:
Melbourne Stars (Playing XI): Marcus Stoinis, Ben Dunk(w), Nic Maddinson, Hilton Cartwright, Glenn Maxwell(c), Peter Handscomb, Clint Hinchliffe, Adam Zampa, Daniel Worrall, Haris Rauf, Sandeep Lamichhane

Brisbane Heat (Playing XI): Tom Banton(w), Max Bryant, Chris Lynn(c), Matt Renshaw, Sam Heazlett, Ben Cutting, Jimmy Peirson, Josh Lalor, Mitchell Swepson, Ben Laughlin, Zahir Khan

Brisbane Heat have won the toss and have opted to field
 
League has a lot of steam and they don't appear to making any big name signings.

They should really consider adding a couple of Kiwi teams to spice it up.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">There used to be a time when a bowler would celebrate a wicket by just shaking his team-mate's hand. Here's Qais Ahmed in the BBL for Hobart Hurricanes versus Sydney Sixers <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BBL2019?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BBL2019</a> <a href="https://t.co/wz10Ex2vTS">pic.twitter.com/wz10Ex2vTS</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1208305168657334272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Sydney Thunder vs Adelaide Strikers,

ADS 161/5 (20.0)
SYT 40/1 (4.2) CRR: 9.23
Sydney Thunder need 122 runs

Smog stops play
 
The KFC Big Bash League advises that tonight’s match between the Sydney Thunder and Adelaide Strikers at Manuka Oval has been abandoned due to dangerous and unreasonable playing conditions.

The decision was taken by match officials after conducting a thorough assessment of conditions at the ground, with participant safety the number one priority.

Play was suspended 4.2 overs into the Thunder's run chase due to poor visibility created by smoke. After a delay, officials deemed conditions were unsuitable for play to resume and the match was officially abandoned at 9:14pm AEDT.

Under the Big Bash League Playing Conditions, the match has been declared as a No Result and both teams awarded one point each on the BBL|09 Ladder.

The League and all Clubs wish to reiterate that our thoughts and best wishes are with the people and communities affected by the current bushfire emergency.
 
The Big Bash League game between Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Thunder has been abandoned because of poor air quality caused by smoke from bushfires.

Close to 100 fires were burning across Australia's eastern state of New South Wales on Saturday, of which six were characterised as "emergency level".

Thunder were 40-1 chasing 162 to win when the match was called off on Saturday and will split the points.

The decision was made 4.2 overs into Thunder's run-chase.

"Player, fan and staff safety is the number one priority," said an official statement from the BBL.

Umpire Paul Wilson said: "It's about air quality. We would not have started [the match] like this."

Canberra has been blanketed by smoke for a number of days but conditions were deemed safe to begin the match.

So far, eight people have died during Australia's bushfire emergency, while more than 700 houses have been destroyed and millions of hectares of land scorched since September.

Fellow umpire Sam Nogajski told Fox News: "There was one [ball] that was hit to square leg then and Paul [Wilson] had a problem picking it up.

"Visibility is very difficult. We can smell the smoke and the air quality itself is something else."

Adelaide Strikers opener Jake Weatherald added: "It's been a bit hard to breathe all game. Even the smell - it was like you were standing next to a fire."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/50877258
 
What a catch by Chris Jordan!

<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/s/2n0zk/faswcr" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="100%" allowfullscreen style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div>
 
So are Melbourne Stars keeping Haris Rauf for the rest of the season? If so will he be able to play the remaining matches fo the season?
 
MenInG said:
The Big Bash League game between Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Thunder has been abandoned because of poor air quality caused by smoke from bushfires.

Close to 100 fires were burning across Australia's eastern state of New South Wales on Saturday, of which six were characterised as "emergency level".

Thunder were 40-1 chasing 162 to win when the match was called off on Saturday and will split the points.

The decision was made 4.2 overs into Thunder's run-chase.

"Player, fan and staff safety is the number one priority," said an official statement from the BBL.

Umpire Paul Wilson said: "It's about air quality. We would not have started [the match] like this."

Canberra has been blanketed by smoke for a number of days but conditions were deemed safe to begin the match.

So far, eight people have died during Australia's bushfire emergency, while more than 700 houses have been destroyed and millions of hectares of land scorched since September.

Fellow umpire Sam Nogajski told Fox News: "There was one [ball] that was hit to square leg then and Paul [Wilson] had a problem picking it up.

"Visibility is very difficult. We can smell the smoke and the air quality itself is something else."

Adelaide Strikers opener Jake Weatherald added: "It's been a bit hard to breathe all game. Even the smell - it was like you were standing next to a fire."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/50877258
Click to expand...
Air quality has been almost 10x the healthy limit for close to a month now here in NSW and the ACT. Very poor conditions for cricket, and in all honesty should be avoided. It’s a serious health risk to the players.
 
The match in a tweet: Melbourne Stars dominate Hobart from start to finish with Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell and previously unknown fast bowler Haris Rauf leading a demolition job

The Score: Melbourne Stars 4-163 (Stoinis 81*, Meredith 3-27) defeated the Hobart Hurricanes 111 (Rose 32*, Rauf 5-27) by 52 runs with 24 balls to spare

The Cinderella Story: Haris Rauf has become an instant cult hero in the KFC BBL. But could the previously unknown Pakistani fast bowler from Rawalpindi who was plucked out of Tasmanian Premier Cricket last week really keep a fit South African superstar Dale Steyn on the bench? That's the conundrum now facing the Melbourne Stars, with Steyn declaring himself fit for the next match, but his replacement Haris Rauf has been on fire, making the most of his two opportunities.

Seven days ago, Rauf was bowling for the Glenorchy Magpies in Tasmania's first grade competition, furthering his T20 experience down under as part of a player development programme with Pakistan Super League side Lahore Qalanders. Rauf was plucked from obscurity by the Melbourne Stars when Steyn was ruled out with a side strain, and has delivered in a big way.

In his debut against the Brisbane Heat he took 2-20 in four overs, but bettered that in spectacular fashion here, claiming 5-27 to claim the BKT Golden Arm cap as the competition's leading wicket-taker, lighting up Moe with his raw pace and exuberant celebrations.

In his first over he had Ben McDermott caught at mid-wicket, but his second over was one of the greats with three wickets falling to lock up the result for the Stars.

Mac Wright top edged to be caught behind and then Tom Rogers was knocked over with raw pace – a 147km/h thunderbolt shattering his stumps – before he showed his canniness by dropping the speed to 138km/h and getting a tough of nip off the seam to knock the off-stump out of the ground in beating Qais Ahmed's bat.

He completed the five-wicket haul in his fourth over with a delightful slower ball that dropped to 121km/h and proved far too good for Hobart tailender Nathan Ellis.

The Steyn situation: With Rauf shooting to prominence, here seems an appropriate spot to update on Steyn. The 36-year-old South African declared himself fit to play this match in Moe, but was left kicking his heels on the sidelines. The BBL rules dictate that teams must name a squad by 2pm the day before the match, with a maximum of two internationals.

The Stars played conservative and named Nepalese spinner Sandeep Lamichhane and Rauf in that squad, confining Steyn to the bench for the second straight match after he arrived from South Africa with a side strain.

"I was keen to play today, I'm not going to lie, I was really keen," Steyn told 7 Sport ahead of the match.

"I think that 24-hour rule does you in a little bit, I wouldn't have minded waking up today, coming to the ground, having a little bowl and giving the thumbs up. I've gone through my warm-ups and bowled and I'm fine, but it's obviously too late now. So (Friday) will be it for me."

Whether Friday will be it for Steyn remains to be seen, with the Stars only able to include two internationals in their playing XI, how they line up on Friday against the Adelaide Strikers remains to be seen.

The batting star: Marcus Stoinis looked set to be the star of the show for Melbourne but found his effort with the bat relegated by the exploits of Rauf detailed above. Stoinis started slowly but finished strong to bat through the innings for an unbeaten 81 from 54 balls. Stoinis has been dropped from both Australia's ODI and T20 sides in the past six months, and today was dropped off his first ball as Clive Rose put down a tough but catchable chance off his own bowling.

And he was dropped again on five when he mis-timed a shot and skied it only for the ball to fall safely between Riley Meredith and Qais Ahmed. But Stoinis, as he can do, quickly picked up the pace, bringing his fifty up with a boundary from 28 balls. He launched four sixes and seven fours in his knock, batting out the 20 overs to fire the Stars to a total that proved far too much.

The supporting cast: Glenn Maxwell made the brave call to open the bowling with himself, and it paid dividends for the Stars, as he was able to send down three tidy wickets in the powerplay overs and pick up two very handy wickets. First Maxwell picked up the key scalp of Hobart opener D'Arcy Short for just nine, coming just after wicketkeeper Peter Handscomb predicted the wicket while mic'd up on the telecast.

The second wicket was just as important as the vast experience of South Africa import David Miller didn't stop him dancing down the pitch, yorking himself and getting bowled by Maxwell, leaving the Hurricanes at 4-44 after six overs.

The consolation act: Not a lot to cheer about from a Hobart perspective in this match, but Hurricanes spearhead Riley Meredith continues to create a buzz about Australian cricket.

While he had a few moments he'd rather forget in the field – letting an edge off Stoinis fall between him and Qais Ahmed, and then a fumble on the fence to allow a boundary through, he was elite with the ball to pick up 3-27 from his four overs.

He had a little help with his first wicket, a brilliant catch from Simon Milenko helping account for Nic Maddinson, while Qais Ahmed dived forward running in from the boundary to pouch Glenn Maxwell for Meredith's second.

But his third was elite – a rapid 140km/h fast ball that beat Peter Handscomb for pace and flattened his off-stump.

The big moment: The Hurricanes gave Stoinis two lives early on, dropping him on zero and five, and it proved lethal as he went on to score 81.

The banter: Peter Handscomb was enjoying his connection to the commentary crew as the Melbourne Star's mic'd up player, happily having a chat and predicting Ben Dunk's wicket. When that happened next ball he couldn't wait to get back on the mic, screaming "keep coming to me boys, keep coming to me!".

The commentary crew duly obliged, and while Handscomb didn't pick it it happened again as Ben McDermott hit Rauf direct to Ben Dunk at mid-wicket. "Keep coming to me boys, things are happening," Handscomb said.

The next stop: Hobart will head home for their first game at Blundstone Arena on December 24 when they host the Melbourne Renegades in a Christmas Eve clash exclusive on Fox Cricket and Kayo. The Melbourne Stars will take themselves back to Queensland for their next match, a 'home' game at the Gold Coast's Metricon Stadium on December 27 against the Adelaide Strikers.

Melbourne Stars: Marcus Stoinis, Nic Maddinson, Hilton Cartwright, Glenn Maxwell (c), Peter Handscomb (wk), Ben Dunk, Clinton Hinchcliff, Adam Zampa, Daniel Worrall, Haris Rauf, Sandeep Lamichhane

Hobart Hurricanes: D'Arcy Short, Caleb Jewell, Ben McDermott (c, wk), David Miller, Mac Wright, Simon Milenko, Tom Rogers, Nathan Ellis, Qais Ahmad, Clive Rose, Riley Meredith

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/mat...ights-maxwell-short-stoinis-miller/2019-12-22
 
EMeCu-sUwAAwXCC


Ricky Ponting's rolling team of the year for BBL09
 
Wounded Jhye Richardson dismisses Jake Weatherald by 'bowling' from square-leg

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How far is rauf from the pakistan team at the moment, seems to performing very well in aus, could have done with him instead of Irfan atleast in the t2os
 
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Bizarre #Nosegate at the BBL!
 
Statement from Cricket Australia: Marcus StoinisMarcus Stoinis has been found guilty of a level two breach of Article 2.1.3 of Cricket Australia’s Code of Conduct for personal abuse of a player while batting during the Melbourne Stars’ KFC Big Bash League victory over the Melbourne Renegades on Saturday.

Stoinis accepted the charge without challenge and was fined $7,500.

The breach was reported by umpires Gerard Abood and Phillip Gillespie to match referee Daryl Harper.

Sean Carroll, Cricket Australia’s Head of Integrity and Security, said the decision to hand Stoinis a level two breach and fine him was the appropriate course of action.

“The behaviour in this matter falls short of the standards we expect and we have acted accordingly,” Carroll said. “There is no place for it in the game.”

Stoinis apologised unreservedly for his actions.

“I got caught in the moment and took it too far," Stoinis said. "I realised immediately I was in the wrong and I apologise to Kane and to the umpires.

"I did the wrong thing and accept responsibility for my actions. The standards are there for a reason and I accept the penalty."
 
When are Faheem and Usman Shinwari coming to play for the renegades?
 
Bilal Ahmad15 said:
When are Faheem and Usman Shinwari coming to play for the renegades?
Click to expand...

They won't be playing for MR this season. MR wanted them to be available earlier but Shinwari was selected for the Test squad while Faheem was injured and took part in the QEA final, thus they signed replacements.

Faheem is playing in BPL now.
 
No Australian sporting team has defended its title in worse fashion than the Melbourne Renegades.

First developed as the ‘edgy’ and ‘tough’ franchise in Melbourne, compared to the ‘classy’ Stars outfit across town, it has been nothing short of a trainwreck in 2019-20.

The Renegades remarkably won the BBL|08 title after the Stars handed it to them on a gold platter, after choking in front of 40,816 people at Marvel Stadium.

But fast forward to now, the Renegades are 0-9, with their social media pages flooded with Owen Wilson photos (Owen-nine anyone?). So just how has the past 12 months panned out for the Renegades and where to from here?

Watch every single KFC BBL match LIVE & On-Demand on KAYO with FOX CRICKET’s unmatched commentary line-up. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >

SO WHAT HAS CHANGED?

News begun filtering out in the lead up to last year’s final that veteran Cameron White would be pushed out the door, with the Victorian batter joining the Adelaide Strikers during the winter.

The club lost its entire board and CEO, in a bold Cricket Victoria move which certainly surprised a number of club insiders.

Michael Klinger was all but certain to join the Melbourne Stars as their batting coach for BBL|09, but a door at the Renegades opened when title-winning coach Andrew McDonald left his role for a job under Justin Langer in the green and gold.

‘I’ve carried it with me’: Stoinis’ side of the story after homophobic slur

Buttler wants his foul-mouthed tirade ‘swept under the carpet’...and stump mics gone

Stoinis blasted an epic BBL ton. He rewrote record books along the way

Warnie’s baggy green fetched over $1M. Junior’s was eaten by a rat... seriously

INTERNATIONALS SLUMP

The summer started with the Renegades attempting an audacious attempt to sign West Indian superstar Andre Russell.

With the recent acquisition of AB de Villiers to the competition, another big name was set to bring excitement and energy to a competition which at times lulled last season.

But the attempt fell over, as the extra money from the Bangladesh Premier League came calling. Russell’s power-hitting and fast bowling certainly would’ve added to a team, which has struggled to blast with the bat and ball.

Fan favourite Mohammad Nabi was locked in for the second-half of the tournament, but late Pakistan signings Usman Shinwari and Faheem Ashraf never even made it onto Australian soil after the Pakistan Cricket Board elected to keep them away from the BBL.

Left-arm bowler Harry Gurney was effective in BBL|08, but his form this summer has been unappealing with a hamstring injury sidelining the Nottinghamshire bowler.

It has meant UK duo Richard Gleeson and Samit Patel have taken the mantle as the club’s international players. Of which, neither have fired in red.

Gleeson felt the brunt of the Aussie Big Bashers, as the fast bowler conceded 10.02 runs per over and claimed just seven wickets in eight games.

Patel dropped what only could be described as a sitter in the club’s Melbourne Derby, with the 35-year-old forced to play important roles for Michael Klinger’s side.

VETERANS STRUGGLE

Patel is one of the veterans who have failed to fire this season. He has just 11 runs from his two hits, while his 12 overs of left-arm orthodox have yielded two wickets.

Tom Cooper, once a mainstay of the Renegades outfit, was dropped after a few games, averaging seven with the bat from his six innings. The part-time bowler has two wickets this summer as the ‘Gades attempt to find a role for the player with international experience.

Dan Christian has 95 runs at 11.87 and is wicketless from six innings at the bowling crease, suggesting the all-rounder is on the slide.

Shaun Marsh is the only odd one out, with the 36-year-old scoring a team-high 319 runs at an average of 35.44, with two half-centuries.

WHERE TO FROM HERE? AND HAVE THERE BEEN ANY POSITIVES?

It just hadn’t gone right for the Renegades.

At 0-7, Aaron Finch and Kane Richardson hopped on a plane to India for Australia’s ODI series, meaning it will be mighty hard for them to turn it around.

The top order conundrum has confused the club yet again, with Marcus Harris struggling in a number of new roles.

Sam Harper begun the season with a stellar century in the practice game against the Stars, but has just one score over 50 in the BBL.

Beau Webster is the club’s most improved player and potential MVP, given he has whacked 310 runs and bowled a number of handy overs of off-spin.

Despite a final five being implemented for the first time, with just a handful of matches remaining in the BBL, their season is all but over.

And it could mean a number of big changes over the coming six months.

Two things seem certain. Finch and Klinger will remain in their roles as captain and coach respectively, but after that there is very little certainty.

However, the majority of the playing list is locked in on multiple year contracts for season 2021, especially younger players like Mackenzie Harvey, Sam Harper and Will Sutherland.

Shaun Marsh will have two more years to run, while veterans Tom Cooper and Dan Christian are far from certain starters in BBL|10.

Rising young gun Will Pucovski could well be on their radar if he puts his hand up for a BBL role. While the Victorian is far from a big hitter, his class and poise would certainly bring something to their middle order.

Lacking an out and out fast bowler, the ‘Gades could even attempt to steal Stars quick Haris Rauf if they don’t snap him up following the season. International players like Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh) and Andre Russell (West Indies) could well be followed closely as well.

Spin has been a large focus for the Renegades in recent years and they will likely fill one of their international slots with a player of such calibre. Mohammad Nabi isn’t locked in for next season and depending on his finish to this season, he could well rejoin the squad.

List manager Andrew Lynch certainly has his work cut out over the next six months.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricke...o/news-story/56a91cd56a0bb6aec7fe3a30c5845b46
 
Statement from Cricket Australia: David Hussey

Melbourne Stars coach David Hussey has been fined $2,000 for a level one breach of Article 2.23 of Cricket Australia’s Code of Conduct for acting contrary to the Spirit of Cricket.

Hussey accepted the offence and sanction under Article 2.23 after earlier being found not guilty by independent Code of Conduct Commissioner Adrian Anderson of breaching Article 2.18 for attempting to gain an unfair advantage during a Big Bash League match.

The initial charge was lodged by the officiating match umpires after watching a television interview Hussey conducted during the ninth over of the Melbourne Stars’ innings against the Adelaide Strikers at the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday, January 22.

The personal actions Hussey described during the interview were deemed to be contrary to Section 6.3.4 of the Big Bash League playing conditions, which states: “Prior to the start of play, only the captain and team coach may walk on the pitch to assess its condition. Spiked footwear is not permitted at this time.”

Hussey challenged the initial charge under Article 2.18 at an independent Code of Conduct hearing in Melbourne on Friday on the grounds his comments were made in jest. He was found not guilty of breaching Article 2.18 but accepted a subsequent charge and sanction under Article 2.23 which covers “… conduct that either: (a) is contrary to the Spirit of Cricket; (b) is unbecoming of a representative or official; (c) is or could be harmful to the interests of cricket; or (d) does or could bring the game of cricket into disrepute.”

Hussey said: “I would like to apologise for my comments made at our match against the Strikers on Wednesday. These comments were made in jest and in a light-hearted moment with the commentators. I never intended to suggest that I had in any way broken the rules of the game. I realise that my comments, broadcast to our fans and supporters, may have undermined the Spirit of Cricket and for this I apologise.”
 
With a new five-team finals system introduced for the ninth edition of the KFC BBL, there is plenty to play out over what looks set to be a thrilling final weekend of the regular season.

Played over two weekends early next month, the new five-match, five-team finals system guarantees a double-chance for teams that finish first and second in the regular season. The dominant Melbourne Stars have already secured top spot and the Sixers and Strikers will finish in the top three, meaning four other teams are fighting for the remaining two finals spots.

Here's a reminder of the new-look finals schedule and a club-by-club look at each team and what they can expect over the next few days.

BBL|09 Finals Series

(Home team listed first)

Thurs Jan 30: The Eliminator (Fourth v Fifth)

Fri Jan 31: The Qualifier (First v Second)

Sat Feb 1: The Knock-Out (Third v Winner of The Eliminator)

Thurs Feb 6: The Challenger (Loser of The Qualifier v Winner of The Knock-Out)

Sat Feb 8: The Final (Winner of The Qualifier v Winner of The Challenger)

1st: Melbourne Stars (20 points)

Played: 13 | Won: 10 | Lost: 3 | NRR: 0.874

The run home

Jan 25: v Heat (seventh) at the MCG

A dominant tournament from last year's finalists saw them lock in top spot with three matches still to play, and they’ve now welcomed back Peter Handscomb and Adam Zampa for their run to the finals. Whether breakout star Haris Rauf also returns for the finals following his maiden call-up to play for Pakistan remains to be seen, but the Stars have covered themselves by signing another unknown Pakistan quick, Dilbar Hussain. The Stars have stumbled since cementing top spot, first with Monday night's rain-affected loss to the Sixers before their third defeat of the season, to the Strikers on Wednesday. However, they have already secured hosting rights for the Qualifier final on January 31 and are well placed to secure their maiden BBL title.

2nd: Adelaide Strikers (17 points)

Played: 13 | Won: 8 | Lost: 4 | NR: 1 | NRR: 0.654

The run home

Jan 26: v Hurricanes (fifth) at Adelaide Oval

Big wins over the Stars and Scorchers have put the Strikers in prime position to earn a double chance and they will secure second spot if the Sixers lose to the Renegades on Saturday. With a handy Net Run Rate advantage over their Sydney rivals, the Strikers effectively have their fate in their own hands and could well guarantee second spot if they beat the Hurricanes on Sunday, regardless of how the Sixers fare against the Gades.

3rd: Sydney Sixers (17 points)

Played: 13 | Won: 8 | Lost: 4 | NR: 1 | NNR: 0.234

The run home

Jan 25: v Renegades (eighth) at the SCG


Adelaide's win in Perth on Friday has pushed the Sixers down to third and the Sydney side now need to beat the Renegades on Saturday and hope the Strikers lose their final match to secure a top-two finish. The Sixers need to beat the Gades by a decent margin in order to erase their 0.42 Net Run Rate deficit to the Strikers, meaning the most likely scenario for the men in magenta is to win on Saturday and hope for an Adelaide defeat 24 hours later. The Sixers will welcome back star paceman Josh Hazlewood for the Renegades clash, but will be without import Tom Curran for the finals due to international duty.

4th: Perth Scorchers (12 points)

Played: 13 | Won: 6 | Lost: 6 | NNR: -0.005

The run home

Jan 26: v Thunder (sixth) at Sydney Showground Stadium

Perth's loss to the Strikers on Friday has left them in a four-way battle for the remaining two spots in the finals, but they do have their fate in their own hands. Victory against the Thunder in Sydney on Sunday will guarantee a top-five finish, but they will still be keeping a close eye on the fortunes of the Hurricanes and Heat over the long weekend. The Scorchers have also welcomed back the Ashtons - Turner and Agar - from international duty for the run home while they've balanced the loss of Chris Jordan (England selection) with the canny recruitment of South African quick Morne Morkel.

5th: Hobart Hurricanes (11 points)

Played: 13 | Won: 5 | Lost: 7 | NR: 1 | NNR: -0.43

The run home

Jan 26: v Strikers (second) at Adelaide Oval

Two wins on the bounce have lifted the Hurricanes into the top five ahead of their crucial clash against the Strikers in Adelaide on Sunday. A win there won't necessarily guarantee a top-five finish given the seventh-placed Heat have a game in hand, and their slender Net Run Rate advantage over the Thunder – currently just 0.065 – could also be decisive in the final wash-up. An upset win for the Renegades on Saturday could also help Hobart's cause as it would all but knock the Sixers out of contention for the top two and mean the Strikers have little to play for on Sunday.

6th: Sydney Thunder (11 points)

Played: 13 | Won: 5 | Lost: 7 | NR: 1 | NNR: -0.495

The run home

Jan 26: v Scorchers (fourth) at Sydney Showground Stadium

Three losses in four games, including a pivotal defeat to the Hurricanes on Friday night, has seen the Thunder drop out of the top five and left them in serious danger of missing the finals. A loss at home on Sunday would end their season and they will still need other results to go their way even if they manage to knock off the Scorchers. And keep a close eye on their Net Run Rate and that of the Hurricanes; they're currently just 0.065 behind Hobart on that measure, which could well determine who scrapes into the finals and who misses out.

7th: Brisbane Heat (10 Points)

Played: 12 | Won: 5 | Lost: 7 | NNR: -0.582

The run home

Jan 25: v Stars (first) at the MCG

Jan 27: v Renegades (eighth) at Marvel Stadium

Three heavy defeats in a row have left the Heat low on confidence and in desperate need of at least one win over the long weekend to scrape into the finals. But defeats to the Scorchers and Thunder on Friday mean the Heat do have their fate in their own hands; two victories in Melbourne this weekend will guarantee a top-five finish and they could even finish as high as fourth if they win both games and other results go their way. However, the run home is so delicately poised that a loss to the Stars on Saturday night and other results going against them could end the Heat's season even before their final match against the Renegades on Monday night.

8th: Melbourne Renegades (4 points)

Played: 12 | Won: 2 | Lost: 10 | NNR: -0.382

The run home

Jan 25: v Sixers (third) at the SCG

Jan 27: v Heat (seventh) at Marvel Stadium

While there will be no finals for the defending champs, their game against the Heat on Monday night could have significant ramifications on the final five. And with skipper Aaron Finch and paceman Kane Richardson back in the fold, they're every chance to spring a couple of upsets on the run home.

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/bbl...-ladder-points-system-net-run-rate/2020-01-25
 
James Vince dismissal today


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The Melbourne Stars' stuttering finish to the KFC BBL's regular season could be compounded by being without their two main international signings for their entire finals campaign.

Coach David Hussey revealed last night that leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, who Hussey had originally expected would be available for the whole tournament, will fly out of Melbourne today after being summoned back to Nepal for an international tri-series against Oman and the USA, which starts on February 5.

And the Stars are now sweating on the fate of Pakistani pace sensation Haris Rauf, who they hope will be available for their qualifying final at the MCG this week after he made his international debut on Friday in Lahore.

Rauf picked up figures of 1-32 and 1-27 in the first two matches of Pakistan’s three-game series against Bangladesh and with the third T20 on Monday, he should be able to return to Melbourne in time for The Qualifier final on Friday.

But with the first Test of that tour to start on February 7, Rauf will be unavailable for the Stars if his rapid rise leads to a maiden Test call-up for Pakistan.

And Hussey concedes there was a chance the in-form quick could well earn his first Test cap despite having played just three first-class games in his career.

"He might get picked to play Test cricket … (his return) is not confirmed as yet. We'd like him back," Hussey said after his side's heavy defeat to Brisbane Heat at the MCG.

"We'll see what happens there. We're still working behind the scenes.

"It's great that he started off his journey playing for the Melbourne Stars and now he's representing his country. I'm rapt for him, (he’s a) great person and hopefully we do get him back for The Qualifier.

"Whatever he does, I hope he actually represents Pakistan for 100 Tests and 400 T20s and 150 one day internationals. He's brought a different dynamic to our group, he's tried every game he's played, he fields his butt off and he's just fitted in the group perfectly."

Rauf's replacement Dilbar Hussain, another unknown Pakistani quick, returned the second-worst figures in Stars' history (1-56 off four overs) in a nervous debut last night and could potentially be their only overseas player to choose from if Rauf is unavailable.

The other two overseas players on the Stars’ books this season - Dale Steyn (who is back in South Africa ahead of their T20 series against England) and Englishman Pat Brown (who was ruled out for the tournament with a back injury) – are not available for the finals.

Adding to the Stars’ woes is confirmation that Hilton Cartwright, who Hussey labelled their "find of the tournament" after forming a successful opening bond with BBL|09's leading run scorer Marcus Stoinis, will miss the rest of the competition after fracturing his right hand.

Rauf and Lamichhane are the Stars' two leading wicket takers in BBL|09, with 16 and 15 respectively, while Adam Zampa is next best with 13.

The Stars have increasingly turned to spin towards the business end of the tournament and Lamichhane has been a key plank of that strategy, returning the miserly figures of 1-16 off four overs last night as the Stars struggled to curtail an AB de Villiers onslaught.

But his absence could force Hussey to rethink his side’s approach.

"I'm always a big believer that spin is going to your friend throughout the tournament,” he said. “It's a fantastic strategy that we have that we might have to rejig a little bit.

"I must admit I didn't deal with it too well when (Lamichhane) told me he was leaving because he's a quality person, a quality player and a big part of our plans to go deep into the tournament.

"But when you get called up to international cricket, it should be celebrated. It was a couple of days of kicking cans about losing a great player but I'm pretty happy for him.

"He's been fantastic for us for the last two years, he's a great person. Unfortunately he has to go back (and) he won't represent us in the finals. When you get called up to play international cricket, it's pretty special."

Hussey said Hussain could have a big impact on the finals despite his rude introduction to the BBL, with the Stars set to weigh up their best bowling attack having rotated the likes of pacemen Nathan Coulter-Nile, Daniel Worrall and Lance Morris in recent games.

Left-armer Jackson Coleman looms as a wildcard as he recovers from a minor side strain having been player of the match in his only game of the tournament so far against the Perth Scorchers last week.

"It's his (Hussain's) first time at the MCG in front of a decent crowd representing a new team, his English is not great, he's only arrived with the Stars in the last couple of days," said Hussey.

"Foreign conditions (but) I thought there was a lot to offer – 145kph away swingers, good slower ball, good fast bouncer … good control, good yorker. I think he's got a pretty good future in the game.

"I think he's going to ruffle a few feathers later on in the tournament."

The Stars have been the season’s standout side but have now lost their last three games and hold a reputation for falling short at the business end of the competition.

They have made the finals in all but one of the previous eight tournaments but are one of only two teams (the Hobart Hurricanes are the other) to have never won the men’s title.

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/mel...nepal-hilton-cartwright-injury-bbl/2020-01-26
 
Our BBL|09 Team of the Tournament

The five finalists for this summer's KFC BBL finals were only confirmed in the last over of the last match of the regular season, with plenty of highlights, memorable moments and records broken in BBL|09.

After 56 regular season games, the cricket.com.au editorial team picked the best XI players to make their unofficial Team of the Tournament.

Sticking to the BBL rules that only two internationals can be included made for some tough choices, and will likely generate plenty of debate.

For the first time, there will be an official KFC BBL Team of the Tournament this season, to be selected by the eight Big Bash coaches, expected to be announced in the lead-up to the BBL Final.

Cricket.com.au Team of the Tournament

1) Marcus Stoinis (Melbourne Stars)

M: 14 | Runs: 607 | SR: 134.29 | Ave: 60.70 | 100s: 1 | 50s: 5 | HS: 147no

It's been a record-breaking season for the Melbourne Stars opener who has stormed back into World Cup calculations with a stellar campaign. Sidelined from bowling, the right-hander has played purely as a batsman and has averaged more than 60 as an opener, the high point being a BBL record score of 147no against the Sixers.

2) Matthew Wade (Hobart Hurricanes)

M: 8 | Runs: 337 | SR: 173.17 | Ave: 56.16 | 100s: 1 | 50s: 3 | HS: 130no

A late starter due to Test duty, the Hurricanes skipper was the key driver in his side's late surge into the finals. His rapid century against the Strikers was obviously the highlight, but Wade has also been remarkably consistent given his mind-blowing strike rate of 173.14, passing 50 in four of his seven innings.

3) Josh Inglis (wk) (Perth Scorchers)

M: 14 | Runs: 405 | SR: 153.99 | Ave: 28.92 | 100s: 0 | 50s: 4 | HS: 73 | Ct: 9 | St: 4

It's been a breakout campaign from the young wicketkeeper-batsman, who slots into the No.3 spot here despite opening for the Scorchers this season. Tim Paine says this man is one of the best glovemen in the country, but Inglis showed he's much more than that as he formed a lethal opening duo with Englishman Liam Livingstone, striking at almost 154 for the tournament and drawing comparisons with former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum.

4) Glenn Maxwell (c) (Melbourne Stars)

M: 14 | Runs: 373 | SR: 156.06 | Ave: 46.62 | 100s: 0 | 50s: 3 | HS: 83no | Wkts: 7 | Econ: 6.80 | Ave: 30.14 | BB: 2-15

It's no coincidence that the Stars' fortunes have headed south in recent weeks when their inspirational skipper's form has also dipped after a stunning start to the tournament. Maxwell almost single-handedly steered his side to victory in three run chases in less than a week in early January, posting scores of 40no, 59no and 83no in consecutive games, while his captaincy has been praised by teammates and pundits alike as the Stars locked in top spot on the ladder with three games still to play.

5) Jonathan Wells (Adelaide Strikers)

M: 14 | Runs: 444 | SR: 136.19 | Ave: 74.00 | 100s: 0 | 50s: 4 | HS: 68no

An excellent season from Adelaide's Mr Consistent has launched him into the conversation for national selection ahead of this year's World Cup. The right-hander has been remarkably consistent despite regularly coming to the crease late in the innings, scoring a competition best 241 runs in the final five overs of an innings. He has been dismissed for less than 20 just three times in 14 innings to put his name forward for consideration for a middle-order spot in the Australian T20 side.

6) Mitchell Marsh (Perth Scorchers)

M: 14 | Runs: 382 | SR: 145.24 | Ave: 34.72 | HS: 93* | Wkts: 5 | Econ: 9.19 | Ave: 38.60 | SR: 25.2 | BB: 2-10

The position in this XI that caused the most debate and consternation. Perth Scorchers captain Mitchell Marsh had an impressive individual season, batting at No.4 for his side. His ability clear the ropes from ball one – he hit 20 sixes in BBL|09 – makes him a handy late-overs power hitter. Indeed, Marsh scored 137 of his runs in the last five overs, coming at a competition-leading strike-rate of 258.

7) Rashid Khan (Adelaide Strikers)

M: 14 | Wkts: 18 | Econ: 7.24 | Ave: 20.66 | SR: 17.1 | BB: 4-22 | 4wi: 1 | Runs: 124 | SR: 156.96 | Ave: 17.71 | HS: 40

The Afghan star has almost gone slightly under the radar this summer, such is the expectation he's built around himself in several superb seasons for the Strikers. But his contribution with both bat and ball cannot be underestimated, the highlights being a memorable hat-trick against the Sixers and a whirlwind innings against the Thunder on New Year's Eve that almost stole an unlikely victory.

8) Daniel Sams (Sydney Thunder)

M: 14 | Wkts: 25 | Econ: 7.81 | Ave: 14.80 | SR: 11.3 | BB: 4-34 | 4wi: 1

He may have misfired with the bat this season, but it's hard to argue with an all-time tournament record of 25 wickets for Thunder's left-armer. Sams has gone wicketless just twice in 14 matches and his new slower ball has proven particularly effective against all teams and at all venues. With a handy lead at the top of the wicket-taker's list, it'd take a serious effort from the chasing pack in the finals to take the BKT Golden Cap off Sams.

9) Peter Siddle (Adelaide Strikers)

M: 13 | Wkts: 17 | Econ: 7.35 | Ave: 19.11 | SR: 15.5 | BB: 4-33 | 4wi: 1

The veteran's international days may be over, but there's plenty left in the tank in both first-class and T20 cricket. Siddle's incredible development as a Twenty20 bowler has continued this season, striking at regular intervals and going at economy rate (7.35) that is almost a run per over better than all of Adelaide's other quicks and among the best of all the leading fast men in the tournament.

10) Nathan Ellis (Hobart Hurricanes)

M: 14 | Wkts: 11 | Econ: 8.24 | Ave: 35.09 | SR: 25.5| BB: 3-15

At first glance, Nathan Ellis's numbers may seem out of place in this XI. But it's been a break-out season for the 25-year-old speedster, who has been mightily impressive delivering the toughest overs. Ellis bowled more balls than anyone else in the final five overs of an innings – 127 of them – and his economy rate in that period of 9.17 was the best of anyone who bowled 61 balls or more. Nine of his 11 wickets came in the death overs – second only to Peter Siddle and Daniel Sams' 11 – continuing a meteoric rise that began with his performances in the Marsh One-Day Cup.

11) Haris Rauf (Melbourne Stars)

M: 7 | Wkts: 16 | Econ: 6.89 | Ave: 11.56 | SR: 10.0 | BB: 5-27 | 4wi: 0

The find of the tournament and one of the biggest surprises in BBL history, Haris Rauf has gone from Hobart club cricketer to an international player in less than two months. An unknown in Australian cricket before the tournament began, the Pakistani quick has impressed with his impressive pace and fiery spells, the highlight being the hat-trick he took against the Thunder that had the MCG rocking.
https://www.cricket.com.au/news/bbl...axwell-khan-sams-ellis-siddle-rauf/2020-01-28
 
2019-20 KFC Big Bash League Team of the Tournament announced

The 2019-20 KFC Big Bash League Team of The Tournament has been revealed.

The team was selected by the head coaches of each club at the completion of the 56-game regular season and features players from six KFC BBL clubs, including current BKT Golden Bat, Marcus Stoinis, and BKT Golden Arm, Daniel Sams.

The team is:
Marcus Stoinis (Melbourne Stars)
Josh Inglis (wk, Perth Scorchers)
Matthew Wade (Hobart Hurricanes)
Glenn Maxwell (c, Melbourne Stars)
Jon Wells (Adelaide Strikers)
Mitchell Marsh (Perth Scorchers)
Tom Curran (Sydney Sixers)
Rashid Khan (Adelaide Strikers)
Daniel Sams (Sydney Thunder)
Peter Siddle (Adelaide Strikers)
Haris Rauf (Melbourne Stars)

A strong batting line up is headed by Melbourne Stars opener Stoinis, who broke the record for the highest individual score in KFC BBL history with 147 against the Sydney Sixers at the MCG. His 207-run partnership with Hilton Cartwright that day was also the highest in the League’s nine seasons.

Joining Stoinis in the batting line up are Josh Inglis, Matthew Wade, Glenn Maxwell, Jon Wells and Mitchell Marsh. Maxwell has been named the side’s captain after guiding the Melbourne Stars to top spot on the BBL|09 ladder while Wells slots in at number five, the position he made his own for the Adelaide Strikers with a 478-run haul at 68.28 apiece.

A strong bowling line up is led by Sydney Thunder paceman Sams, who set the record for the most wickets in a single campaign. He currently has 30 wickets at 14 apiece in KFC BBL|09, passing the previous record of 24 in the Thunder’s final regular season match against the Perth Scorchers.

He is joined by all-rounders Tom Curran and Rashid Khan, veteran quick Peter Siddle and Stars sensation Haris Rauf. The bolter of the season, Rauf emerged as a replacement player early in the season and ultimately earned selection for Pakistan with 17 wickets at an average of 12.58 in eight matches.

Two matches remain in KFC BBL|09, with The Challenger between the Melbourne Stars and Sydney Thunder this Thursday, February 6, to determine the Sydney Sixers’ opponent in The Final on Saturday, February 8.

Tickets remain available for The Challenger on Thursday from cricket.com.au/big-bash, starting at $9.00 for children, $18.00 for concessions and $25.00 for adults.

Fans can support The Big Appeal - which includes the Commbank Women's T20 International between Australia and England, the Bushfire Cricket Bash and the KFC BBL Final – at cricket.com.au/bigappeal.

All three matches in The Big Appeal, plus The Challenger, will be broadcast on Seven and Fox Cricket, with matches streamed via Kayo Sports.
 
'Integrity of cricket': Players' call for crucial Big Bash League change

With the BBL final in danger of being washed out, star players have called for a reserve day to be introduced in the case of wet weather.

Forecasters are predicting up to 50mm of rain in Sydney on Saturday, with the SCG locked in to host the decider - and the bushfire relief match curtain-raiser.

The Sydney Sixers will play the winner of Thursday night's preliminary final at the MCG between the Melbourne Stars and Sydney Thunder.

Five overs per-side have to be played to constitute a BBL game and the team that has earned the right to host the final is declared the winner if the competition showpiece is abandoned.

Sydney Thunder captain Callum Ferguson is against shifting the final away from NSW, but thinks a wash-out would be a disappointing end.

"I feel like the integrity of cricket is of foremost importance to this tournament," he said.

"The fact the Sixers have earned the right to host, I don't believe we can afford to start mucking around with that sort of stuff.

"But I absolutely believe there needs to be a reserve day.

"I believe we've got the right (finals) system, barring a reserve day, and we need to make sure we give it every chance of being played."

If the Stars progress to the decider and the game doesn't go ahead, they will suffer more finals heartbreak after finishing the season on top of the ladder.

They have made the finals in eight of the nine BBL seasons, but are one of only two teams - along with Hobart - who are yet to win a title.

Legspinner Adam Zampa said the Stars weren't looking too far ahead, but would hate to see a no-result fixture decide a tournament.

"With the length of the Big Bash, it's a bit disappointing there isn't a spare day or two," he said.

"We can't really control it at the moment. If the final comes around, even if it is five overs, hopefully there's a game."

https://au.sports.yahoo.com/big-bas...guson-reserve-day-090520502.html?guccounter=1
 
Super Stars sink Thunder to reach BBL Final

Melbourne Stars are just one win away from their first ever KFC BBL title and will face Sydney Sixers in the decider at the SCG on Saturday night

The match in a tweet: Stars end losing streak to surge into BBL Final after masterclasses from #BBL09 standout Marcus Stoinis and surprise packet Nick Larkin downed brave Thunder

The scores: Melbourne Stars 2-194 (Larkin 83*, Stoinis 83; Morris 2-30) defeat Sydney Thunder 8-166 (Ross 58, Nair 30; Rauf 3-17) by 28 runs

The hero

Hardly a household name among the Stars' glittering crew of, well, stars, Nick Larkin delivered an outstanding knock in the most important game of his team's season to outshine all of them.

Larkin's unbeaten 83 that came from five fewer deliveries than opening partner Marcus Stoinis' own 83 (54 balls to 49) was made even more impressive given his first 25 runs came at only marginally faster than a run-a-ball.

He was nonetheless, initially, an effective sidekick to Stoinis who dominated the scoring and the strike before his departure with three overs to come.

But Larkin hit top gear after Stoinis' dismissal, smashing 58 off his final 25 deliveries and almost singlehandedly ensuring 38 came off the final three overs, relegating designated finisher Glenn Maxwell (four off six balls) to mere observer.

It was a match-winning innings from a batsman his New South Wales teammate Trent Copeland said has previously been "pigeon-holed" as a red-ball specialist.

He now shapes as a surprising dangerman for Saturday's final against the side from his native state, the Sydney Sixers.

The support cast

From the moment he hit the second ball of the match for six over long-off with a pure swing of the bat, Marcus Stoinis looked back in the form that saw him earn player-of-the-tournament honours.

Admittedly, three scores of 17 or fewer coming into the do-or-die clash hardly amounted to a 'slump' but the Stars' losing streak had magnified a perceived reliance on their star duo of Stoinis and Maxwell.

An edge down the leg-side fluffed by keeper Jay Lenton (more on that below) aside, Stoinis hardly put a foot wrong on the way to a brilliant 83 off just 54 ball only days after missing out on a recall for Australia's limited-overs sides.

The right-hander's knock was typically powerful, but his most devastating stroke was his improvised deft scoop over the short fine leg fielder (who the Thunder refused to put on the boundary) that proved his most devastating weapon, finding the fence numerous times with the shot as well as for the last of his three sixes.

Stoinis also peppered the cover and third-man boundaries in his seventh score of more than fifty for the tournament, finally having his stumps rattled by Chris Morris when attempting another ramp.

The chances

It was a horror night in the field for the Thunder, who gave Stoinis and Larkin no fewer than three chances during the pair's 117-run second-wicket partnership.

Stoinis should have been out on 19 when he tickled a leg-side delivery from Morris to Lenton, who is rated highly for his skills as a pure gloveman, but the tall keeper somehow put down the straightforward chance.

Daniel Sams then dropped a more difficult outfield catch running back towards the square leg boundary when Larkin was on eight.

The duo's lucky night was capped off when they survived a comedic mix-up that saw the pair collide mid-pitch – sending Larkin's bat flying, a lucky escape given Stoinis' immense frame – while taking a second run.

Yet because bowler Jono Cook had gone to chase the ball, there was no one at the bowler's end stumps to gather the throw that should have seen Stoinis run out.

The efforts

In contrast the Stars were superb in the field, in the Power Play especially, as Alex Hales and Usman Khawaja struggled to penetrate the infield.

It might have only saved one run, but the sight of four Stars fielders sprinting to stop a boundary off Khawaja, resulting in Clinton Hinchliffe's successful full-length dive to keep the ball in play, was a reflection of the gap between the two sides.

The impact

The Thunder's intimidating opening duo of Hales and Khawaja needed to go big if the visitors were going to be any chance of knocking off the Stars, and in the space of nine deliveries, Nathan Coulter-Nile had removed both.

Hales, in dominant form with five fifty-plus scores from his previous eight BBL innings, knocked one to Coulter-Nile at mid-on and took off for a quick single. But the athletic fast bowler pounced and, crucially, released the ball deceptively quickly to have the Englishman run out by millimetres.

Thrown the ball soon afterwards, Coulter-Nile then bowled Khawaja with his first ball of the match to put a major dent in the Thunder's run chase.

The consolation effort

On a difficult night for the Thunder, Chris Morris stood tall to take the only two wickets of the Stars innings and finish as their most miserly bowler before adding 21 off 16 balls including a towering six.

The South African will also rue Lenton's dropping of Stoinis down the leg-side in the Power Play that, had it been taken, could have seen the match take altogether different complexion.

The stat

The team batting first has now won all four of this season's finals games.

Captains appear to be taking note too; only once - the Adelaide Strikers' Travis Head in their loss to the Thunder – has a captain elected to field first during the business end of the tournament.

The next stop

After days of scrutiny on their poor finals record (which now stands at three wins and seven losses over the nine editions of the BBL) the Stars are into the decider for a second straight season.

They will face the Sydney Sixers at the SCG on Saturday in a rematch of last Friday's Qualifier final as they look to make amends for last year's defeat to the Melbourne Renegades.

Despite their exit, the Thunder are unlikely to look back on their end of their campaign with too much regret.

Finishing fifth after losing more games than they won, Sydney's green team saved their best cricket of the tournament for their unlikely finals run, as they knocked off more-fancied opponents Hobart Hurricanes and Adelaide Strikers away from home to set up their date with the Stars.

Stars XI: Marcus Stoinis, Seb Gotch (wk), Nick Larkin, Glenn Maxwell (c), Peter Handscomb, Nic Maddinson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Clint Hinchliffe, Adam Zampa, Daniel Worrall, Haris Rauf

Thunder XI: Alex Hales, Usman Khawaja, Callum Ferguson (c), Alex Ross, Arjun Nair, Chris Morris, Daniel Sams, Jay Lenton (wk), Nathan McAndrew, Chris Tremain, Jono Cook

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/mat...mcg-watch-live-stream-scores-video/2020-02-06
 
What's happening?

It's the final of the KFC Big Bash League! The Sydney Sixers, who finished second on the table, are chasing their second BBL title after taking out the inaugural season in the summer of 2011-12. They play the Melbourne Stars, who finished in first position, but are still in pursuit of a maiden BBL title having finished as runners-up in BBL|05 and BBL|08.

When and where is it?

It's at 7.15pm on Saturday at the SCG, Sydney.

What happens in case of rain?

If the BBL Final is washed out, the Sixers will take home the title as the host of the Grand Final.

However, the final can be reduced to a five-overs per side contest, so a full match isn't required.

Form guide

The Sydney Sixers are peaking at the right time. They've won their past five matches, including the Qualifier final against the Stars last Friday night. The only concern for the magenta side could be their lack of matches; due to this year's finals structure, they've played only one match in the past 14 days.

The Melbourne Stars meanwhile finally snapped a four-game losing streak, spanning three weeks, by defeating the Sydney Thunder in the Challenger final on Thursday evening.

Head-to-head

The Sixers hold the upper hand in the head-to-head matches in BBL|09, with two wins against the table-topping Stars.

In the first encounter, the Stars piled on 1-219 on the back of Marcus Stoinis' record-breaking 147no off 79 balls, and won 44 runs. In the reverse fixture, the Sixers won a rain-affected match by 21 runs thanks largely to Moises Henriques' 72 off 31 balls.

Most recently, the Sixers bowled out the Stars for their lowest score in the franchise's short history, just 99 in the Qualifier final.

Across all nine editions of the BBL, it's just as close. The sides have met on 13 occasions, with the Stars winning seven, including one in a Super Over.

The squads

Stars: Glenn Maxwell (c), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Ben Dunk, Seb Gotch, Peter Handscomb, Clint Hinchliffe, Nick Larkin, Nic Maddinson, Jonathan Merlo, Haris Rauf, Marcus Stoinis, Daniel Worrall, Adam Zampa

Sixers: Moises Henriques (c), Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Ben Dwarshuis, Josh Hazlewood, Dan Hughes, Nathan Lyon, Steve O'Keefe, Josh Philippe, Lloyd Pope, Jordan Silk, Steve Smith, James Vince

The umpires

Gerard Abood and Paul Wilson will oversee officiating duties on the night, with Shawn Craig the third umpire.

Key players

Steve Smith: Given his incredible statistics in every other form of the game, it's hard to believe that Smith has only raised the bat for the Sixers four times in 27 innings. However, this is his first BBL since becoming one of the world's best batters – BBL|03 was his most recent campaign in pink. Smith showed his class with his unbeaten 66 off 40 balls against the Renegades and will look to control the game from the crucial No.3 position.

Haris Rauf: He's got the most wickets for Stars with 20, he's got the best economy rate in the death overs (see below) and he took a hat-trick. Haris Rauf has had a huge impact in his first season in the BBL. Rauf's influence has been profound; the Stars have lost only five matches in BBL|09, Rauf missed four of those games.

Key stats

Marcus Stoinis (Melbourne Stars) has recorded 695 runs in BBL|09, the most by a batsman in a single edition of the BBL. His innings of 147 not out earlier in the tournament is the highest individual score in BBL history.

No bowler has more wickets in the powerplay than Jackson Bird's (Sydney Sixers) eight; while the most effective for the Stars in the first six overs has been Glenn Maxwell, with six wickets.

Steve O’Keefe (Sydney Sixers) has the lowest boundary rate of any bowler to record 10+ overs this season in the Big Bash League – his deliveries go to the rope only 8.7% of the time.

Haris Rauf (Melbourne Stars) and Sean Abbott (Sydney Sixers) have the best economy rates during the ‘death overs’ this season in the BBL (overs 17-20), of those logging 30+ legal deliveries during that period of games; recording rates of 7 and 7.7 respectively.

This fixture will mark the first time in BBL history that two sides have met four times in a single edition of the competition.

The four finals in BBL|09 have all been won by the side batting first.

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/bbl...-sydney-sixers-big-bash-highlights/2020-02-07
 
Josh Philippe enhanced his credentials as a future international by leading the Sydney Sixers to their second KFC Big Bash League title, as the Melbourne Stars added to their reputation as finals floppers following a 19-run defeat in the rain-shortened decider.

Philippe outshone a host of his more experienced Sixers batters, including his look-a-like Steve Smith, as he blasted a match-winning 52 off 29 balls to fire the Sixers to 5-116 in what was reduced to a 12-overs-per-side game at the SCG.

The Stars' response was meek, sinking to 4-25 inside the first 25 balls of their run chase with the run-out of Peter Handscomb all but sealing a humiliating exit as their search for a maiden BBL championship continues.

Leg-spinner Adam Zampa admitted on Fox Cricket the Stars had arrived at the ground with little hope of play given the record downpours Sydney has experienced in recent days, yet it was the Sixers who looked rattled when they fell to 4-68 inside eight overs.

But Philippe, in posting his fifth half-century of the season, and clutch finisher Jordan Silk (27 not out off 15 deliveries) hit 48 off the final 28 balls of the innings to lift the home side to what proved an unassailable total.

Player-of-the-tournament Marcus Stoinis loomed as the Stars' main threat but after the Stars opener creamed a six off Nathan Lyon's first ball of the innings, the Test off-spinner got his revenge when he had him caught for 10 on the square-leg boundary three balls later.

Nic Maddinson's rough season (143 runs at 10.21) was capped as he followed an earlier dropped catch off Silk by poking an easy catch to cover off the impressive Josh Hazlewood (1-18 off three overs) to exit for a duck.

Captain Glenn Maxwell (five) was enraged when he was given out lbw off Steve O'Keefe.

And when a slip from Nick Larkin, who top-scored with an unbeaten 38, led to confusion between the wickets with Handscomb, the latter was easily run-out and the hosts were all but home.

It is the Sixers' second BBL title and their first since the competition's inaugural season in 2011-12 when the Smith-captained side defeated Perth Scorchers by seven wickets.

The Stars finished first on the regular season standings but squandered top billing to second-placed Sydney after being bowled out for the lowest score in club history (99) in last week's Qualifier final.

Another disappointing batting performance means their search for a maiden crown goes on, despite a remarkable track record of making the finals. They have made the decider on three occasions and missed the playoffs only once in nine seasons but have now just won three of 12 finals games.

They finish as BBL runners-up for a second consecutive summer.

Maxwell had elected to bowl first after winning a bat flip few thought would take place given the colossal amount of rain the harbour city has received in recent days. Had no play been possible, the Sixers would have been crowned champions as the hosting team.

English import James Vince had soaked up nine crucial balls for just two runs, playing-and-missing at Daniel Worrall three times in the swing king's opening over before limply offering a catch to mid-on.

Smith (21 off 12 balls) looked ominous as he launched Haris Rauf for an enormous 86-metre leg-side six.

Spin proved the visitors' trump card. Maxwell celebrated the wickets of Smith and Daniel Hughes (duck) with a rare ferocity and Zampa bowled Sixers skipper Moises Henriques for seven as the visitors looked in the box seat just over halfway through the first innings.

But Silk's superb late cameo, which included a towering six that was caught one-handed by a young spectator, and the brilliant Philippe, pushed the game out of the Stars' reach.

Sixers XI: Josh Philippe (wk), Daniel Hughes, Steven Smith, James Vince, Moises Henriques (c), Jordan Silk, Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Steve O'Keefe

Stars XI: Marcus Stoinis, Seb Gotch (wk), Nick Larkin, Glenn Maxwell (c), Peter Handscomb, Nic Maddinson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Ben Dunk, Adam Zampa, Daniel Worrall, Haris Rauf

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/mat...cg-sydney-weather-video-highlights/2020-02-08
 
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